OREANDA-NEWS. March 05, 2010. Dmitry Medvedev congratulated Viktor Yanukovych on his election as President of Ukraine, wished him success, and said he hopes that relations between the two countries will now grow and become closer on a basis of goodwill and pragmatism.

The two leaders discussed opportunities for developing ties in all different areas, looking particularly at cooperation in the gas sector, the energy industry in general, infrastructure, aircraft manufacturing, and the space sector.

Humanitarian ties, regional cooperation, political cooperation and the upcoming 65th anniversary of victory over Nazism, which both countries will celebrate, were also on the agenda.

The two presidents issued a joint declaration following their talks.

The two leaders agreed to hold a meeting of the Russian-Ukrainian Intergovernmental Commission in the first half of 2010 in order to step up bilateral ties in various sectors.

Mr Medvedev and Mr Yanukovych made press statements and answered questions from the media following the talks.