Russian, Ukrainian presidents to meet on economic cooperation

The Kremlin said Monday that President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Viktor Yanukovych, will discuss bilateral cooperation at an inter-government commission. The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, will focus on cooperation in energy, transport, space, agriculture, investment and regional cooperation, as well as on international and Commonwealth of Independent States affairs, the Kremlin press service said. Earlier in the day, Russian presidential aide Andrei Belousov said the two presidents might discuss a Russian loan for Ukraine and prices on natural gas. Moscow planned to put forward a roadmap for gradually lifting trade barriers between the two countries to help Kiev overcome its economic hardship, according to the Russian Ministry for Economic Development. The Russia-Ukraine inter-government commission was founded in May 2005 by Putin and then Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko.