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Ukraine concerned over exports decrease to Russia — senior government official

Ukraine's parliament-appointed Minister of Economic Development and Trade Pavlo Sheremeta says economic and cultural cooperation with Russia should be continued

KIEV, April 18. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s senior government official has emphasized the need to continue economic and cultural cooperation with Russia despite the existing difficulties in relations between the two countries.

The parliament-appointed Ukrainian Minister of Economic Development and Trade Pavlo Sheremeta has expressed concern over a trend in reducing Ukrainian export supplies to Russia and trade turnover between the two countries.

Contacts with the Russian government are not intensive. “There are only occasional contacts,” Sheremeta said on Friday. “Economic and cultural cooperation (with Russia) should be continued,” he added.

On Thursday, April 17, the parliament-appointed Ukrainian premier Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Kiev would protect its right for free trade with Russia.

“This right will be protected by all means, in particular through the WTO (World Trade Organization),” Yatsenyuk said.

“You know the situation: Russia’s markets have long been closed to us despite bilateral agreements,” he said. “We’ll defend our right for free trade with all countries, including Russia” Yatsenyuk said.