On 26 October 2010, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Mr. Kostyantyn Gryshchenko held a bilateral meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Institutional Reforms of Belgium, Mr. Steven Vanackere, in the framework of his working visit to Brussels.

In the course of the meeting, a broad range of topical issues of Ukrainian-Belgian bilateral relations and Ukraine – EU cooperation were addressed.

While exchanging their views on the current state of bilateral relations, the Heads of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Belgium have emphasized the importance of the visit with the economic mission of HRH Prince Philippe of Belgium to Ukraine in November this year, leading a solid delegation of the Belgian businessmen.

Special attention during talks on the Ukraine-EU cooperation was paid to the preparation for the next EU-Ukraine summit to be held in Brussels in coming November, in particular the offering to Ukraine of the Plan of Actions aimed at introducing a non-visa regime, concluding the Association Agreement and Free Trade Area negotiations.

The Head of the Foreign Affairs Service of Belgium, which is currently holding the EU Presidency, has particularly stressed that Brussels supports Ukraine’s Euro-integration aspirations. The two Sides stated the mutual interest of both countries in further comprehensive deepening of their bilateral relations.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Belgium touched upon the interaction of two countries in the framework of international organizations activities. The Head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed his Belgian colleague of the ongoing economic reforms and democratic transformations in our state.

During his visit to Brussels, on 25 October 2010, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Mr. Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, met with the Minister of Economy and Simplification of Procedures of Belgium, Mr. Vincent Van Quickenborne. At the meeting, Minister Gryshchenko informed the Belgian Minister of the activities in implementation of political and socio-economic reforms in Ukraine, the internal political situation on the eve of the local elections. The Ministers also discussed the prospects for intensifying the trade and economic cooperation.