Ukraine Has Never Been More Stable Than it is Today - Ukrainian President

KYIV, Ukraine, February 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- "Today the level of confidence and trust of Ukraine is growing in the world. Almost all the credit agencies have upgraded Ukraine's rating today," stated Ukrainian President in his interview with The Washington Post in Davos. He also reminded that last May the Ukrainian parliament adopted the law identifying the goal of Ukraine to join the European Union.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych had an interview with the Washington Post's senior associate editor Lally Weymouth. During the interview the President commented on the Ukraine-EU prospects, natural gas transfer, and Ukraine's relations with the US along with the country's inner policy.

When commenting on Ukraine-Russia relations, Ukrainian leader stated that rehabilitation of the relations between the two countries led to sufficient natural gas deliveries to Europe. "Those developments have led to more stability and an improved security situation in the European continent," said the President.

(The Russia-Ukraine 2009 gas conflicttook place when Russian Gazprom refused to conclude a gas supply contract for 2009 unless Ukrainian Naftohaz paid its accumulated debts for previous gas supplies. -Editor).

Speaking about political stability in the country, Viktor Yanukovych mentioned that for the last 20 years since its independence Ukraine did not implement any modernization. He considers fierce political fight to have been the reason for stagnation. However, Yanukovych stressed that in 2010 "We (current Ukrainian government. - Editor) started the judicial, criminal justice, tax, and public administrative reforms. We are trying to streamline and improve the public finance system. The government's policy is to deregulate the economy and make the climate for investors more attractive."

Answering the question on the evolution of the Ukraine-US relationship, the President described them as strategic. "On very many issues we are of the same opinion and we support each other," added Yanukovych. Ukrainian leader highlighted that all of the last year's agreements between Ukraine and the US are being successfully implemented. He particularly mentioned the high enriched uranium program, and removal and destruction of missile fuel. "We have a broad agenda between our two countries, and this broad agenda shows that relations between us are good and stable," summoned the President.