On June 30, 2011 Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Kostyantyn Gryshchenko took part in the second session of the Council of the Foreign Ministries of Ukraine and Lithuania in Vilnius.

The session tackled practical issues of cooperation between the countries in the sphere of European integration, the development of bilateral political and economic relations, Ukrainian – Lithuanian cooperation in the energy, transportation spheres and collaboration within the framework of international organizations.

During the session the Ukrainian and Lithuanian Ministers positively assessed cooperation of the countries in European integration, confirmed their resoluteness to deepen cooperation in the process Ukraine’s integration to the EU, in particular, the activization of the talks on concluding an Association Agreement, establishment of the free trade area and facilitation of the visa regime between Ukraine and the EU.

By way of discussing the trade and economic relations the parties noted the need of joint efforts to simplify the conditions for trade and investments, minimization of adverse consequences of the global financial and economic crises. The cooperation in the energy and transportation spheres, first of all the effective operation of the combined traffic train “Viking”, were set as the priority directions of the bilateral economic cooperation.

The Ukrainian and Lithuanian Foreign Ministers noted the need to step up cooperation within the framework of such international organizations as the OSCE and the Council of Europe.

The session approved the strengthening of the constructive partnership with NATO. The parties agreed to continue practical cooperation within the framework of peacekeeping operations under the auspices of NATO, in particular in Afghanistan.

Following the second session of the Council of the Ukrainian and Lithuanian Foreign Ministries the Ministers signed a joint statement on international and regional cooperation.

The session was followed by a joint press conference of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Kostyantyn Gryshchenko and Lithuanian Minister for Foreign Affairs Audronius Azubalis.