The Russian and Ukrainian presidents, Dmitry Medvedev and Viktor Yanukovych, are scheduled to meet for talks on August 11 in the Russian Black Sea town of Sochi.
Officials say the discussions are likely to touch on a range of topics concerning Russia-Ukrainian relations, including economic and energy cooperation and the future of the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s presence in Ukraine.
Officials say Ukrainian cooperation with the customs union between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus is expected to be discussed.
Ukrainian President Yanukovych recently said that Russia remains a “strategic partner” of Ukraine.
Russia is one of Ukraine’s leading trade partners, accounting for some 30 percent of Ukraine’s foreign trade turnover and responsible for $42 billion in trade with Ukraine in 2010, according to the ITAR-TASS news agency.
compiled from agency reports