President: Ukraine to continue search for cooperation model with CU

Ukraine is doing homework of the EU and is looking for a model of cooperation with the Customs Union, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych told a press conference in the Ukrainian House, ForUm correspondent reports.

"At the Cabinet’s meeting, it was decided to create a special group that will carry out the decisions that we have to take, for example, we need to complete the first stage in issues on visa liberalization (with the EU - Ed.). We have reforms to be held faster. These reforms are necessary for Ukraine, and, of course, they will harmonize our relations with Europe. That is, we understand that this is our homework," the President noted.

"As for Russia, we are looking for a model of Ukraine's cooperation with the Customs Union. The economic integration with the CU is very interesting for us, as we had a trade turnover with the Customs Union in the amount of 63 billion USD last year. By the way, this trade turnover with the EU together with the market amounts to about 50 billion USD.

But a lot will depend on our partners, including Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, and on their desire to see us in this union. We believe we can find a form that will correspond to the level of our relations. We are interested in not to lose the trade turnover not to get discriminatory actions from the Customs Union... In the near future I will visit Russia, and these talks will continue," Yanukovych said.