Ukraine, Israel Plan Visa-Free Travel

KYIV -- Ukraine and Israel plan to sign an agreement on visa-free travel in 2010, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told journalists after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko in Kyiv today that the two countries agreed "to work in that direction."

Lieberman said it took half a year to prepare a similar agreement with Russia, and "we are capable of reaching a similar agreement with Ukraine as well."

Poroshenko said the two sides expressed mutual interest in strengthening bilateral ties.

Israel initiated the visa-free travel regime with Ukraine in January last year.

There are tens of thousands of Ukrainians living in Israel.

Lieberman grew up in a Russian-speaking community in Moldova when it was a part of the Soviet Union.