(Communicated by the Foreign Minister's Bureau)

On Thursday, February 12, 2015, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, on an official visit to Ukraine, met with Volodymyr Groysman, Chairman of Ukraine's national parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.

Discussing bilateral cooperation, FM Liberman and Vladimir Groisman expressed their belief that both countries have a significant potential for cooperation in the fields of economy, agro-industry and medicine. They praised the current level of bilateral cooperation and called for strengthening inter-parliamentary contacts. They agreed that the cancellation of tourist visas has contributed greatly to increased cooperation between Israel and Ukraine.

FM Avigdor Liberman noted that 400,000 immigrants from the Ukraine are currently living in Israel, which explains the great interest with which Israel is following the events in Ukraine. He told his Ukrainian host that "your problems are close and familiar to us," and assured him that Israel will continue to support Ukraine in the international arena.

Verkhovna Rada Chairman Groysman thanked the State of Israel for help given in the treatment and rehabilitation of Ukrainian citizens, and noted that Ukraine is interested in sharing knowledge in the field of medicine both on the theoretical and practical levels.

The parties also expressed the need to conduct an inventory of the existing legal framework for cooperation and the development of new legislation aimed at supporting the further bilateral cooperation.