Ukrainian President Viktor Andreyevich Yushchenko started his first official visit to Turkey on June 6, 2005. Due to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to the United States, Yushchenko arrived Turkey a day early to meet Erdoğan. Following his intense official contacts in Ankara, Yuşçenko will give a conference in ASAM. He is also expected to meet Turkish business circles in Istanbul.
During his visit, Turkey is expected to sign 6 agreements with Ukraine, which is given the status of privileged state in relations. The agreements will encompass energy and railway transportation, science and technology and cooperation against crime. Ukraine is also expected to sign an agreement with Turkey on the subject of security of nuclear facilities. The energy agreement includes production, transfer and distribution of electrical energy, construction of energy stations, scientific research and construction, personnel training, routes for transportation of natural gas and store opportunities. Disagreements between Turkish and Ukrainian fishermens about turbot fish will also be dicussed during the meetings.
In addition, the acceptance of the so-called Armenian genocide by the parliament of Crimean Autonomous Republic and the difficult living conditions of an estimated 265,000 Crimean Tatars who were exiled from their homeland by Stalin are expected to be discussed.
The diplomatic relations between Democratic Republic of Ukraine and Ottoman Empire were set up in 1918 but after Ukraine entered Soviet dominance, the relations were cut off in 1919. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Ukraine won independence and Turkish Republic recognized independent Ukraine on December 16, 1991.
Today, there is no serious problem between Turkey and Ukraine but an increasing dynamic of economic relations is witnessed. According to 2000 data, Turkey’s import from Ukraine was 965,7 million dollars and in 2004 this number rose to 2, 467 billion dollars. While Turkey’s export to Ukraine was 244,2 million dollars in 2000, it became 564 million dollars last year. As a result, our foreign trade volume reached 3,31 billion dollars from 1,210 billion dollars. The foreign trade volume between two countries is aimed to reach 4 billion dollars in 2005 and 10 billion dollars in the middle term.
The products of iron and steel constitute the biggest share in Turkey’s import from Ukraine. It is followed by mineral fuels; fertilizers, inorganic chemical products, tree, wooden furniture, oily seed and fruits, agricultural products and textile fibers. On the other hand, plastic products have the biggest share in Turkey’s export to Ukraine. It is followed by caldron and machines, fruits and vegetables, electical machines, salt, sulphur and cements, automative industry, soaps, iron and steel goods, products of paper and specialy weaved textiles.
Another important aspect of the relations between Ukraine and Turkey is occured under the framework of Black Sea Economic Cooperation, which both countries are member. Today, the most important link that is symbolized in the relations of Turkey and Ukraine is Kanuni Sulatan Süleyman’s favorite Hürrem Sultan who is an Ukranian girl called Nastya Lisovska from a small Ukrainian city called “Rohatın.”
A short bio of Ukraine President Viktor Andreyevich Yushchenko:
Viktor A. Yushchenko, who is the third president of Ukraine after independence, was born in 1954. Our precious guest was graduated from the Ternopil Finance and Economics Institute and he had a graduate degree in this field. He received a state award in Ukraine due to his successful record in the economic field.
After 1976, our dıstinguished guest had worked in the banking field and he served as Prime Minister of Ukraine between 1999 and 2001. However, he resigned later because of the political situation of the country. During thıs period, Mr. Yushchenko had become the best-known politician in Ukraine due to the economic reforms he made in his coutry. At the same time, he is known as a respected banker within the international finance community for his studies in the banking field.
Viktor Yushchenko is the leader of “ Our Ukraine” political party, which he created by uniting more than 10 political parties. Mr. Yushchenko received a plurality of seats in the parliamentary elections of 2002. In the last year elections, Mr. Yushchenko became the President of Ukraine by receiving the overwhelming support of his people.