Lithuania’s Seimas has adopted a resolution in which it invited all member states of the European Union to support Ukraine’s aspirations to become a full member of the EU as soon as possible and to agree on granting Ukraine the status of an EU candidate.
“The Lithuanian Seimas unanimously adopted a resolution, which invites all member states of the European Union to support Ukraine’s aspiration to become a full member of the European Union as soon as possible, and to agree on granting the EU candidate status to Ukraine,” the Lithuanian Seimas tweeted on Thursday.
“The Seimas resolution also states that “Ukraine should be subject to an accelerated procedure for accession to the European Union without reservation”,” LRT.LT reports.
“Granting Ukraine the candidate status at this time would be an important sign of moral support for its people, who are defending their homeland and their right to decide their country’s future, without sparing their lives,” the resolution reads.
“The Seimas also maintains that admitting a country whose people have shown “incredible will and determination in their fight for European values” to the European Union “will inspire and strengthen the Union itself”,” it reads.
The resolution notes that Ukraine has been seeking EU membership for more than a decade and that Ukraine and the EU have been bound by the Association Agreement for the past five years. Thus, according to the resolution, Ukraine’s application to join the EU is the result of its strong commitment to European integration.
Also in the resolution, the Lithuanian Seimas confirms its readiness to provide Ukraine with all possible assistance in its quest for EU membership.
Accor, operator of the Novotel and Ibis brands; Hilton; and Hyatt will not be opening any new hotels in Russia, and they are suspending all partnerships with Russian companies, though they will continue to operate existing hotels, the hotel chains said in their respective statements.
“The French owner of the Novotel and Ibis hotel chains said that it has suspended all planned openings and developments in Russia and any partnerships with Russian companies, though it will continue to operate its more than 50 hotels in the country in order to support its 3,500 Russian employees,” the Financial Times wrote.
Accor was the first international hotel chain to announce a halt, followed by Hilton, operator of the LXR Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria, Hilton brands and others, and Hyatt. Neither Marriott nor IHG has issued a statement regarding the matter.
“We have now taken the decision to suspend our development activities and any new investment in Russia, and the decision is effective immediately,” the Hyatt hotel chain posted on its official news site.
Hyatt also notes that it will continue to monitor the situation in Russia, while complying with the directives of the U.S. government, as it hopes for a resolution to the crisis.
The Hilton hotel chain said late on Wednesday that it had closed its corporate office in Moscow and would suspend construction of hotels in Russia. The company said in a statement that it would also continue to monitor the situation in Russia.
Accor CEO Sebastien Bazin had previously canceled a meeting scheduled for this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Accor’s plans for 2022 had included the opening of five new hotels in Russia. Overall, there are 50 hotels open in the country, with 21 of them operating in Moscow.
The online booking services of Airbnb and Booking.com have also ceased operations in Russia.
The Radisson hotel chain has stated that it would remain in Russia. “All Radisson Hotel Group hotels in Russia will continue to operate. We are closely monitoring the situation in the region, we care about the well-being of all guests and team members, and continue to adhere to all instructions,” the company said in a statement.
The international systems Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria Money Transfer, INTEL EXPRESS and TransferGo have canceled fees for transfers to Ukraine, the press service of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) said on Thursday.
According to the announcement, Ria has activated its global donation network for the Save the Children organization to help Ukrainian children who have been affected by the war in Ukraine and their families.
In addition, the INTELEXPRESS international money transfer system can make instant and free transfers to special accounts to raise funds to support the Ukrainian army and humanitarian aid to Ukrainians.
At the same time, the global payment network Euronet, which has an extensive system of ATMs in the world, has abolished fees for its services for the citizens of Ukraine.
In addition, the Polish instant payment system Blik has created a special page for raising funds to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The funds will be transferred to the NBU account opened in the state-owned bank – Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego.
INTEL EXPRESS, MONEYGRAM, RIA MONEY TRANSFER, TRANSFERGO, TRANSFERS, UKRAINE, WESTERN UNION
In Lublin (Poland) a second volunteer warehouse center for humanitarian and medical assistance to Ukraine has been deployed.
“A new large warehouse in Lublin, 20 trucks a day arrive at Helm, there are queues. We are expanding and will do this all the time,” Andriy Stavnitser, the co-owner of the TIS group of companies, wrote on his Facebook page.
The new address of the new warehouse is Mełgiewska 29, hala B / Rama T3, 20-234 Lublin, Polska.
“Helm is still working, everything you sent there will reach its destination. But redirect new cargoes to Lublin – there is much more space, more people, which means we will be able to receive and send much more help. From it we will finally be able to make targeted delivery to cities,” the businessman explained.
At the same time, Stavnitser emphasized that the top needs for now are medicines, dry rations, canned food, energy bars, warm clothes, thermal underwear, and hygiene products.
As reported, the CEO of TIS organizes a single warehouse center for humanitarian and medical assistance for Ukraine, the co-owner Rozetka is providing a warehouse in Poland.
BUSINESSMEN, HUMANITARIAN AID, LUBLIN, WAREHOUSE CENTER, ГУМАНИТАРНАЯ ПОМОЩЬ, ЛЮБЛИН, СКЛАДСКОЙ ЦЕНТР
On March 7, the key Ukrainian public associations of agrarian orientation, united in the Ukrainian National Agrarian Forum public union, received the status of partners in the EU’s largest farming association Copa-Cogeca, which will allow Ukraine and Europe to work together to prevent a global food crisis.
The official entry into the foreign organization was announced on the Facebook page of the Ukrainian Agri Council public association on Thursday.
“Obtaining this status means not only integration into the European agrarian community, but also providing an opportunity for joint cooperation in the direction of preventing a global food crisis in connection with the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” the Ukrainian Agri Council said.
The organization recalled that in addition to it, the Ukrainian National Agrarian Forum includes the leading Ukrainian agrarian associations – the Agrarian Union of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club, the Ukrainian Association of Communities, the Union of Poultry Breeders of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation.
As reported, on March 1, the Ukrainian National Agrarian Forum applied for membership in Copa-Cogeca to integrate the Ukrainian agricultural sector into the European agricultural community. The Ukrainians also asked the largest farming association in the EU to support Ukraine in the process of joining the EU under a shortened procedure.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed former Deputy Head of the President’s Office, former member of the Supervisory Board of NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy Yulia Kovaliv as Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada.
A photocopy of the relevant decree was posted on Facebook by Deputy Head of the President’s Office Andriy Sybiha.
In addition, Vasyl Miroshnychenko was appointed Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia, and Mykola Nahorny was appointed Ambassador of Ukraine to Egypt
