Ukraine still hopes for partial accession to Russia-led Customs Union, says foreign minister

Ukraine hopes that the Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus will allow it to sign certain agreements meeting the interests of Ukraine and the Customs Union, Foreign Minister of Ukraine Leonid Kozhara has said.

"Eventually we will be able to discuss the partial accession of Ukraine to institutional agreements with the Customs Union," he said during the 9th Davos Ukrainian Lunch organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation at the World Economic Forum in Davos (Switzerland). Kozhara said that the EU has clearly stated that Ukraine's membership in the Customs Union contradicts the procedure of the creation of a free trade area with the EU, and Kyiv also supports this position. The minister said Ukraine is planning to sign the Association Agreement with the EU in November 2013.