Putin describes meeting with Kuchma as "fruitful"

Following his meeting with Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, Vladimir Putin described it as a fruitful one. As regards relations in the energy sphere, he said that they agreed on the necessity of promoting Russia's and Ukraine's joining the European energy system, namely, the formation of a consortium on gas-distribution networks.

The sides discussed bilateral trade and economic cooperation, including within the framework of different organisations, in particular, Ukraine's further participation in the Euro-Asian Community.

Talks with Leonid Kuchma will be continued to regard cooperation between the foreign ministries of the two countries on the world scene where Russia and Ukraine "have got many common interests".

The Russian president who referred to today's meeting as very fruitful thanked Leonid Kuchma for his prompt coming to Moscow. According to the Russian president, his Ukrainian counterpart arrived in Moscow within a few days after "I called him on the phone and said that there are certain problems in trade relations that call for interference and that a meeting should be staged as soon as possible".

Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to Leonid Kuchma for his having found a possibility of coming to Moscow despite his birthday.