President of the European Council Charles Michel believes that the negotiation framework for Ukraine will be approved during Belgium’s EU presidency, which ends on June 30.
He said this on Thursday in Brussels at a press conference after the European Council meeting.
Informing that during the meeting the leaders discussed the issue of support for Ukraine in the field of enlargement, Michel said: “The negotiation framework is on the table and we have invited the Council to work quickly in order to make progress, and I sincerely hope that during the Belgian presidency it will be possible to hold the first intergovernmental conference with Ukraine.”
The number of passengers who used buses to travel abroad in 2023 decreased to 7.5 million passengers, compared to 8.5 million in 2022.
Such data Deputy Minister of Development of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Sergiy Derkach made public, opening the forum of the reform of international bus transportation.
According to him, in 2020 only 1.1 million passengers traveled abroad by buses.
“This is a large passenger traffic today for Ukraine. For example, Ukrzaliznytsia carried 2 million passengers last year,” Derkach said.
He emphasized that bus service today, given the lack of air service, has become one of the main for trips from Ukraine abroad.
The average duration of travel by bus in international traffic is 31 hours of which about 7 hours passengers spend waiting at the border.
“This is exactly what the state should change and what you and I should change. That is why today we will present our reform: electronic tools that will primarily help the passenger and carriers,” Derkach said.
According to him, the register of international transportation will soon be available for passengers, in which each passenger will be able to find his route, check the carrier and going to his site to buy a ticket. A carrier’s office is being created for carriers, where they will be able to quickly open new routes without paperwork and bureaucratic procedures.
Deputy Minister expressed hope that the reform of intercity bus transportation will help to increase budget revenues. According to his data, about 25% of carriers operate in the market without paying taxes, and the budget receives up to UAH 500 million annually.
European Council President Charles Michel assures that concrete steps to use the proceeds from frozen Russian assets will be taken very quickly so that the first 1 billion euros will be allocated to Ukraine, including for military aid, as early as July 1 this year.
“We have taken a very important decision by making it possible to postpone unexpected revenues – and this is a proposal from the European Commission – and we are determined to act very quickly so that we can take some of this money to support Ukraine, including the possibility of (supporting) military equipment. This demonstrates that the 27 leaders who were around the table understand the gravity of the situation,” he said Thursday in Brussels at a news conference after the European Council meeting.
Michel is convinced that the necessary steps to make the mechanism work will be taken “very quickly”. “These proposals were presented by the Commission yesterday. There is considerable support in the European Council for this approach,” the European Council president said.
According to Michel, the Belgian presidency confirmed that it too “intends to work with all colleagues very quickly”. “This is really very important because there will be more opportunity to support Ukraine with military equipment, with what is urgently needed,” he emphasized.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in turn, said she was pleased that the leaders had approved the use of emergency revenues from immobilized Russian assets. “This will provide funding to supply Ukraine with military equipment. We can expect to be able to raise €3 billion in 2024 and a similar amount in future years… There is strong support to use the windfall revenues from immobilized assets for military support to Ukraine. I told the leaders that if we act quickly to finalize our proposals, we can disburse 1 billion as early as July 1. The assets are in our hands and if we are quick, there will be concrete actions in the summer,” she explained.
CHARLES MICHEL, EUROPEAN COUNCIL, MILITARY AID, RUSSIAN ASSETS, UKRAINE
PJSC Ukrnafta has bought a special licence from Chernihivnaftohazgeologiya (a subsidiary of state-run NJSC Nadra Ukrayiny), the company’s director, Serhiy Koretskyy, said on Facebook.
According to him, thanks to the new licence, Ukrnafta will receive an increase in total reserves by 1.01bn cu.m. of gas and 100,000 tonnes of oil in 56.5 sq km of areas in north-eastern Ukraine.
Koretskyy also noted that this is the first special permit obtained by Ukrnafta in the last 14 years.
As reported, Ukrnafta in 2023 increased production of oil with condensate by 3% (by 39.9 thousand tonnes) compared to 2022 – to 1 million 409.9 thousand tonnes, gas – by 5.8% (by 60.4 million cubic metres), to 1 billion 97.4 million cubic metres.
The company’s strategic goal is to double its oil and natural gas production to 3 million tonnes and 2 billion cubic metres respectively by 2027.
“Ukrnafta, Ukraine’s largest oil producer, is the operator of a national network of 537 petrol stations, of which 456 are operational. The Company is implementing a comprehensive programme to restart operations and update the format of its network of petrol stations. Since February 2023, Ukrnafta has been issuing its own fuel coupons and NAFTACard, sold to legal entities and individuals through Ukrnafta-Postach LLC.
Ukrnafta’s largest shareholder is Naftogaz of Ukraine with a 50%+1 share stake. On 5 November 2022, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces decided to transfer to the state a share of the corporate rights of the company owned by private owners, which is now managed by the Ministry of Defence.
Reference UAH/USD exchange rate in the interbank foreign exchange market as of 12:00 on March 22, 2024.
Indicator 21.03.2024 22.03.2024 Change, %
Reference UAH/USD exchange rate (UAH/$) 38.9287 38.7982 -0.34
Data: NBU
The 29th Ukrainian Antarctic expedition has arrived at the Akademik Vernadsky station, the changeover of annual teams has started, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine reports.
“On the “Akademik Vernadsky” began the reshift of annual expeditions. On the night of March 20-21 (Ukrainian time) our ship “Noosphere” delivered to the station the 29th Ukrainian Antarctic expedition, which should replace colleagues from 28 UAE”, – stated in the message of the press service of the Ministry.
It is noted that in the coming days will continue to unload the icebreaker, in particular polar explorers should transfer to the shore 50 tons of cargo and 140 tons of fuel needed for the next year of wintering.
Also, scientists and specialists of the 28th UAE will hand over cases to the team of the 29th expedition.
