The United Nations (UN) may initiate the conclusion of agreements on a humanitarian truce between Ukraine and Russia, the UN press service reports.
“Mr. Guterres said that the UN Humanitarian Affairs chief, Martin Griffiths, would ‘immediately explore’ an agreement with Russia and Ukraine for the ceasefire,” according to a press release published on Monday.
Speaking to reporters on the same day, Guterres said that the war in Ukraine had led to “the war has led to the senseless loss of thousands of lives; the displacement of ten million people, mainly women and children; the systematic destruction of essential infrastructure; and skyrocketing food and energy prices worldwide. This must stop,” the Secretary General said.
Guterres hopes that the truce will ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, as well as the safety of civilians.
“It [the truce] will save lives, prevent suffering, and protect civilians,” the Secretary General said.
The UN chief made it clear that any solution “to this humanitarian tragedy is not humanitarian. It is political.”
“I am therefore appealing for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, to allow for progress in serious political negotiations, [aimed] at reaching a peace agreement based on the principles of the United Nations Charter,” the Secretary General said.
KYIV. March 29 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ) has made the procedure for delivering humanitarian aid in passenger trains more clear, 50 wagons in 32 trains have been allocated for this.
As UZ reported on its Facebook page, on certain routes these wagons will be specially meant for the delivery of humanitarian cargo.
“This will make it possible to clearly separate the humanitarian mission of Ukrzaliznytsia from our direct work: the transportation of passengers and cargo, and will also provide additional security for humanitarian cargo,” the message says.
Since the beginning of the war, Ukrzaliznytsia has transported more than 7,800 tonnes of humanitarian cargo in passenger cars and sent 1,670 cargo cars with humanitarian aid throughout the country. Most of all – to Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia and Odesa.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking before the start of talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, expressed hope that they would facilitate a personal meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents.
“The progress made in these talks will allow the leaders of Russia and Ukraine to negotiate in person,” Erdogan was quoted as saying by Daily Sabah.
He noted that Turkey is also ready to host such talks between the two leaders on its territory.
Erdogan indicated that Turkey is “deeply concerned” about the situation around Ukraine and calls for a ceasefire.
“The negotiation process between Russia and Ukraine has raised hopes for peace. Ensuring a ceasefire as soon as possible would be beneficial to all parties,” the Turkish president said.
“We hope that the meetings [in Istanbul] will benefit both sides and the region,” he said.
“I think it is possible to come to an agreement that will suit both sides and the world community,” he stressed. Erdogan noted that a “permanent, fair, practical solution is required.”
Erdogan also stressed that Turkey is ready to perform mediation functions for as long as necessary. “We are ready to help the peace process as much as you need,” he said, addressing the Russian and Ukrainian delegations.
Negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations began in Istanbul on Tuesday morning, they are taking place in the Dolmabahce Palace.
As the President’s Office told Interfax-Ukraine, the Ukrainian delegation included leader of the Servant of the People faction in the parliament David Arakhamia, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov, MPs Andriy Kostin and Rustem Umerov, adviser to the head of the President’s Office Mykhailo Podoliak, deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mykola Tochytsky, and Deputy Head of the President’s Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko.
The DIM group of companies is assisting Kiev in strengthening monuments, has completed the installation of protective structures near the monument to Vladimir the Great, the press service of the group reported.
“We immediately responded to the request of representatives of the city authorities, quickly organized and provided everything necessary: scaffolding, formwork, workers who did their part of the work with high quality. Then the monument was laid with sandbags,” the founder and managing partner of the group of companies are quoted in the message. DIM Alexander Nasikovsky.
According to him, then the company will deal with the protective work of the monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky in the capital.
According to the report, protection of cultural monuments, restoration of destroyed infrastructure and housing stock have now become the main activities of construction companies.
“By joint efforts and tireless work, we show the occupiers where their real place is, and we prove to the whole world that Ukrainians are a motivated, united and invincible nation,” Nasikovsky said.
As reported, the authorities of the capital turned to representatives of the construction business with a request to join the protection of the sights of Kyiv, as well as the creation of 3D models of important cultural and historical monuments, buildings that could fall under the fire of Russian invaders.
As of March 24, 2022, the KSE Institute estimated damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure from the war in the country at $62.9 billion, or UAH 1.8 trillion, while its analysts increased the amount by $3.5 billion over the past week, according to a press release. release of the analytical division of the Kiev School of Economics KSE Institute.
“Compared to the data released on March 17, taking into account the new received more accurate data on damage (as a result of which certain items of losses were revised downward), the net increase (in damages) was $ 3.5 billion,” according to the KSE Institute. on Friday, citing data analysis from the Russia Will Pay project.
Analysts estimate that since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the occupiers have damaged, destroyed or seized at least 4,431 residential buildings, 92 factories or businesses, 378 educational institutions, 138 healthcare facilities, eight civilian airports and 10 military airfields, seven TPP and HPP.
At the same time, over the course of a week, analysts received more detailed data from the Ministry of Infrastructure on the destruction of infrastructure facilities, on the basis of which, in a number of areas – railway infrastructure, bridges and bridge crossings, civil airports – the damage assessment was reduced.
The recovery of international tourism after the coronavirus pandemic may slow down due to the conflict in Ukraine, experts from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) say.
“The main tourist supplying countries, the US and Asian countries, which have now begun to open for departure, are sensitive to possible risks. In addition, the closure of Ukrainian and Russian airspace, as well as the ban on flights for Russian carriers, affects travel within Europe. The need to overfly closed areas for long-haul flights leads to an increase in flight time and an increase in flight costs.
According to the UNWTO, Russia and Ukraine accounted for 3% of global travel spending in 2020.
If the conflict drags on, global tourism could lose at least $14 billion in revenue.
“Both markets are significant suppliers of tourists for neighboring countries, European beach destinations. The Russian market has also become very important during the pandemic for tourist destinations such as the Maldives, Seychelles or Sri Lanka,” the organization emphasizes.
At the same time, UNWTO experts note that it is too early to assess all the consequences of the war. Searches and bookings for flights through various channels fell just after February 24, but in early March, the figures began to recover.
“The situation of uncertainty worsens economic conditions, undermines consumer confidence, increases investment uncertainty. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), global economic growth this year could be 1% lower than forecast, and inflation could jump by 2 .5%. The rising price of oil also increases the cost of transportation services and hotel accommodation, which reduces the purchasing power of potential tourists,” the UNWTO emphasizes.
