Prime Minister: Ukraine and Turkey have a great potential for cooperation in a range of sectors from mineral resources to space

Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman took part in the opening of the Ukrainian-Turkish business forum in Istanbul during which he met with representatives of leading business holdings in Turkey.

Referring to the outcomes of his official visit to the Republic of Turkey, the Head of the Government noted that he had had meetings with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, as well as Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Ismail Kahraman all of which concerned issues of the development of bilateral relations.

“The conclusion is as follows: we have unlimited opportunities for our collaboration. The top officials of both the Republic of Turkey and Ukraine are eager to enhance mutual potential to achieve joint success”, stressed Volodymyr Groysman.

The sectors in which we can build a deeper joint partnership range from mineral resources up to the space technologies. We have an ample range of areas to ensure effective cooperation, in particular energy, agriculture, machine-building, aircraft construction, space technologies and tourism, he underlined.

On the results of 2016 a tourist flow from Ukraine to Turkey has shown a tendency towards increase, thereby demonstrating growing interest between the two countries.

The Prime Minister reminded the day before there had taken place a ceremony in the presence of the Prime Minister of Turkey of signing the Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Turkey amending the Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Turkish Republic on conditions of mutual trips of citizens stipulating for the procedure of travel for citizens of both countries using passports in the form of identity cards (ID) with contactless electronic media. Thus, it will promote the development of bilateral relations between the two countries.

In this context Volodymyr Groysman urged to increase the number of flights as well as to open new routes from regional airports.

The agenda for 2017 includes three topmost objectives for Turkey and Ukraine, in particular to sign the following documents: the Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and Turkey, the renewed Agreement on Reciprocal Protection of Investment as well as the Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to taxes on income and property.

Apart from that, the leaders of the two countries have set a goal to enhance the volumes of trade turnover between Ukraine and the Republic of Turkey up to USD 20 billion against the showings of 2016 amounting over USD 3 billion.

Ukraine and Turkey have approached towards launch of shared activities in the military-industrial complex based on equal and mutually beneficial terms.

The Prime Minister has expressed interest in the establishment of the Ukrainian-Turkish science park in Ukraine in which the two countries could combine the technologies and expertise of both Ukraine and Turkey, thereby improving our competitiveness in different areas.

“The Government engages in the activities to ease making business in Ukraine”, noted Volodymyr Groysman.

A wide range of steps has been made in this direction, in particular “a smart deregulation”.

On the outcomes of 2016, the country's GDP rose by around 4.7%, hence the trend towards growth of Ukrainian economy was observed.

The Government has set up a National Industry Development Committee, designed as a tool to restore industrial power and modernize Ukraine. Moreover, the Investment Support Office was established to leverage and sustain investment in Ukraine.

Today it is vital to emphasize that the current business conditions are capable to ensure the investment be successful, underlined the Head of the Government.

A large- scale privatization of state owned enterprises will be triggered soon in Ukraine.

"Today we can confirm that Ukraine has started the recovery process. Our current objective is to ensure the success of each of you and your investments. We don't need nominal investment – we need successful investment, because it is the basis for the sustainable economic growth in our country. When we engage in joint work, we can achieve a double success", the Head of the Government briefed the interlocutors.

He invited representatives of Turkish businesses to deepen cooperation with Ukrainian business.

I believe that by combing our actions we will succeed, reiterated Volodymyr Groysman.

He stressed that the Ukrainian government is absolutely open and attaches paramount importance to bilateral cooperation with Turkey.

The Ukrainian authorities - the Prime Minister, the Government and President – are all eager to support businesses of the two countries, Volodymyr Groysman assured and added that success of both Ukraine and Turkey depends on the success of each particular business.