German, Polish and Ukrainian foreignministers discussed how to help Ukraine to join the European Union(EU), said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk on Monday.

Tarasyuk made the remarks at a joint news conference with German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and Polish Foreign Minister Adam Rotfeld.

Fischer told the new conference that Germany will seek closer cooperation with Ukraine in the areas of education and technology,saying "We reached today a new level of cooperation."

Fischer said the EU will decide whether to relax visa restrictions for Ukrainians in April.

At the trilateral meeting, the three ministers also discussed Ukraine's goal to transform itself into a market economy and win membership in the World Trade Organization, Rotfeld said.

Rotfeld said he is confident that Ukraine would one day join the 25-nation EU but did not speculate on the date of accession.

Fischer and Rotfeld arrived in Kiev on Monday for a one-day working visit, during which they also met Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Ukraine's new government has expressed their interest in joining the EU and NATO.

Tarasyuk noted that Monday's meeting was significant as Germanyand Poland are both EU and NATO members. The three diplomats are expected to meet again in Berlin, but no date has been set. Enditem

Source: Xinhua