Ukraine PM supports friendly, but pragmatic relations with Russia

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko “is an absolute supporter of the policy for restoring friendly, but very pragmatic relations with Russia.” She has made a statement at the 6th Yalta European Strategy summit in the Crimea on Friday.

“Ukraine’s choice is Europe, but the country should maintain partnership and mutually beneficial relations with the Russian Federation,” she noted.

“Ukraine has made a clear choice – the European community. But partnership, pragmatic, mutually beneficial and friendly relations with Russia, one of our neighbours, to my mind, make an important integral part of Ukraine’s logical development,” Timoshenko said.

She believes that artificial tensions between Ukraine and Russia are fanning up. “Irritating issues between Ukraine and Russia should be settled. It is necessary to build one’s own national interests with due account of the position of the partner,” the premier emphasized.

Timoshenko is confident that there will be no problems in the gas relations with Russia until 2010. “Ukraine and Russia will celebrate at home the New Year night in 2010 for the first time in the last few years,” she said.