The new Silk Road is a promising investment through-passage connecting Central Asia with the entire world. We must consolidate the geopolitical position of Ukraine as first European country on the Silk Road. This was stated by Vice Prime Minister Hennadii Zubko speaking at the First International Ukraine Silk Road Forum.

"On conditions of conflict with Russia the new route is viewed as strategic for the preservation of the transit potential of Ukraine. This is an alternative to overland export routes to Central Asia and China, the volumes of which in 2015 reached 1 million tons by rail and 800 thousand tons by truck transport", explained Hennadii Zubko.

He told that in the past year as part of the Silk Road project first freight train to China had been launched. "We are planning to run through the transport corridor from the Black Sea to the Baltic States an additional corridor connected by the Viking train, the volumes of which will make up approximately 1 million tons of cargo. In the west of Ukraine there is operating the Beskyd tunnel, which will increase freight traffic from the Black Sea to the Baltic countries. Hungary, Slovakia, Poland have a strong interest in the cargo flow going from Central Asia via Ukraine", said Hennadii Zubko.

The Vice PM noted that it was expected from the development of the Silk Road apart from trade flow increase the involvement of Ukrainian companies in cooperation, investment in the development of maritime and port infrastructure, collaboration in education, culture, staff training.