Andrej Šter, Slovenian Foreign Ministry State Secretary, chaired a meeting in Kyiv between the EU Troika and Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine. The EU was also represented by Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, and Jean-Pierre Jouyet, State Secretary responsible for European Affairs at the French Foreign Ministry. The meeting focused on relations between the European Union and Ukraine and the counterparts expressed the desire to further enhance these relations in the coming period.
In his introductory address, State Secretary Šter underlined that relations between the EU and Ukraine are intensive and based on pragmatic cooperation in the region. In this regard he also spoke in favour of concluding negotiations on the political aspects of the European Neighbourhood Policy during the Slovenian Presidency of the EU. The meeting also touched upon the issue of visas, with Mr Šter explaining that the present situation may be improved by means of local border agreements.
