Official website of the President of Russia

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Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko: Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin], we are happy at your visit and it gives me pleasure to welcome you to Ukraine. Our countries have a long tradition of strategic relations in every area and we therefore have plenty to discuss together. Allow me then to welcome you once again to the hero city of Kiev. I am very happy to see you. Thank you.

President Vladimir Putin: Thank you, Viktor Andreyevich [Yushchenko]. For my part, I would like to thank you for your invitation. This is also a very important visit for me. It is important because not only must we maintain the formal dialogue at a political level, we must also maintain the level of relations that had been reached.

And there is something to maintain: our bilateral trade is currently at its highest level in all the history of independent Ukraine and modern Russia. This shows that we have achieved something, and the lives and prosperity of millions of people both in Russia and in Ukraine depend on our taking these achievements further.

I would like to pass on the warmest words from our European colleagues. I told them yesterday, of course, that you had invited me to Kiev today and they passed on their very best wishes. And once again, I wish to thank you for the invitation to visit you.

Viktor Yushchenko: Thank you.