Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer announced the need to create a “European preparatory space” (Europäischen Vorbereitungsraum), staying in which will allow Ukraine and Moldova to come closer to EU standards.
According to him, it should be “an intermediate step between cooperation and full accession to the EU.”
“We are united by one goal, we all want a strong, independent and economically successful Ukraine. Currently, Ukraine is fighting for its political and territorial survival. All our efforts are primarily aimed at ending Russia’s aggressive war. At such a stage, rapid full accession to the European Union cannot be a topical issue anyway,” Nehammer said in an interview with Kronen Zeitung.
According to him, it is necessary to “remove emotions from the current debate and apply the same standards that are also used in relation to other applicants from the Western Balkans.”
“In my opinion, the immediate full accession of Ukraine is unrealistic,” the Chancellor said.
Nehammer said he supported French President Emmanuel Macron’s interesting idea of creating a “European Political Community”. “Discussions are largely about either – or. Little attention has been paid to practical options that ensure close ties with the EU in many areas and strengthen the Ukrainian economy. But this is exactly what is needed now,” the Chancellor said.
According to the newspaper, according to the Federal Chancellery, close and gradual cooperation between the EU and Ukraine is possible in various fields, similar to what is envisaged by the French proposals. Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and European Minister Caroline Edtstadler have already addressed the EU partners with these proposals.
The national football team of Ukraine lost to the Wales team 1:0 and failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, which will be held in Qatar in November-December.
The Wales team scored the only goal at the Cardiff City stadium in the 34th minute, when Andriy Yarmolenko cut the ball in his own net after a free kick by Garrit Bale.
The European Union has developed a plan to phase out Russian gas, EU Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton said on the Europe 1/CNews TV channel, ZN.ua reports.
“We import 155 billion cubic meters a year from Russia. We will have to get rid of Russian gas… Putin is using gas to divide us, he has done everything for many years to divide Europe,” Breton said.
In 2021, about 45% of EU natural gas imports came from Russia.
According to the European Commissioner, it is necessary to quickly abandon the import of Russian gas. In particular, the EU plans to increase purchases of liquefied natural gas from the US and Qatar, as well as expand the capacity of green energy.
“We developed a plan with my teams,” Breton said.
The new plan will include “50 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas imports from the US or Qatar, an additional 10 billion from existing pipelines, acceleration of offshore wind turbines and photovoltaic panels totaling 25 billion cubic meters,” he said. Restarting coal-fired power plants is also an option under consideration.
A parliamentary delegation of the Republic of Korea visited the Kyiv region, head of the regional military administration Oleksiy Kuleba said.
“Today, a parliamentary delegation of the Republic of Korea, headed by the chairman of the ruling party of the Republic of Korea” Power of the People “Lee Jun Seok, paid an official visit to the Kyiv region. The foreign delegation visited the burial sites of tortured civilians in Bucha and examined the destroyed residential areas in Irpin,” Kuleba wrote. on the telegram channel on Sunday.
It is noted that during the visit, the Ukrainian and Korean sides “discussed areas of cooperation and joint projects in the framework of the restoration of the Kyiv region after the Russian invasion.”
KOREA, KYIV REGION, PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION, REPUBLIC, VISITED
Ukrainian farmers during the period of the Affordable Loans 5-7-9% program and portfolio guarantees opened for them until May 31 had attracted UAH 38.507 billion in total, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported.
“Credit funds were attracted by 18,078 farmers. Most of the loans under the portfolio guarantee program 80% were provided by state-owned banks,” the release says.
According to it, PrivatBank issued such agricultural loans for UAH 8.243 billion, Ukrgasbank – for UAH 4.355 billion, Oschadbank – for UAH 2.814 billion, Ukreximbank – for UAH 2.285 billion.
The top 5 regions in terms of attracted financial resources included Kirovohrad (UAH 4.712 billion), Kyiv (UAH 4.942 billion), Vinnytsia (UAH 3.289 billion), Odesa (UAH 2.940 billion) and Dnipropetrovsk (UAH 2.937 billion) regions.
They are followed by Poltava (UAH 2.407 billion), Volyn (UAH 2.117 billion), Lviv (UAH 2.094 billion), Khmelnytsky (UAH 1.758 billion) and Ternopil (UAH 1.527 billion) regions.
The ministry reminded that according to the terms of the program, farmers could attract up to UAH 60 million at 0% per annum for up to 6 months. Purpose of lending is an investment loan for the purchase of agricultural machinery, a loan for replenishment of working capital for the purchase of seeds, fertilizers, fuels and lubricants.
The size of the loan guarantee from the state reached 80% of the loan amount. A pledge of 20% of the amount could be A loan object, movable, immovable property – commercial real estate, special equipment, fixed assets, including bought for credit funds, as well as grain.
“One stage has actually been passed, but ahead – the periods of harvesting and selling the harvest are no less important. Therefore, the government will continue to work to ensure that farmers are provided with affordable financing – this is a basic condition for their development and competitiveness,” First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Taras Vysotsky said.
A draft law on writing off debts on consumer loans granted for the purchase of movable and immovable property that was destroyed by the war will be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada within a week, Danila Getmantsev, head of the relevant parliamentary committee, said.
“On behalf of the president, we agreed with the head of the National Bank and the prime minister on the development of a bill to write off debt on consumer loans for the purchase of movable and immovable property that was destroyed during the hostilities. We will submit the bill to VR within the next week,” he wrote in a telegram on Sunday.
“A person should not pay a debt for a non-existent object,” Getmantsev added.
