OREANDA-NEWS. July 14, 2010. President Alexander Lukashenko met with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in the Crimea, Ukraine.

During the course of their one-on-one meeting, the Heads of State expressed their opinions on the most important matters of Belarusian-Ukrainian co-operation, on the progress made by the two states in implementing bilateral business projects and on a number of international issues.

Ukraine is one of Belarus’s strategic trade partners. The two countries co-operate closely in the heavy industry and manufacturing. Belarusian products in Ukraine are marketed by more than 100 dedicated business operators, who together make up a commodity distribution network of Belarusian manufacturers in Ukraine, and this network is continuously expanding.

Following a nearly 40 per cent fall in trade in 2009 caused by the global crisis, the countries reported a recovery in their trade in January-April 2010 – the trade rose by44.3 per cent to USD1,115.5 billion and Belarus enjoyed a USD130.3 million trade surplus.