Russian presidential aide for foreign policy Serhiy Prikhodko reported to Interfax that the broadly advertised meeting between Leonid Kuchma and Boris Yeltsin failed to take place on August 20-21 in the Rus’ residence nearby Moscow.
Under present circumstances Kuchma should have been the one to insist on the meeting, because Ukrainian products cannot compete on the Russian market after additional import fees were imposed. Although Russia still remains Ukraine’s main trade partner, a 20% decrease was registered in their mutual trade since the beginning of the year. Experts are still calculating the possible damage, which could be caused by the new conditions.
Meanwhile, Ukraine transferred “finding solutions to economic problems” to the Presidents’ meeting slated to take place in Kharkiv on September 18-19, Ukrainian First Deputy Foreign Minister Oleksandr Chaly says. Still, according to him, Russia intends to discuss political and not economical problems at the meeting.
AP Photo:
UKRAINIAN-RUSSIAN RELATIONS ARE AS CHANGEABLE AS FALL WEATHER







