Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (L) and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic meet at the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade, Serbia, on July 3, 2018. Serbia and Ukraine respect each other's territorial integrity and have no open disputes between them, presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Petro Poroshenko agreed during their meeting here on Tuesday, calling for more bilateral economic cooperation. (Xinhua/Nemanja Cabric)
BELGRADE, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Serbia and Ukraine respect each other's territorial integrity and have no open disputes between them, presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Petro Poroshenko agreed during their meeting here on Tuesday, calling for more bilateral economic cooperation.
Vucic and Poroshenko discussed bilateral ties, economic cooperation and the European integration process of Serbia and Ukraine, which is seen by media as a warming in relations between the two countries after their last year's diplomatic dispute when Ukraine accused Serbia of disrespecting its territorial integrity.
Vucic said at a joint press conference with Poroshenko on Tuesday that "Serbia respects territorial integrity of Ukraine in the same way that Ukraine supports Serbian territorial integrity."
"Serbia hopes that all problems of Ukraine will be resolved peacefully, that the Minsk Agreement will be respected, as well as that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will have a vital role in establishing peace," Vucic said.
On the other hand, Poroshenko expressed his wish for Serbia to achieve a compromise solution with the authorities in its southern province of Kosovo and Metohija that unilaterally seceded in 2008.
"We respect and acknowledge the territorial integrity of Serbia. We did not recognize Kosovo, and we have the attitude that the solution to this problem should lie in compromise that acknowledges Serbia's interests," he said.
Poroshenko said that the authorities in Kiev are investing all efforts to restore the sovereignty of Ukraine throughout the country's territory and count on Serbia's support for the establishment of a UN peacekeeping mission.
Poroshenko and Vucic noted that their increasing bilateral trade as well as their common hope of becoming members of the European Union. They agreed to exchange positive experiences of the two governments, promote economic cooperation, as well as to continue to advance bilateral ties and political dialogue.
Poroshenko also met Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, while foreign ministers of the two countries signed an agreement to further liberalize the visa-free regime for Ukrainian citizens.
