ASTANA, January 11 (RIA Novosti) - President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia should boost cooperation with Ukraine in the scientific, health and humanitarian spheres.
"In addition to energy and [natural] gas issues, which our colleagues recently tackled and arrived at absolutely correct and mutually beneficial decisions, we have another wide range of [scientific, health and humanitarian] issues," Putin told his Ukrainian counterpart, Viktor Yushchenko.
"I am absolutely convinced that we can reach serious progress in these spheres," Putin said.
In a sign that bilateral relations might be thawing after a bitter dispute over natural gas prices, the Russian leader also said he would gladly accept an invitation from Yushchenko to spend a vacation in the Carpathians, a mountain ski resort in western Ukraine.
