JERUSALEM, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed on Sunday for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev.
During the two-day trip, Netanyahu is expected to discuss with Zelensky the establishment of a free trade zone and the issue of pension rights for Ukrainian immigrants in Israel, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.
"We have hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens who come from Ukraine, which are a living link between the two countries, and our relationship is tightening," Netanyahu said ahead of his departure.
"I will discuss with the president the establishment of a free trade area, the pensions agreement, and a host of other issues that will further strengthen the excellent relationship between the two countries," he said.
Israeli media has recently reported that the two leaders will discuss also a possible relocation of the Ukrainian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, part of Israel's bid to advance the relocation of more embassies to Jerusalem after the U.S. has done so in 2018.
The move is controversial because the eastern part of Jerusalem was seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East. Israel annexed it shortly later, claiming it "part of its capital," a move criticized by the international community.
The Palestinians wish to have Jerusalem as their future capital.
The visit comes less than a month before Israel's elections on Sept. 17, and was widely seen as part of Netanyahu's effort to strengthen his position among Israeli voters of Ukrainian origin.
The long-time prime minister, who is running for another term in office, also plans to visit India about a week before the elections and is scheduled to attend the United Nations General Assembly one week after the elections.
