You're reading: Poroshenko urges Customs Union to focus on interaction mechanisms (UPDATED)

Minsk – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has urged the Customs Union member-countries to concentrate on mechanisms of interaction within the framework of the effort to create a Ukraine-EU free trade zone.

“I am absolutely convinced that it would be more productive to give up artificial contradictions and calculations of possible economic losses, and to concentrate on mechanisms of interaction that would augment the potential of integration processes,” Poroshenko said during high-level Customs Union-Ukraine-European Union talks in Minsk on Aug. 26.

The Ukrainian president said he is sure that the Ukraine-EU association agreement cannot inflict damage on Customs Union members but can only benefit them.

Poroshenko called for the setting up of permanent consultative mechanisms to discuss all issues concerning trade. In particular, he believes it makes sense to set up a monitoring group to register damage in trade with the Customs Union members within the framework of setting up a free trade area between Ukraine and the EU.