By RIA Novosti
Kiev : Ukraine’s parliamentary speaker said on Wednesday that Ukraine is interested in Russia’s membership to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchenko signed an agreement with the WTO on Tuesday clearing the way for the country’s membership of the global trade body.
“Ukraine is extremely interested in the Russian economy becoming a member of the WTO,” Arseniy Yatsenyuk said adding that Ukraine would do its best to improve economic relations with Russia.
The statement echoed Yushchenko’s pledge on Tuesday that Ukraine would not attempt to block Russia’s admission to the organization.
“We completely support Russia’s WTO accession bid. Ukraine will do all it can to facilitate Russia’s early admission,” he said.
Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said in late January that Moscow could also reach the final negotiation stage on its accession to the WTO in the next couple of months. He added that the country was currently drafting a report on basic terms for joining the 151-member organization.
Ukraine’s parliament should ratify an agreement on the country’s accession to the WTO within a month.