Ukraine, Belarus begin preparations for Third Forum of Regions

Chernyshov said that despite coronavirus lockdown measures, the Ukrainian side is preparing for the Third Forum of the Regions, which is to be held in Grodno, Belarus, on October 1-2, 2020.

The minister said that Ukraine appreciated long-term fruitful cooperation with Belarus, in particular, on interregional and cross-border cooperation. He thanked the Belarusian side for sending a concept of preparations for the Forum of the Regions for consideration and said that the composition of the Ukrainian side of the organizing committee would be approved in the near future.

The sides also discussed the possibility of holding the second meeting of the Ukrainian-Belarusian working group on interregional and cross-border cooperation in Grodno on June 4-5.

"The lockdown has been extended in Ukraine until May 11. The country will then gradually start to emerge from it. So we can definitely schedule meetings online for June," Chernyshov said.

Sokol, in turn, said that the Belarusian side would consider any option of cooperation. "We need to move in stages and proceed from the fact that the second meeting of the working group is one of the stages of preparations for the Third Forum of the Regions," the diplomat said.

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