Ukraine needs free trade zone with EU, Customs Union - PM Azarov
KYIV. May 24 (Interfax) - Ukraine's Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has stressed the importance of signing free trade agreements both with the European Union and the Customs Union trio - Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan, the Ukrainian Cabinet's spokesperson said on Monday.
"For us it is vital to have a free trade zone agreement with the EU and a free trade zone agreement with the Customs Union represented by Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan. It is feasible," Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said at a meeting with former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski.
Trade with Russia is 30%, and trade with the EU is also almost 30%. "Ukraine has found itself in an interesting situation. If you look geographically, from the east we are surrounded by the Customs Union consisting of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan; from the west by the European Union, which is also a customs union. And so Ukraine is in a ring between two customs unions. Such are our specifics," Azarov said.