KIEV, Dec. 2 – Trade between Ukraine and Russia will top $36 billion in 2008, said Andriy Honcharuk, deputy head of the presidential secretariat.

He said at a briefing in Kiev on Tuesday that over the first nine months of 2008, the trade between the two countries had already reached the level of 2007, totaling over $30 billion.

"Despite certain negative trends both in the global economy and in bilateral trade, including proposals about the need to impose restrictions, trade will definitely hit $36 billion, if not $37 billion," Honcharuk said.