VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
Vladimir Putin: Ms Prime Minister, colleagues, we are happy to welcome you in Moscow.
Yulia Tymoshenko: Thank you.
Vladimir Putin: I am glad that we have this opportunity to meet, at long last. I hope we will not only discuss energy problems today, since we have many other issues to address.
Despite the global economic downturn in the last quarter of 2008 and the 1st quarter of this year, our trade has grown considerably over the preceding period, approaching $40 billion. This is a good sign.
At the same time, I am happy to say that cooperation between crucial individual sectors and enterprises is growing stronger. This is a positive beginning. Our task now is to promote these positive tendencies.
Our Commission can and must play a positive role in this respect.
We are glad to welcome you in Moscow.
Yulia Tymoshenko: Thank you, Mr Putin. Indeed, this meeting is very important to us. The crucial thing is that we are conducting systemic work. In April 2008, we convened a joint meeting of the Economic Committee. Today, a year later, we can sum up the results of its operation. We are monitoring and gradually implementing the 11 issues we included in the joint documents and agreements then. This is an important achievement.
Our meeting today will also be a momentous event, because we will sign a number of documents that will enhance bilateral trade and promote cooperation. One of the issues concerns agreements on a special regime for cooperation deliveries, which should enhance mutual understanding in all economic spheres, notably engineering, aviation and the space industry, which is very important.
I am pleased that we have attained positive results. The system of gas supplies to Ukraine has stabilised, and we are trying to make monthly payments for gas in full and on time.
I also want to express my gratitude for coming to agreement on the contractual clauses according to which Ukraine is to accept the contracted amounts of gas. Currently, we accept only as much as we can afford during the crisis, but we are paying for the gas we take in full. It is important that we have agreed on the matter.
We are also pleased about the positive dynamics in our relations, including as regard nuclear fuel. We have signed agreements for 2009 and 2010. It is good that we are developing cooperation, leaving behind the period when our relations were marred by confrontation.
I would like to thank you and your team for your constructive efforts. And thank you for your hospitality.
Vladimir Putin: You have spotlighted a highly important sphere of our relations. If we do not join forces, as we have pointed out many times, we will find it very difficult to work on foreign markets. I am referring to aviation, the space industry and engineering. We have deep cooperation ties, and unless we preserve them, the situation for our companies working on foreign markets will become increasingly complicated in the light of growing competition. But if we combine our efforts, we will be competitive rivals. I think we will discuss all of these issues today.
