KYIV. Dec 23 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine plans to set up a free trade area with Israel, says Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
“I am interested in progress on concluding an agreement on a free trade area between Ukraine and Israel,” Poroshenko told journalists following negotiations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Tuesday.
The Ukrainian president said trade turnover between the two countries amounts to $1 billion. “We are interested in increasing it,” he added.
Ukraine is interested in Israel’s assistance in carrying out reform and in expanding bilateral economic cooperation, he said.
“Ukraine is interested in Israel’s assistance in pursuing reforms in our country and in boosting economic cooperation between the two countries,” he said.
The conclusion of a free trade area agreement should promote broader economic cooperation, the presidential press service said. Ukraine is especially interested in expanding cooperation in the high technology sector, he added.
The two leaders discussed ways to step up bilateral trade and economic cooperation, particularly in the agrarian, transportation, construction, and other fields and investment cooperation between the two countries. Based on the outcomes of the negotiations, Ukraine and Israel signed a number of bilateral documents, in particular, those concerning cooperation in the scientific-technical, educational, cultural, and infrastructure development fields. The parties also agreed on holding another session of the Ukrainian-Israeli intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation in the first half of 2016.
The parties expressed hope for the soonest possible signature of a free trade agreement between Ukraine and Israel, which, as they expect, should significantly increase the trade-economic component of interaction between the two states.
Poroshenko invited Netanyahu to visit Ukraine in 2016 and take part in events commemorating the 75th anniversary of the tragedy in the Babyn Yar. He thanked the Israeli prime minister for the humanitarian and medical assistance that Israel renders to Ukraine.
