Ukraine, Lithuania sign deal on Silk Road cooperation

Ukraine has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Lithuania on starting cooperation under the framework of the Silk Road initiative proposed by China, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk announced here Tuesday.

"This means that the Silk Road route through Ukraine will connect not only Ukraine, but also the European Union (EU) member states, with Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and China," Yatsenyuk told reporters during a press conference.

In particular, under the MOU, Ukraine and Lithuania have agreed to connect the cargo train running from Ukraine's Black Sea port of Illichivsk to China with the Viking freight train en route from Illichivsk to Lithuania's Baltic Sea port of Klaipeda, Yatsenyuk said.

He also pledged to intensify his government's efforts to further extend the Silk Road route via Ukraine into the other EU countries by making cargo transportation on it cheaper and faster.

On Jan. 15, Ukraine launched a test run of cargo train to China via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, thus joining the Silk Road initiative.

The train, which set to be put on the regular route later this month, would cover the full distance of 5,471 km from Ukraine to China in 9 to 14 days.

Currently, the shipping cost of a 40-foot container on the Ukraine-China train service stands at about 8,900 U.S. dollars, while the price for transporting a 20-foot container is 5,500 dollars. Endit