Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking before the start of talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, expressed hope that they would facilitate a personal meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents.
“The progress made in these talks will allow the leaders of Russia and Ukraine to negotiate in person,” Erdogan was quoted as saying by Daily Sabah.
He noted that Turkey is also ready to host such talks between the two leaders on its territory.
Erdogan indicated that Turkey is “deeply concerned” about the situation around Ukraine and calls for a ceasefire.
“The negotiation process between Russia and Ukraine has raised hopes for peace. Ensuring a ceasefire as soon as possible would be beneficial to all parties,” the Turkish president said.
“We hope that the meetings [in Istanbul] will benefit both sides and the region,” he said.
“I think it is possible to come to an agreement that will suit both sides and the world community,” he stressed. Erdogan noted that a “permanent, fair, practical solution is required.”
Erdogan also stressed that Turkey is ready to perform mediation functions for as long as necessary. “We are ready to help the peace process as much as you need,” he said, addressing the Russian and Ukrainian delegations.
Negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations began in Istanbul on Tuesday morning, they are taking place in the Dolmabahce Palace.
As the President’s Office told Interfax-Ukraine, the Ukrainian delegation included leader of the Servant of the People faction in the parliament David Arakhamia, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov, MPs Andriy Kostin and Rustem Umerov, adviser to the head of the President’s Office Mykhailo Podoliak, deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mykola Tochytsky, and Deputy Head of the President’s Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko.
The DIM group of companies is assisting Kiev in strengthening monuments, has completed the installation of protective structures near the monument to Vladimir the Great, the press service of the group reported.
“We immediately responded to the request of representatives of the city authorities, quickly organized and provided everything necessary: scaffolding, formwork, workers who did their part of the work with high quality. Then the monument was laid with sandbags,” the founder and managing partner of the group of companies are quoted in the message. DIM Alexander Nasikovsky.
According to him, then the company will deal with the protective work of the monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky in the capital.
According to the report, protection of cultural monuments, restoration of destroyed infrastructure and housing stock have now become the main activities of construction companies.
“By joint efforts and tireless work, we show the occupiers where their real place is, and we prove to the whole world that Ukrainians are a motivated, united and invincible nation,” Nasikovsky said.
As reported, the authorities of the capital turned to representatives of the construction business with a request to join the protection of the sights of Kyiv, as well as the creation of 3D models of important cultural and historical monuments, buildings that could fall under the fire of Russian invaders.
All appeals under voluntary medical insurance policies (VHI) are covered, except when the appeal is related to an injury directly related to war, hostilities, exposure to weapons, ammunition, according to the insurer’s website.
At the same time, it is emphasized that VHI agreements are valid only on the territory of Ukraine, therefore, in order to receive medical care abroad, clients are advised to purchase an insurance policy for travelers abroad.
According to the report, ARX medical assistance works as usual, around the clock. Its employees provide recommendations based on the terms of insurance contracts, organize assistance, visit a doctor, provide medicines, and teleconsultations.
“However, we ask clients to be understanding of possible delays in the organization of medical services, since the medical system, especially private clinics, is now also working in a situation of heavy workload and, in some cases, in a situation of staff shortages. In addition, in some regions, for security reasons or changing the profile, some of our partners have suspended the provision of services or limited certain services,” the message says.
In addition, the company has significantly expanded the opportunities for the insured to receive compensation in case of independent organization of medical services and their payment. The term for receiving compensation can reach 2-3 business days.
According to the report, in areas with active hostilities – Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Mariupol or with a difficult security situation – all partners of the company have suspended the provision of services due to a lack of staff on the ground and for security reasons.
All medical services in Western Ukraine, as well as Odessa, Dnipro are provided without restrictions on the basis of the company’s partners. There are difficulties with calling an ambulance, due to the heavy workload. Pharmacy chains limit the opening hours of pharmacies in accordance with curfew restrictions and in general.
In Kyiv, almost all partners of the company work as usual, but subject to restrictions for security reasons and curfews. There may be difficulties with calling an ambulance, both private and 103.
In connection with the re-profiling of hospitals, there are difficulties with the organization of planned hospitalization. A large number of doctors work remotely, so it may be difficult to organize face-to-face appointments with doctors of narrow specialties at a time and place convenient for the client.
IC “ARX” has been operating in the insurance market for 26 years. According to the company, it is the leader in CASCO insurance for the 12th year in a row. It ranks first among Ukrainian insurers in terms of net insurance premiums and net insurance payments for 2019. It is part of the international insurance holding Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (Canada).
In the Svyatoshinsky district of the capital, power supply was resumed, according to the Kiev City State Administration.
“Power supply in the Svyatoshinsky district of Kyiv has been resumed after damage that occurred as a result of hostilities in the suburbs. Currently, work is underway to connect individual consumers. Specialists from DTEK Kyiv Electric Networks have carried out repair work in 6 places,” the statement said. in the telegram channel.
As reported, on Saturday, in the Svyatoshinsky district of Kyiv, there was no electricity supply due to hostilities in the direction of Gostomel and Irpen, during the day there was a reduced water pressure on the right bank of the capital.
The currency swap concluded by the National Bank of Ukraine with the National Bank of Poland and the right granted to Ukrainian banks to buy hryvnia in cash from foreign financial institutions for non-cash currency in the amount of up to EUR1 million per day (in equivalent) made it possible to launch such an exchange without major losses in Poland and 5 other countries, the NBU said.
“On March 25, the agreement that we concluded with the National Bank of Poland on the exchange of Ukrainian hryvnia for Polish zlotys by Ukrainian citizens in Poland began to work,” the National Bank of Ukraine noted on Facebook.
He clarified that in Poland, which accounted for over 2/3 of all refugees, Ukrainians can apply to separate branches of PKO Bank Polski. The limit for such an exchange is up to 10 thousand UAH in cash per person in banknotes with a face value of 100 to 1000 UAH. To exchange, you need to have a passport in the form of an ID-card or a valid international passport.
In Hungary, cash hryvnia is exchanged by OTP Bank: in its branches, Ukrainian citizens can exchange hryvnia for Hungarian forints within the limit of UAH 15,000. for one transaction.
In addition, the bank offers to open a forint account for Ukrainians aged 18 years and over (from 14 to 18 years of age, the presence of parents or legal guardians is required) in special branches of OTP Bank in Hungary that provide this service, if they have a valid passport or travel document.
In Moldova, to support citizens of Ukraine, OTP Bank will carry out foreign exchange transactions with Ukrainian currency in its branches located in the border regions of Moldova and some branches in Chisinau, on the basis of an internal or international passport of Ukraine. The hryvnia exchange limit is up to UAH 3,000 per client per day.
In Romania, the exchange of Ukrainian hryvnia for Romanian lei is carried out by Banca Comercială Română: 11 branches of this bank near the border with Ukraine are additionally supported by cash to help Ukrainians crossing the border of this country. Citizens of Ukraine can exchange hryvnias for up to 1,000 Romanian lei per person (at the official rate of almost UAH 6.5 thousand) with a valid passport.
In Slovakia, Tatra banka, a subsidiary of the Raiffeisen group, offers to exchange hryvnia for euros. The daily limit per person is EUR250. When exchanging money, citizens of Ukraine must provide a valid passport.
So far, the exchange takes place in Bratislava at the head office of the bank in the Tatracentrum shopping center, and additional exchange points should soon appear in Humenny and Michalovci. In addition, Ukrainians will be able to open an account at Tatra banka branches, to which cash hryvnia will be credited to a payment card in accordance with the euro exchange rate.
In Austria, you can exchange cash hryvnia for euros at Raiffeisen bank and Erste Bank Oesterreich branches if you have a passport. at Raiffeisen bank one person can exchange up to EUR500 per day, and at Erste Bank Oesterreich up to EUR300.
“At the same time, we continue to recommend to everyone who intends to evacuate abroad not to take cash hryvnia with them, but to deposit it into their bank accounts in Ukraine. After all, having a payment card, you can pay without cash and withdraw money from ATMs abroad,” – the National Bank noted and reminded that it did not introduce any restrictions on non-cash payments both within the country and abroad.
U.S. President Joe Biden will join on Saturday a meeting between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin with their Ukrainian counterparts Dmytro Kuleba and Secretary of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov, U.S. media said, citing the White House pool.
“This morning, President Biden will drop by a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Ukrainian Defense Secretary Oleksiy Reznikov,” according to the statement.
Biden is in Poland and will deliver a speech on the situation in Ukraine on Saturday evening in Warsaw.
