Kyiv, March 7 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Ukraine-European Union talks on free trade zone will start after Ukraine joins the World Trade Organization, according to an expert.

"The sooner Ukraine becomes a member of the WTO, the sooner negotiations can start on a free trade zone with the European Union," Edilberto Segura, director of SigmaBleyzer and chairman of the investment climate committee of the European Business Association, said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

"Given that Ukraine becomes a member of the WTO this year, one can expect that… in 2010 the agreement [on the free trade zone with the EU] will be signed and take effect," he said.