"Today we understand that we must fight for Independence" - said Vladimir Makey and expressed his congratulations to Minister Pavlo Klimkin and all Ukrainians on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Independence.

Pavlo Klimkin informed his counterpart about difficult security and humanitarian situation on Ukrainian territories of Crimea and City of Sevastopol, as well as in Donbas region, occupied by Russia.

Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and Belarus confirmed the importance of trade and economic cooperation and agreed to hold a regular 24th meeting of the Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Belarussian Joint commission on trade and economic cooperation in the near future.

During the meeting, Minister Pavlo Klimkin noted the outstanding contribution of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Ukraine Valentin Velichko to the development of Ukrainian-Belarusian relations. Valentin Velichko will complete his fifteen-year cadence in Kyiv in short while.