TALLINN, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid met Monday with visiting Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on bilateral relations, the situation in Eastern Ukraine, and relations between Ukraine and the European Union (EU).
Bilateral relations between Estonia and Ukraine remain close and substantive, Kaljulaid said in a joint statement, adding she expected further developing economic cooperation.
Commenting on the relations between Ukraine and the EU, Kaljulaid noted that Estonia hoped for deeper practical cooperation between the EU and Eastern Partnership countries, but that real steps needed to be taken for that to be achieved.
She said Estonia remained committed to advancing the Eastern Partnership, which would be a priority of Estonia's upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2017.
The need to continue with domestic reforms in Ukraine was also discussed at the bilateral talks, and the Estonian president expressed her country's continuing support to these efforts.
Poroshenko thanked Estonia for the support it had offered Ukraine, including providing medical rehabilitation services to Ukrainian soldiers wounded during the conflict in Donbas in Eastern Ukraine.
