Tymoshenko: Ukraine can win even if it needs extra time

During a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin the Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko underlined Ukraine and the Russian Federation have experienced a rather constructive dialog between the two states in the process of building the relations. The meeting of the two prime ministers took place in Astana in the framework of the sitting of the Council of heads of governments of CIS member-states, government portal reported.

According to Yulia Tymoshenko, the last sitting of Economic Committee has opened new cooperation opportunities: “I can see nowadays how actively our teams are cooperating on the level of ministries in order to make all our strategic priorities a reality”.

Also the Premier underlined today’s meeting is just a perfect opportunity to tackle the issues of further cooperation between Ukraine and Russia in the direction of supplies of the Russian natural gas to Ukraine and its transit to Europe: “I am convinced we will achieve understanding concerning how to pump gas in storages, as it is crucial for the European Union, for Ukraine and for all those consuming Russian natural gas. I consider we are able to solve this issue”. Yulia Tymoshenko added the bipartite cooperation between Ukraine and Russia and cooperation between the CIS states is acquiring a broader economic scope.

According to her, today’s discussion with heads of governments of CIS member-states proves that year-on-year these meetings are becoming more effective, filling with economic content the cooperation between the countries, while maintaining a tighter cooperation enables to feel reliability in finding the ways how to curb the crisis phenomena. “I want to stress the role of Russia for the CIS is of great significance in these hard times”. At this, she thanked to Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin for the support of Ukraine and facilitating deepening of bilateral cooperation.

In his turn, the Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin announced that he is exceptionally glad for a chance to discuss issues of further bipartite cooperation with the Prime Minister of Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin underlined in the course of today’s sitting of the Council of heads of governments of CIS member-states a great attention has been paid to joint collaboration under conditions of the global financial-economic crunch. “And as is easy to see: ambitions are disappearing together with money,” he urged.

According to Vladimir Putin, in this connection the heads of governments have become more attentive to each other, seeking possibilities of joint activity. He emphasized last year’s relations between Ukraine and Russia saw a record amount of trade turnover – to the tune of USD 40 billion. However, the Prime Minister of Russia established a fact that in the first quarter of current year this showing has lowered: both Ukraine and Russia have suffered significantly in connection with processes on the world markets, especially it concerns Ukraine, notably its metallurgical complex. “Ukraine seems to have suffered more than Russia and we rely on our joint work, which will help us to find ways out of the crisis,” Vladimir Putin accentuated.

The Russian Prime Minister congratulated the Premier of Ukraine and football fans on a bright victory of Shakhtar in the UEFA Cup: “The Ukrainians can be satisfied with the success in football: I want to congratulate you and all football fans on a magnificent victory of Shakhtar in the UEFA Cup and we are glad to notice the Cup doesn’t move far away from our borders,” Vladimir Putin said. According to Vladimir Putin, such news always brings positive feelings, even in crisis times, “or it probably helps to overcome the crisis”.

In her turn, Yulia Tymoshenko thanked to Vladimir Putin for the congratulations and added such news really raises the spirit: “Ukraine is capable of winning even if it needs additional time for that, as during the last match. Anyway we are capable of winning”.