(BelTA) – Ukraine would like Belarus to join the WTO as soon as possible, President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych has said at an extended meeting with President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on 18 June, BelTA has learnt.

“We welcome Belarus’ plans to become a fully-fledged member of the WTO. We would like it to happen as soon as possible,” the Ukrainian head of state said.

Speaking about the bilateral trade, Viktor Yanukovych noted that Belarus and Ukraine have great potential, but it is not used in full. The Ukrainian President believes that the two countries should come up with specific cooperation proposals across various fields. Ukraine is keen on establishing closer ties with Belarus in many cooperation areas.

The Ukrainian head of state drew attention to opportunities in the transport and logistics sector. Viktor Yanukovych informed that during a one-on-one meeting the Presidents discussed matters related to oil transportation, cooperation in agribusiness, mechanical engineering and defense industry, as well as interregional and cross-border ties.