During today's negotiations, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of Moldova Maia Sandu discussed a wide range of issues of Ukrainian-Moldovan relations in the framework of the established Presidential Council aimed to address the issues of the bilateral agenda.
The Ukrainian President noted that it is Maia Sandu’s first foreign visit since her election as President of Moldova and this visit is to Ukraine. That is why 2021 should become a year of strengthening friendship and partnership.
"This is, in particular, a joint intention to restore dialogue at the highest level and make it dynamic and, most importantly, effective. To this end, in the framework of the Presidential Council, we will formulate a strategy and coordinate our actions to address the tasks of the bilateral agenda," the Ukrainian President said during a joint statement following a meeting.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the citizens of both countries the main component of the interstate dialogue.
"We stressed the importance of introducing mutual border crossing with ID-passports. Ensuring the educational and other rights of the Ukrainian national minority in Moldova and, accordingly, the Moldovan minority in Ukraine also remains a topical task,” he said.
During the talks, the parties touched upon a number of problematic issues, which have remained virtually "on pause" for many years.
This block of issues is known to experts as "Package Agreements". We agreed with Ms. President to intensify the work of the relevant negotiating groups to eventually reach a consensus between our states. We must remove all these issues from the agenda of our good neighborly relations. This is in the interests of both Ukraine and Moldova," Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.
The President thanked Maia Sandu for her visit to Ukraine.
"And most importantly - for openness and willingness to cooperate for the further development of our friendly relations," he added.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also invited Maia Sanda to visit Ukraine once again on a big day for our country - August 24, the day of the 30th anniversary of independence.
For her part, Maia Sandu noted that she was pleased to pay her first official visit to Ukraine since her election as President of Moldova, and thanked Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the invitation.
"I am glad to be in Kyiv as President to restore friendship between our countries at the highest level," she said.
"In recent years, the Moldovan-Ukrainian dialogue at the level of heads of state has been virtually suspended. I confirm that Ukraine is a strategic partner for the Republic of Moldova, and maintaining constant and pragmatic cooperation with Ukraine is an important task for the Republic of Moldova and for the President," Maia Sandu added.
She stressed that during today's talks, the parties had agreed to bring relations between the two countries to another level - strategic partnership. The establishment of the Council of Presidents as a new permanent format of cooperation is an important step in this direction, Maia Sandu summed up. She also reiterated the invitation to Volodymyr Zelenskyy to pay an official visit to Moldova.
