The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson, during which the parties summed up the results of the Free Trade Agreement so far, as well as discussed strengthening cooperation in various fields.
Kyiv. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – September 23, 2021 – Diplomatic Affairs
“They discussed strengthening cooperation between Ukraine and the United Kingdom in the fields of trade, defense, finance, and energy. The first results of the Free Trade Agreement have been summed up – a 70% increase in trade turnover, ”the President wrote.
Zelensky and Johnson exchanged views on the security situation in the east and around Ukraine, in particular in the Black Sea-Azov region. The President thanked for the continued support of the United Kingdom for the territorial integrity of Ukraine and freedom of navigation in the region. The President also thanked Johnson for his support of the Crimean Platform.
During the meeting, special attention was paid to further cooperation with the United Kingdom on the development of Ukraine’s defense capabilities and strengthening the Ukrainian fleet. The head of state handed over to the Prime Minister of Britain a list of almost 450 Ukrainians who are illegally detained in temporarily uncontrolled territories and in the Russian Federation.
The parties discussed cooperation in the field of energy, in particular nuclear energy, and challenges for the European region in connection with the implementation of the Nord Stream-2 project. The President of Ukraine stressed that this project is a geopolitical weapon of Russia.
The interlocutors also discussed further political dialogue activities at the highest level, including the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Partnership Dialogue.
The President informed Boris Johnson of his intention to take part in the high-level segment of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will take place in Glasgow on November 1-2.
The United Kingdom took part in the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform, which took place on August 23 in Kyiv. Defense Minister Ben Wallace arrived in the west.
As for trade, the FTA between Ukraine and the United Kingdom, which has decided to leave the EU, came into force on January 1, 2021.
It should be noted that the meeting between Zelensky and Johnson was on the verge of disruption due to the assassination attempt on presidential aide Serhiy Shafir in Ukraine. In a video address, the Ukrainian guarantor stated that he was going to the capital immediately after his speech at the UN General Assembly.
But he later stressed that he had no right to interrupt the meeting with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson.
Source: Ukrgate
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