Ukraine has been pursuing WTO membership for 13 years. Through a national unity agreement signed before a new government was formed at the end of last week, Western-leading President Viktor Yushchenko persuaded leading politicians to agree push for WTO membership before the end of the year.
"The negotiating process is now almost complete, but the legislative process requires the enactment of 19 more laws" for Ukraine to be able to join the WTO, Pavlo Gaidutskiy, who coordinates social and economic policy issues in the presidential secretariat, told a news briefing.
The official said a considerable volume of work had to be completed for Ukraine to join the world's largest trade body, but that it could be done by the end of this year.
