Some 18 Canadian companies and organizations, including the National Bank of Canada, Bombardier, Broccolini, KPMG and others, have teamed up to resettle 1,000 families of Ukrainian refugees in the near future, according to a press release from the music and media company Stingray (Montreal, Canada).
“As we watched the conflict unfold and witnessed the forced displacement of millions of Ukrainians, we could not stand by without doing our part. We are impressed by the quick response, active participation of businesses, and interest of all levels of government in making this initiative a reality. Together, we hope to welcome up to 1,000 Ukrainian families, starting in the coming weeks,” President, Co-Founder and CEO of Stingray Eric Boyko said.
“These companies have agreed to welcome up to 80 families each, ensuring that they are well looked after throughout the process. While responding to labor needs, these companies are offering newcomers work, access to lodging, and means of subsistence while preserving these families’ dignity throughout this challenging ordeal,” the report says.
CANADIAN COMPANIES, FUND, REFUGEES, SETTLEMENT, SUPPORT, UKRAINE
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has accepted an invitation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to visit the country on the condition that Kyiv makes significant progress in ceasefire talks with Russia, Israel’s Ynet news reported
According to the publication, Bennett has already asked the country’s security service to begin preparations for his possible visit to Kyiv.
“In order to advance the negotiations, it is clear that in-person meetings are necessary. And they may happen down the road if negotiations reach a tipping point,” a source involved in the talks with the Ukrainians told Ynet.
“However, some security officials have expressed their misgivings about the risks entailed in the prime minister going into an active war zone, especially after a Russian bombing of the city killed at least eight people on Monday,” the report says.
“According to sources familiar with the matter, Zelensky and Ukrainian government officials have been pursuing a Bennett visit to Kyiv for the past ten days as they believe the visit would help expedite ceasefire talks with Moscow,” according to the edition.
Earlier this month, the Israeli prime minister visited Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.
The Supreme Court of Israel (High Court) made an interim decision in favor of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Embassy in Israel told Interfax-Ukraine on Monday. “The Embassy of Ukraine welcomed the interim decision of the Supreme High Court on a petition related to the admission of Ukrainian citizens to Israel,” the embassy said.
Earlier, Varsh Tomar’s law office in Israel filed a petition with the High Court against the decision of Israeli Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked to limit the number of Ukrainian refugees in Israel to 5,000. The Embassy of Ukraine said support for the petition.
The plaintiffs demanded the Israeli authorities adhere to interstate agreements on visa-free entry to Israel for citizens of Ukraine. The High Court of Justice at a meeting on March 21, given that the “scheme” for accepting Ukrainian refugees, proposed by the Minister of Internal Affairs Ayelet Shaked, expires on March 27, and the Committee on Internal Affairs must discuss this issue on March 23, took the following decision: the defendants must submit an application for decision within 24 hours after it is made, but no later than March 28.
The embassy said in the statement the court recognized the existence of legal decisions regarding the consideration of the issue of entry of Ukrainian citizens to Israel. The statement also said that “Interior Minister Shaked and the Knesset Home Affairs Committee will ‘rethink’ the current entry policy and allow the entry of Ukrainian citizens ‘without any preconditions.”
Losses among civilians from February 24, 2022, when Russia started the war against Ukraine, to 24:00 on March 20, 2022 amounted to 2,421 civilians (2,361 in the report a day earlier), including 925 dead (902), reports the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Monday.
“UNHCHR believes that the real numbers are much higher, especially in government-controlled territory, and especially in recent days, as information from some places where there has been intense fighting has been delayed, and many reports are still awaiting confirmation,” it said.
“The majority of civilian deaths or injuries were caused by the use of explosive devices with a wide area of effect, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, as well as rocket and air strikes,” the report says.
According to confirmed UN data, 183 men, 137 women, 25 boys and 11 girls died, while the sex of 39 children and 530 adults has not yet been determined.
Among the 1,496 wounded, there are 22 girls and 17 boys, as well as 60 children, whose gender has not yet been determined.
High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has announced an additional EUR500 million for Ukraine, he said this at a press conference following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday.
He said he was pleased to announce that they had reached a political agreement on an additional EUR500 million within the European peacebuilding opportunities. He added they would continue to support Ukraine economically, financially, with humanitarian aid, and support the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
According to Borrell, all member states remain extremely united in supporting Ukraine diplomatically in the international arena, will continue to isolate Russia, call for accountability for war crimes, for violations of international and humanitarian law.
He also said that the EU regards what is happening in Ukraine as large-scale war crimes committed by the Russian armed forces against the Ukrainian people. And this will not remain unpunished. Therefore, they welcome the commission established by the UN Human Rights Council. They welcome the investigation (into these crimes) by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, the high representative said.
In this regard, he stated that the ministers call on Russia to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice, according to which it must stop the invasion of Ukraine. Borrell also assured that the EU is ready for further restrictive measures, in coordination with their partners, in order to continue to put pressure on Russia.
Real gross domestic product (GDP) of Ukraine in the fourth quarter of 2021 grew by 5.9% compared to the fourth quarter of 2020 after rising by 2.7% in the third quarter, the State Statistics Service published such a preliminary estimate. Fitch Ratings forecasts GDP growth of 2.9% in 2022, from 3.0% in 2021, a 1pp downward revision from the August review due to slowing growth in real wages and private consumption, a drag on domestic demand from heightened geopolitical risk, and the high gas price.
The level of the shadow economy in Ukraine in January-September 2021 amounted to 31% of GDP, which is 1 p.p. less compared to the corresponding period in 2020, the Ministry of Economy said.
In 2021 inflation in Ukraine rose to 10% from 5% in 2020 and 4.1% in 2019, while underlying inflation rose to 7.9% against 4.5% a year earlier.
Since 2014, the conflict with the Russian Federation has cost Ukraine 19.9% of its pre-conflict GDP annually, totaling $280 billion in lost GDP in 2014-2020.
The deficit of Ukraine’s foreign trade balance decreased by only 0.2% in 2021 compared to 2020, from $0.678 billion to $0.676 billion.
The surplus of Ukraine’s foreign trade in services decreased by 4.2% in 2021 compared to 2020, to $5.563 billion (in 2020, the surplus was at $5.809 billion), the State Statistics Service reported. The deficit of Ukraine’s foreign trade in goods decreased by 8.1% in 2021 compared to 2020, to $4.728 billion from $5.144 billion.
The growth of consumer prices in Ukraine in January 2022 accelerated to 1.3% from 0.6% in December and 0.8% in November 2021, the State Statistics Service reported.
As of February 25, state budget revenues amounted to UAH 97 billion, including a payment in the amount of UAH 18.8 billion from the National Bank of Ukraine, and there are all possibilities to make payments, Minister of Finance Serhiy Marchenko has said.
Ukraine sold industrial products (goods, services) for UAH 3.584 trillion in 2021, which is 44.5% more than in 2020 (UAH 2.481 trillion), including for UAH 1.019 trillion outside the country.
Since the beginning of 2021/22 (July-June) and as of February 21, Ukraine has exported 42.54 million tonnes of grain and leguminous crops, which is 37.3% higher than the figures for the same date of the previous year.
Real wages in Ukraine in December 2021 increased by 11.9% compared to December 2020, and compared to November 2021, the growth was 21.5%.
Publisher of “Open4Business”, PhD in Economics, Maksim Urakin.
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