Accessibility links

Breaking News

Ukraine, Russia Vow To Revive Mutual Ties


Ukrainian Prime Minister Yekhanurov (left) with Putin outside Moscow today 30 September 2005 -- Russian and Ukrainian officials today vowed to revive ties frayed since the Orange Revolution that swept reformers to power in Kyiv early this year.

Ukraine's recently appointed prime minister, Yuriy Yekhanurov, said during a visit to Moscow that Russia is his country's "main partner" and that Russian businesses will be allowed to keep anything they bought in Ukraine's controversial privatization process in the 1990s.

"We gave a clear signal to Russian and other foreign businesses [in Ukraine] that we would work in a civilized manner and the problem of re-privatization would no longer concern our partners," Yekhanurov said.

Yekhanurov was speaking to reporters after talks with his Russian counterpart Mikhail Fradkov in his first trip abroad since taking office last week.

After the meeting, Fradkov was quoted by Interfax as saying that he and Yekhanurov had agreed to give their energy ministers instructions to "intensify" work on resolving Ukraine's difficulties in obtaining natural gas.

Also today, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed simplifying customs procedures in a telephone conversation.

A statement from Yushchenko's office said the two presidents agreed that the Russian and Ukrainian governments should focus on issues important for ordinary citizens.

Putin later today met with Prime Minister Yekhanurov.

"We are perfectly aware that [economic] growth rates [in Ukraine] have plummeted and other systemic problems have emerged," ITAR-TASS quoted Putin as telling the Ukrainian prime minister. "You are an experienced and effective person. We hope you will be able to shift this trend in reverse, to preserve the level of cooperation we have had with Ukraine over the past few years and to give a fresh impetus to cooperation."

(AP/AFP)

Related stories:

Ukraine's New Premier Reassures Russia In Moscow Visit

Has Yushchenko Betrayed The Orange Revolution?

UN: Report Indicates Growth Of Foreign Investment In Southeast Europe, CIS

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG