President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek has expressed satisfaction with the intensification of cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union, in particular on visa liberalization, as well as the talks on signing an association and free trade agreements.

During a meeting with Verkhovna Rada Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn in Strasbourg, he expressed the opinion that by the end of this year there will be a positive result "at least in terms of signing an Association Agreement," the press office of the Ukrainian parliament reported.

At the same time, the European Parliament president highly appreciated the understanding by the Ukrainian authorities of the need for coordinating efforts on the path of integration into European structures. However, he noted, the question arises about the possibility of Ukraine's joining the Customs Union with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. "Without a doubt, this will be your decision, but the EU wants to be closer to Ukraine," Buzek emphasized.

In turn, Speaker Lytvyn said that position of the Ukrainian authorities "is clear and understandable - it is European integration". But it is a political choice of Ukraine, he said, while Russia provides economic preferences within the Customs Union.

"This year for Ukraine is a critically important and responsible: either the documents you have mentioned will be really signed with a European perspective of Ukraine, or the political enthusiasm will be greatly reduced," Lytvyn stressed adding that "reaching practical solutions in Ukraine's cooperation with EU will eliminate various kinds of vacillation in foreign policy".

UKRINFORM