Ukraine seeks talks to revive ties with Russia
KYIV, April 2 (Xinhua) — Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk on Wednesday said his country is willing to hold high-level talks with Russia to normalize bilateral ties.
“We would like to negotiate on the relationship between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, and we believe that our foreign ministers should meet as soon as possible,” Yatsenyuk said during an investment conference in the capital.
Kyiv and Moscow have many urgent issues which need to be addressed, particularly in bilateral trade and energy cooperation, despite the continuing row over the status of the Crimean peninsula, Yatsenyuk said.
However, he emphasized that although Ukraine hopes to overcome disagreements and end disputes with Russia, it will never compromise its core interests, such as independence and territorial integrity.
Yatsenyuk said Kyiv expects some concessions from Moscow to boost bilateral relations, namely strengthening the role of the Ukrainian language and better protection of the rights of ethnic minorities in Russia, where over 2 million Ukrainians live.
Last month, a political row erupted between Kyiv and Moscow as Russia took control of Crimea as part of its territory during a period of unrest in Ukraine.
Ukraine does not accept Crimea’s integration into Russia, considering it an “attempt to annex the Ukrainian territory.”