Pivec said the talks focused on opportunities to upgrade trade and in particular on agriculture and the agri-food sector.

The furthering of organic farming was given a lot of attention, while the pair also discussed legislation related to forestry, as well as agricultural registers, an area where Slovenia already has in place "fairly good IT infrastructure".

According to Pivec, concrete areas of cooperation will be laid down in a memorandum that could be drafted at the Agra 2019 fair in Kiev which she has been invited to attend by Trofimtseva.

The latter said today that Pivec and her were striving above all for a diversification of trade between the two countries.

Pivec announced a meeting of a Slovenia-Ukraine economic commission that will focus on agriculture and the agri-food sector.

The two ministers also discussed the recent takeover of Perutnina Ptuj by Ukrainian poultry giant MHP.

"I highlighted our interest that this truly comes to serve as the first example of good cooperation and that the current state of Perutnina Ptuj be preserved in its entirety and be strengthened with new development investment," Pivec said, noting jobs should be preserved.

Trofimtseva described the takeover as a success story, with the Ukrainian ministry expressing the conviction that MHP will continue operating in line with the "highest possible standards".

Trofimtseva, who is firmly convinced MHP will continue investing in Perutnina Ptuj, described today's meeting as very fruitful.

She said the priorities of cooperation between the two countries were clear. Ukraine continues to need support on its path to the EU, in legislation adjustments related to food safety, food quality, agriculture, organic farming etc.