Dynamics of export of goods in January-October 2024 by the most important items in relation to the same period of 2023, %
Source: Open4Business.com.ua
Kiev citizens have been warned about heavy fog in the capital, drivers and pedestrians have been urged to be careful.
According to Ukrhydrometcenter, fog will remain in the capital till the end of the day, visibility will be 200-500 meters. Specialists recommend drivers to be careful while driving and follow the rules of the road in such conditions, in particular, reduce speed, turn on fog lights, keep a safe distance from other cars.
Pedestrians were urged to wear reflective elements – flickers to be visible to drivers during fog and at night.
Integration of European standards, in particular the provisions of EU Regulation 305/2011 on the quality of construction products and new environmental standards, is one of the important criteria for attracting investments in the reconstruction of Ukraine, the growth of the local construction market and increasing the competitiveness of domestic producers of construction materials, believes the executive director of the association “Ukrcement” Lyudmyla Krypka.
“European integration is one of the criteria for investing in Ukraine. The key factors that will contribute to the growth of construction in Ukraine and the development of the construction sector are government programs for infrastructure rehabilitation, intensification of construction works, localization of production, introduction of modern technologies and focus on environmental standards. It is those Ukrainian producers who will focus on these areas that will be able to consolidate competitive positions, stimulate the development of the industry and provide the market with quality building materials,” she said at the press conference ‘State Partnership and Investments in Rehabilitation of Territories’ at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Friday.
According to her, cement industry enterprises were among the first to implement the provisions of the 305th regulation in their activities and are now working on the implementation of environmental standards, which are also included in the new EU directive.
Kripka noted that the implementation of Euro standards not only increases the competitiveness of Ukrainian producers in international markets, but also opens the way to development and innovation.
One of the important tasks for the cement industry is to reduce CO2 emissions.
“The industry is working to reduce emissions. Enterprises introduce the best available technologies and management methods, take part in monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions. Ukraine can become an example of simple methods to reduce CO2 emissions by using biomass in clinker firing,” the expert said.
Cement industry companies themselves invest in their own production, Kripka noted. Companies also invest in the construction of additional technological lines, clinker storage silos, terminals, kiln modernization and transition to alternative fuels. Further capacity expansion of cement plants will start during the active recovery phase, when cement consumption will increase to 10-10.5 million tons. Over the past two years, this figure is about 6.3 million tons, she explained.
The Ukrcement Association was established in January 2004 by reorganizing the Ukrainian Concern of Cement Industry Enterprises and Organizations Ukrcement. The association comprises five groups of companies, including nine cement enterprises.
CONSTRUCTION, European standards, INTEGRATION, investments in Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived on a visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain. According to flightaware.com, the President’s Airbus A319 UR-ABA presidential plane has just landed at Stansted Airport (STN), London. According to The Guardian, Vladimir Zelensky landed in the UK ahead of tomorrow’s European defense summit.
“TV footage showed his motorcade pulling away from the runway at London’s Stansted airport,” the newspaper writes.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will reportedly hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Italian Council of Ministers President Giorgia Meloni at Downing Street on Sunday ahead of a summit aimed at securing a “lasting and enforceable” peace in Ukraine.
On February 24, 2025, the Swedish government announced that it will provide financial support to the Ukrainian Institute in Sweden in the amount of SEK 9 million to implement projects aimed at promoting Ukrainian culture.
“Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has caused enormous cultural destruction. Russia’s attack on Ukrainian cultural identity is manifested in everything from the massive looting of cultural heritage to the destruction of historical monuments,” the country’s highest executive body said in a statement.
The Ukrainian Institute in Sweden was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Stockholm. The main areas of its activity are cultural diplomacy, education and public opinion formation.
“The Ukrainian Institute in Sweden plays a key role in preserving Ukrainian culture beyond the Russian destruction and ensuring that Ukraine is represented on international cultural platforms. Recognizing this important mission, the Swedish government has decided to provide financial support to the Institute to continue its activities,” the Swedish government said.
In the face of Russian attempts to deprive Ukraine of its cultural identity, the Institute works to preserve Ukrainian cultural heritage. This is achieved by disseminating knowledge about Ukraine, its history and culture, creating a platform for Ukrainian art abroad, representing Ukraine in the Swedish and European cultural space, and promoting Ukraine’s European integration through cultural dialogue.
Raising awareness of Ukraine in Europe and vice versa also reduces the impact of disinformation and strengthens the resilience of Ukrainian society.
