Ukraine, Belarus pledge to bolster friendly ties

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko met on Wednesday and pledged to promote friendly ties between the two countries.

While speaking at the commemorative event to mark the 31st anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster at the site of the nuclear accident, Poroshenko emphasized that Ukraine highly appreciates friendship and cooperation with Belarus.

"It is extremely important for us that Ukraine-Belarus border has been and will always remain a border of friendship, good neighborliness and reliable partnership," Poroshenko was quoted as saying by his press service.

Lukashenko stressed that Belarus is willing to work with Ukraine to strengthen bilateral collaboration and promote ties between the two nations.

"We will follow the course of friendship and mutual cooperation. We will always live as good neighbors... So be sure that Belarusians have been and will always remain the reliable friends," Lukashenko said.

Belarusian president arrived in Ukraine earlier in the day for a working visit to take part in the commemorative events to mark the 31st anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, one of the worst nuclear accidents in human history.

On April 26, 1986, a series of explosions occurred at Chernobyl nuclear power plant, located 110 kilometers north of the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, resulting in the demolition of the No. 4 reactor and the spread of radiation across Ukraine, Belarus and other European countries. Endit