You're reading: Ukraine interested in cooperation with Lybia

KYIV, Aug 1 – Ukraine will begin economic and trade cooperation with a country that has been isolated on the international arena for a long time, Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Ministry stated on Tuesday, according to STB TV channel.

Ukrainian state officials are optimistic that once the document signed between the two countries comes into force, it will enable Ukraine to compete with Russia over the rights to build oil refineries in oil-rich Libya, STB reported.

Ukraine’s desire to cooperate with Lybia has been intensified after Putin’s talks with Lybia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Abdel Shalkam. An official Moscow statement was that it is going to cooperate with Lybia in the military and technical spheres.

STB said that not all Western countries support Russian and Ukrainian desires to begin full dialogue with a country whose policies still arouse conflicting views.

A representative of the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry refused to comment on the ratified agreement, calling it an ordinary agreement between Ukraine and Lybia.