Erdogan: We can reach a trade volume of $20 billion

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych chaired the third meeting of the Turkey-Ukraine High Level Strategic Council, after a meeting held by Erdogan with Yanukovych at the Office of the Prime Minister. Erdogan and Yanukovych also held a joint press meeting, during which Erdogan underlined the importance of increasing visa exemption between the two countries from 30 days to 60 days and also a common objective to sign a free trade agreement. "If we agree on a free trade agreement, we can reach a trading volume of $20 billion until the end of 2015. We had a trade volume of $6.2 billion by the end of 2012. The steps to be taken for a free trade agreement may bring such a leap by the end of 2015," Erdogan said, adding that Turkey supports Ukraine’s EU membership process.