Zavidovo - President Vladimir Putin said there will not be any 'closed' issues on the agenda of Russian-Ukrainian talks.
“There are no closed issues. We have signed an agreement on the free trade zone. Concerning Ukraine’s membership in the Customs Union, Ukrainian experts think GDP will grow 1.5% to 6.5% if Ukraine joins the Customs Union. This will depend on the depth of integration,” Putin said.
“The movement of workforce will be limited into the Customs Union starting 2015. Free flows of workforce will only occur within the Customs Union. We are concerned and we must discuss this problem,” Putin said.
Yanukovych said this issue is being widely discussed in Ukraine.
“Ukraine is far behind the Customs Union members in the availability of regulatory legislation. The Customs Union has been developing for eight years. Ukraine was involved at first, but then it withdrew. Discussions being held today are mostly political. We must assess the format of Ukraine’s participation in the Customs Union and hold talks,” he said.
“Our immediate joining is not an issue. This prospect must be discussed in all its entirety in Ukraine,” Yanukovych said.
