On 27 March 2010, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Mr. Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Institutional Reforms, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belgium, Mr. Steven Vanackere. The meeting was held in the framework of the visit of the Head of the Ukrainian diplomatic service to Belgium to participate in the Brussels Forum of the Marshall Fund of the United States. 

In the course of the meeting, there was a discussion of topical issues of the bilateral cooperation, namely the preparatory activities for the economic mission to Ukraine to be carried out by HRH Crown Prince Philippe of Belgium in November this year, the bilateral interaction in the international organizations.

The Foreign Ministers exchanged their views regarding the prospects for a continued development of cooperation between Ukraine and the EU, namely concerning the establishment of a Free Trade Zone and further liberalization of a visa regime. The ongoing institutional reforms of the EU and the EU Belgian Presidency priorities in the second half of the year were also addressed at the meeting.

The Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine presented the major orientations in the activities of a new Government of Ukraine aimed at fulfilling comprehensive reforms, achieving the socio-economic growth and ensuring the internal stability in the country.

The confirmation of the fact that Ukraine’s foreign policy towards country’s rapprochement with the EU will stay invariable was highly appreciated by the Belgian Side.

The interlocutors stated the existence of the mutual interest in further intensifying of bilateral relations between two states and between Ukraine and the EU.