Improved border operations, fewer bribes will reduce transit costs, lower prices for consumers of imports.

Standing near a large map of Ukraine, students proudly answer that their country has a unique geographical location at the crossroads of Western Europe, Russia and Asia.

Yet this location is not being exploited for full trade benefit. But the situation is likely to be changed soon. The possibility for Ukraine to become a regional logistics net within the next 5-10 years looks real.

Trade and transit potential of Ukraine is immense. But the long-term efforts of both government and businesses are required to fulfill it.

Balabushko is one of the authors of a trade and transit study by the World Bank.

But he admits that among some of nation's problems are unreliable and slow logistics services, as well as expensive and scarce warehouse capacity.

But soon legal uncertainties with land ownership and construction permits will be solved.

Of course a limiting factor is bureaucratic border-crossing procedures and corruption.

Another World Bank study ranked Ukraine 102nd among 150 countries in the logistics performance index. In 2010, Ukraine got the same absolute score as in 2008 research.