Not by bread alone

Russia will help Ukraine with grain, and Kuchma will present his book in Moscow

Vladimir Putin is convinced that there is every reason to believe that during the upcoming summit in Yalta a document will be signed on the formation of a single economic space of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine. He stated this at a working meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Leonid Kuchma, held yesterday in Novo-Ogarevo, near Moscow. “Many things,” said the Russian president, “were controversial at first, but we managed to reach an acceptable solution. The option chosen corresponds to the interests of all four parties and is aimed at solving exceptional economic problems.”

Leonid Kuchma, in turn, said that the document will be considered on Wednesday at a meeting of the Ukrainian government.

The two presidents also talked about bread, the shortage of which is felt in Ukraine. According to Mr. Kuchma, as a result of miscalculations by the Ukrainian government, the country did not create reserves to meet its own needs. Russia, meanwhile, according to Vladimir Putin, is ready to help and sell grain to Ukraine in larger volumes than previously agreed. “We will collect more, so our agreements that were reached with you will be fulfilled,” said the Russian president. As for commercial issues, experts will have to agree on them. Putin noted that Russia has a good grain harvest; moreover, grain reserves were made last year and the year before. Leonid Kuchma said that the last time Ukraine had a reserve stock of grain was in 1999.

But the Ukrainian president does not live by bread alone. Today he will visit the 16th Moscow International Book Fair and take part in the presentation of the book “Ukraine is not Russia” just published by the Vremya Publishing House. The author of the work is Leonid Kuchma himself.

Elena KOSTOCHKINA