Following regular talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced the readiness of the Turkish state to become a guarantor of Ukraine’s security.
“Had another conversation with a real friend of Ukraine, President of Turkey Recep Erdogan. Noted the high level of organization of negotiations of delegations in Istanbul. Agreed on further steps towards peace. Thanked for the readiness of Turkey to become the guarantor of security of our state!” Zelensky tweeted.
Raiffeisen Bank (Kyiv) and Raiffeisen Bank Zrt have launched the possibility of exchanging hryvnia cash in Hungary since March 31, the bank’s press service said on Thursday.
“From March 31, Ukrainians who are in Hungary can exchange their cash in hryvnia within the Exclusive Group partner currency exchange offices, ” the message says.
The press service noted that now there is a limit of UAH 10,000 for the exchange of cash hryvnia by one person per day.
European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson believes that the export of electricity from Ukraine has a positive effect on Poland, the Energy Ministry said.
“Kadri Simson stressed that Ukraine, after synchronization, is already becoming an important factor in the reliable operation of the European energy system. She noted that the auctions launched for the export of electricity from Ukraine to Poland had a very positive effect on the energy supply of the latter,” the ministry said in a statement following an online meeting with European Commissioner for Energy Minister German Galushchenko on Thursday.
According to the release, the parties also discussed issues of compliance with the nuclear safety of Ukraine and Europe in the context of the visit of IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to Ukraine.
Galushchenko, referred to by the press service of the ministry, during the meeting noted that the head of the IAEA recognizes Ukraine’s significant potential in nuclear energy.
At the same time, the minister pointed out that the presence of Russian troops at nuclear facilities not only threatens nuclear safety, but can also cross out the prospects for the development of the Ukrainian nuclear industry.
In addition, the head of the Ministry of Energy once again emphasized that Ukraine can help European countries “jump off the hook” of Russian fossil fuels, in particular by providing its underground gas storage facilities and electricity supplies.
“Coordination of the position of Ukraine and Europe is very important for ensuring nuclear and energy security,” Galushchenko stressed.
As reported, NPC “Ukrenergo” on March 28 began holding auctions for access to interstate cross-sections for the export of electricity to Poland.
Prior to this, all import-export auctions were stopped due to the entry of the Ukrainian energy system into an isolated mode from February 24. The unification of the energy systems of Ukraine and Europe took place on March 16, after which work began on the resumption of the commercial exchange of electricity. Other destinations are not yet open.
Export to Poland starts from March 30th. All the capacity offered at daily auctions for March 30-April 2 was bought by DTEK group companies – D.Trading LLC 210 MW on March 30, DTEK Zakhidenergo JSC 210 MW on March 31 and 190 MW each on April 1 and 2.
According to the data on the ENTSO-E website, physical exports were carried out on March 30 at 210 MWh, except for the first three hours of the day, when deliveries were 70 MWh, 100 MWh and 200 MWh, on March 31 – at 210 MWh -h all day, and on April 1, deliveries of 190 MWh are planned all day, there are no data for April 2.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky called on Australia to join the program for the restoration of the regions of Ukraine, in particular, the coast of the Black and Azov Seas.
We invite the leading states of the world, leading companies and the best specialists to join the project of restoring Ukraine. To take patronage over a region, city or industry in our country in need of restoration. Your state granted ours such a special status of a like-minded country. But we are not only related in our thoughts, we are also related in dreams. Therefore, I invite your country to take a closer look at our southern regions, at our coast of the Black and Azov Seas. The restoration of our ports, the development of cities like Kherson, the restoration of the Ukrainian maritime industry can be a special contribution to stability for you after this terrible war,” he said in a video message to the Australian Parliament on Thursday.
He also called on Australia to join in arms assistance to Ukraine. “You have excellent Bushmaster armored vehicles that can significantly help Ukraine. As well as other models of equipment and weapons that can strengthen our positions,” he said.
“And I hope that the Ukrainian community of Australia, our strong Ukrainian community, will join this work. It will support us now as strongly as in previous years,” Zelensky said.
The current surplus of nitrogen fertilizers in the Ukrainian market reaches about 200,000 tons, which indicates that the Ukrainian agro-industrial complex is fully supplied with them for the spring sowing campaign, Oleg Arestarkhov, head of corporate communications at Group DF, said in a comment to the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
“The issue with nitrogen fertilizers for Ukraine is completely closed. According to our estimates, as of March 30, their current surplus reaches about 200 thousand tons. There are significant reserves of fertilizers, and Ostchem continues to process all solvent requests from farmers and ship products without any problems,” Arestarkhov emphasized. .
According to him, the company closes the current demand for nitrogen fertilizers within the country.
“The only thing is that in some regions there are logistical problems with delivery due to hostilities,” said a representative of Group DF.
At the same time, he noted that supply chains are constantly being restored. “We are doing everything possible to completely update the logistics. Ukrzaliznytsia is helping us a lot, our logistics company (Nika Trans Logistics, part of Group DF – IF) is working, which delivers fertilizers, our Ukragro NPK warehouses are working,” he said. Arestarkhov.
He added that domestic Ukrainian consumers were and remain a priority, 95% of all fertilizers produced by Ostchem are shipped to the domestic market.
Commenting on the issue of exports, Arestarkhov noted that the government’s permission to export fertilizers in the amount of 70,000 tons per month will in no way affect the security of Ukrainian farmers on the part of the Ostchem holding. The head of corporate communications said that the export of fertilizers by the Black Sea is now impossible due to risks. “Road and rail transport will be the main ones, it is safer, although more expensive,” he said.
According to him, all Ukrainian companies, who wanted to, have already bought fertilizers. “We have not refused anyone. And now we are not refusing anyone. The strongest demand is for saltpeter and UAN. The volumes that we promised to ship to end consumers and contracted, we have shipped and are shipping. You see, now is a very responsible period for the country, and we are clearly aware that this is not just the fulfillment of the agreements concluded by Ostchem, this is a matter of Ukraine’s national food security,” summed up the representative of Group DF.
According to his estimates, the price of nitrogen fertilizers will not fall in the near future. “I don’t think there will be a fall in the near future, it’s unlikely. Rather, on the contrary. Although the winter period is over, the price of gas, which is the main raw material for the production of nitrogen fertilizers, for obvious reasons, remains too high at European hubs. Many factories in the world are stopped, and fertilizer producers that are working will not trade fertilizers at a loss, at a price below cost,” he explained.
Arestarkhov added that the balance between supply and demand is seriously disturbed in the world ammonia markets, and the problems affect not only nitrogen fertilizers, but also potash fertilizers, which are complex.
“The new price levels are something that many farmers are already accustomed to. It hurts businesses. Margins are falling for both fertilizer and agricultural producers. It will take time for global fertilizer markets to get out of the turbulence zone and return to a state of stability, balance and predictability Only peace and the solution of all geopolitical issues can stabilize the markets. Everything else is derivative,” the representative of Group DF emphasized.
Group DF is consolidating the assets of businessman Dmitry Firtash in the gas distribution, chemical, titanium and port industries, as well as in agriculture and media.
The nitrogen sub-holding of Ostchem includes Cherkasy Azot, Rivneazot, Severodonetsk Azot Association, as well as Stirol in the occupied Gorlovka (Donetsk region).
The armed invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine had a strong impact on the operations of PJSC “Philip Morris Ukraine”, the tobacco company had the most difficulties with logistics, since its factory and the largest warehouses of products are located in the Kharkiv and Kiev regions, where active battles are now being fought with Russian invaders.
“You can imagine the difficulty we faced when it comes to logistics and delivery of the product. It took us two weeks to resume deliveries in 12 regions and the product is still quickly disappearing from the shelves. Some of our partners stop paying on contracts, so we have to to cover this at the expense of our reserves,” said Maxim Barabash, CEO of the company, in a blitz interview with the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Wednesday.
Philip Morris was able to reopen ten branded Iqos smoke-free food stores across the country in the past week, he said, and plans to open two more this week.
Barabash stressed that during the war with the Russian Federation, the company focuses on the safety of its employees.
“Those who work in stores and warehouses have an air raid shelter nearby. The rest of the teams work remotely, helping both in commercial and volunteer projects, for example, our colleagues with evacuation and delivery of humanitarian aid,” the CEO explained.
He recalled that Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) in March took concrete steps to wind down the work of its branch in the aggressor country Russia: it stopped the planned investments and withdrew the current ones, namely the installation of a new line for the production of tobacco sticks for Iqos Iluma worth $150 million. In addition, the company canceled the launch of new commercial projects in 2022 and removed a number of cigarette brands from sales in Russia
“Currently, the company is working on options for a proper exit from the Russian market,” Barabash said about the corporation’s plans in the Russian Federation.
Philip Morris International, which includes PJSC “Philip Morris Ukraine”, is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of tobacco products. It produces cigarettes in more than 50 factories and sells them in 180 countries.
The company has been operating in Ukraine for more than 20 years, owns a factory in the Kharkiv region. More than 1.3 thousand people work at the company’s enterprises.
PJSC “Philip Morris Ukraine” in 2020 increased its net profit by 5% compared to 2019 – up to UAH 2.73 billion, assets increased by 18% over the year – up to UAH 11.51 billion, and retained earnings – by 55, 5%, up to UAH 7.79 billion.
