Azarov deems restoration of relations with Russia primary objective

Relations with Russia have primary significance for Ukraine, Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said.

"The restoration of normal relations with Russia is the number one task of the government," he told the Verkhovna Rada on Friday.

The government is worried that the Customs Union member states may repeal their free trade agreement with Ukraine if it signs the association agreement and forms a free trade zone with the European Union, he added.

Production shrank in Ukraine this year and Russian exports to Ukraine dropped by $2 billion, he said.

Yet, Ukraine did not hear European partners' proposals concerning compensations for its losses in the case of severing its ties with Customs Union markets, Azarov said.