KIEV, October 18 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's newly appointed foreign minister, Petro Poroshenko will pay a visit to Russia on October 23, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Sunday.
Poroshenko's visit aims to "intensify a constructive dialog" between the foreign ministries of both countries and give "an additional impetus to the practical solution of the tasks of Ukrainian-Russian cooperation," the ministry's press office said.
The Ukrainian foreign minister's visit to Russia was announced on Friday by Ukraine's UNIAN news agency. A spokesperson for Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said, however, that despite ongoing preparations for the visit, the exact date had yet to be determined
Ukraine's parliament approved Poroshenko as foreign minister on October 9. President Viktor Yushchenko introduced the new foreign minister to the country's diplomatic corps on October 13.
Poroshenko said at the ceremony of his introduction to the country's diplomatic corps that he would like to see his country enjoy better relations with Russia.
"Our relations should be less emotional, more pragmatic and equal," Poroshenko was quoted by UNIAN as saying.
Poroshenko also urged efforts to enhance "the depth and dynamics" of bilateral relations with Ukraine's strategic partners in the West, in particular the United States.
He also reiterated that membership of the European Union remained an important goal for the former Soviet republic.
Ukraine had been without a top diplomat since former foreign minister Volodymyr Ohryzko was dismissed on March 3.
