On Thursday, May 12, the UN Human Rights Council will hold its 34th special meeting dedicated to the deterioration of the human rights situation in Ukraine as a result of Russian aggression.
“It is being convened in accordance with the official request filed today by Ukraine and supported so far by 53 states,” the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on its website on Monday.
The Office recalls that the convening of an extraordinary session requires the support of one third of the 47 members of the Council – 16 or more. To date, the following Council Member States have supported this request (16): Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Korea, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States.
They were also joined by the following Observer States (37): Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Malta, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.
Specific details of the special session and its scenario will be discussed at a public meeting on May 11, UNHCHR clarifies.
The Office recalled that during the 49th regular session of the Human Rights Council on March 3 and 4, 2022, the Council held an emergency discussion on the issue of Russian aggression against Ukraine, after which it decided to establish an independent international commission to investigate all alleged human rights violations in the context of such aggression.
The United States will temporarily suspend the 25% duty on Ukrainian steel imposed by President Trump under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 for 12 months, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo said.
“For steel mills to continue to be an economic lifeline for the people of Ukraine, they must be able to export their steel. Today’s announcement is a signal to the Ukrainian people that we are committed to helping them stand up in the face of Putin’s aggression,” the minister said on the ministry’s website. .
The report states that each of the 13 Ukrainians is employed in the steel industry of Ukraine, and their work is well paid.
“We are talking about stopping the 25% tariffs imposed in 2018 by the Trump administration,” Yulia Sviridenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister, commented on the decision of the US Department of Commerce.
According to her, the Ministry of Economy has been working on this project for several years.
“The abolition of these duties will be a turning point in trade relations between Ukraine and the United States,” she stressed.
According to the State Statistics Service, in 2021, the export of ferrous metals from Ukraine to the United States increased by 50.5% compared to the previous year – up to $70.76 million, and ferrous metal products – 11 times, up to $16.85 million. In total, these two articles accounted for 55.4% of all exports from Ukraine.
The US Department of Commerce also recalled that some of Ukraine’s largest steel mills have suffered the most from Putin’s barbarism, and Azovstal in Mariupol has become a symbol of Ukraine’s determination to resist Russian aggression. The agency added that many Ukrainian steel mills continued to pay workers, feed and shelter their employees during the fighting, and some resumed production despite nearby fighting.
“Creating export opportunities for these factories is essential to their ability to continue hiring and supporting one of Ukraine’s most important industries,” the statement said.
It also states that following the sanctions, U.S. exports to Russia of categories of goods subject to new U.S. export licensing requirements decreased by 97% in value terms compared to the same period in 2021 (February 24-April 29), and total exports fell by about 79%.
On Monday, May 9, US President Joseph Biden signed Law S. 3522 “The Lend-Lease Act for the Defense of Democracy in Ukraine of 2022”.
White House spokeswoman Angela Perez announced this on Twitter.
The description of the document on the website of Congress says that this law will give the US administration the right to provide military equipment to Ukraine and other countries of Eastern Europe during the 2023 fiscal year.
The bill was previously passed in the Senate and the US House of Representatives.
Ukrainian journalists who cover the war with Russia have been awarded a special Pulitzer Prize for 2022, according to the award website.
“The Pulitzer Commission awards Ukraine’s journalists with special thanks for their courage, resilience, and commitment to truthful reporting during Vladimir Putin’s relentless invasion of their country and his propaganda war in Russia. Despite shelling, kidnapping, occupation, and even death in their ranks, they persevere give an accurate picture of the terrible reality, doing honor to Ukraine and journalists around the world.
The United States will temporarily – for 12 months – suspend a 25% duty on Ukrainian steel imposed by President Trump under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo has said.
“For steel mills to continue as an economic lifeline for the people of Ukraine, they must be able to export their steel. Today’s announcement is a signal to the Ukrainian people that we are committed to helping them thrive in the face of Putin’s aggression, and that their work will create a stronger Ukraine, both today and in the future,” the statement of the minister is given on the website of the ministry.
The report states that 1 in 13 Ukrainians is employed in the steel industry of Ukraine, and their work is well paid.
“We are talking about stopping the 25% tariffs imposed in 2018 by the Trump administration,” Yulia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister, commented on the decision of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
According to her, the Ministry of Economy has been working on this project for several years.
“The abolition of these duties will be a turning point in trade relations between Ukraine and the United States,” she stressed.
According to the State Statistics Service, in 2021, the export of ferrous metals from Ukraine to the United States increased by 50.5% compared to the previous year, to $70.76 million, and ferrous metal products – 11 times, to $16.85 million. In total, these two accounted for 55.4% of all exports from Ukraine.
The U.S. Department of Commerce also recalled that some of Ukraine’s largest steel mills have suffered the most from Putin’s barbarism, and Azovstal in Mariupol has become a symbol of Ukraine’s determination to resist Russian aggression. The ministry added that many Ukrainian steel mills continued to pay workers, feed and shelter their employees during the fighting, and some resumed production despite nearby fighting.
“Creating export opportunities for these mills is essential to their ability to continue employing their workers and maintaining one of Ukraine’s most important industries,” the statement said.
It also states that following the sanctions, U.S. exports to Russia of categories of goods subject to new U.S. export licensing requirements decreased by 97% in value terms compared to the same period in 2021 (February 24-April 29), and total exports fell by about 79%.
Over the past week, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine received 73 tonnes of medical supplies as humanitarian aid from charitable organizations, the press service of the Ministry of Health reported on Monday.
It is specified that over the past week, 16 tonnes of analgesics, 1.5 tonnes of antibacterial drugs, 16.5 tonnes of cancer drugs, 30 tonnes of dressings and other medical products, 8.5 tonnes of medicines for various purposes and 500 kg of corticosteroids have been received from various donors and charitable organizations.
In addition, charities donated five ambulances, 100 refrigerators, eight telemedicine systems, 10,700 personal first aid kits, 2,000 hemostatic agents to stop bleeding, 22,000 bandages and 8,500 tourniquets.
