The Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Marta Dassù, met the Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister, Victor Mayko, at the Foreign Ministry in Rome today. The meeting was an opportunity to renew the political-level contacts envisaged by the 2008 agreement on political consultations between the two Ministries.
The key aspects of bilateral cooperation in the economic-commercial and political sectors were discussed, as well as developments in the EU-Ukrainian partnership.
As regards this partnership, Under-Secretary Dassù confirmed Italy’s support for Ukraine’s prospective political and association and economic integration with the European Union. She noted, however, that the completion of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement of December 2011 will depend on the latter’s respecting the rule of law and democratic principles.
More specifically, she hoped that Ukraine would soon implement the legislative improvements and take the concrete steps, especially in the judicial sector, envisaged during the recent EU-Ukraine summit. Under-Secretary Dassù also raised specific concerns regarding the Yulia Tymoshenko case.
On the bilateral level, the meetings confirmed the dynamism of the Italian presence in Ukraine, as witnessed by the growth in trade and investment and by “System Italy’s” interest in economic activity in the country. Further impetus will be given by the forthcoming meetings between the two countries, starting with the 8th round of the Mixed Bilateral Commission and by consultations at consular level.
