This is a formal ceremony: as ambassador, I have been granted “full powers” to sign the Agreement on behalf of the UK Government, and the resultant Agreement is a legally binding international treaty.
The new Agreement is designed to ensure air services between Ukraine and the UK are run in full conformity with EU and international law and replaces an agreement dating back to 1993.
The most significant part of the agreement is the opening up of services to and from all parts of Ukraine and all parts of the UK: this could potentially lead to more low-cost services between the two countries.
The Agreement also contains important enhanced safety provisions.
With a visit planned to Donetsk next week, once home to the Welshman John Hughes, I look forward to the development of increased links between provincial cities in Ukraine and the UK, as well as direct flights between Kyiv and London.
Leigh Turner has been the British Ambassador to Ukraine since June 2008. You can read all his blog entries at blogs.fco.gov.uk/roller/turnerenglish (in English) or blogs.fco.gov.uk/roller/turner/ (Ukrainian).
