On Tuesday, the Kyiv Academic Puppet Theater hosted a gala concert dedicated to the legendary Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla, entitled “Tango Freedom.” The event was timed to coincide with the 215th anniversary of the May Revolution in the Argentine Republic, an event that marked the beginning of the struggle for Argentina’s independence in 1810.
The celebration was organized by the Embassy of Argentina in Ukraine with the participation of representatives of the Ukrainian authorities, the diplomatic corps, artists, and the cultural community. The guests of honor at the event were First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Serhiy Kyslytsya, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Ihor Zhovkva, as well as deputies, ministerial officials, and ambassadors of foreign states.
“Dear compatriots, welcome to the celebration of the 215th anniversary of the May Revolution of 1810, which marked the beginning of the path to our independence. Today, we honor that same spirit of freedom here in Ukraine, in a country that is defending its sovereignty, its territorial integrity, and its right to choose its own path with impressive courage and dignity,” said the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Argentine Republic to Ukraine, Ms. Elena Leticia Mikusinski, addressing the guests.
The ambassador also quoted a statement by the Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs:
“Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, we have always stood by Ukraine. We have supported its legitimate right to defend its territory and sovereignty. We will continue to support Ukraine,” the statement said.
In his speech, Serhiy Kyslytsya drew historical parallels between the revolutionary movement in Argentina in the early 19th century and Ukraine’s current struggle for freedom.
“215 years ago, a powerful impulse was born in Buenos Aires – the May Revolution. In 1810, Argentinians chose freedom, dignity, and independence. Today, Ukraine is fighting for these very principles. That is why the slogan of this event is so close to our hearts: Tango de la libertad,” he emphasized.
The diplomat also recalled that Argentina was the first country in Latin America to recognize Ukraine’s independence in 1991, and even earlier, in 1921, recognized the Ukrainian People’s Republic.
“Today, Argentina stands with Ukraine once again in condemning Russian aggression and providing humanitarian aid, in taking a clear stance for the truth and freedom of Ukraine. This is not just diplomacy. This is true friendship. Amistad valiente. Amistad verdadera,” Kyslytsya emphasized.
The cultural program included the performance of the national anthems of Ukraine and Argentina by Yana Tatara, a buffet with traditional Argentine empanadas and Malbec wine, as well as performances by tango artists Oleg Syryka, Natalia Zavadskaya, Dmitry Kuyun, and Natalia Luzan.
The highlight of the evening was the “Tango Freedom” concert dedicated to Astor Piazzolla, a composer who radically changed the world’s perception of tango by combining it with elements of jazz and classical music in the nuevo tango style.
“Tonight we will witness the unity of wonderful Ukrainian musicians who will perform the works of our beloved Astor Piazzolla. May the same music always sound in this tango of two nations — the music of freedom,” said Ms. Mikusinski.
The May Revolution (Spanish: Revolución de Mayo) took place in Buenos Aires on May 18–25, 1810. As a result, the Spanish colonial administration was removed, and the national government — the First Junta — became the first step towards Argentina’s independence, which was declared on July 9, 1816.
Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992) was an outstanding Argentine composer and bandoneon player, founder of the nuevo tango style, which combined traditional tango with elements of jazz, classical music, and avant-garde. His work is known throughout the world and is considered one of the symbols of Argentina’s cultural identity.
ARGENTINA, Elena Leticia Mikusinski, Kyslytsia, May Revolution, UKRAINE, танго
The number of transfers via payment systems in Ukraine in 2024 increased by 28.5% to almost 1.1 billion transactions, and their amount increased by 83.7% to UAH 1.34 trillion. NovaPay handled the most transactions, while PrivatMoney was the leader in terms of volume, according to the NBU.
“During 2024, money transfer services were actually provided by 24 payment systems, including 15 systems created by residents and 9 systems created by non-residents,” the National Bank said in its 2024 financial market infrastructure oversight report.
According to its data, the volume of transactions through PrivatMoney, operated by PrivatBank, grew in dollar terms to $19.24 billion from $3.65 billion in 2023, while NovaPay’s volume grew to $7.12 billion from $6.37 billion. The NBU clarified that while NovaPay conducts all transactions within Ukraine, PrivatMoney’s share of Ukrainian transactions amounted to 87.15% last year.
The payment system “Financial World” of the operator Ukrainian Payment System LLC closes the top three, with volumes growing last year to $3.98 billion from $3.0 billion in 2023.
The growth of the leaders is partly explained by the departure from the market of the Moneycom payment system operated by Swift Garant LLC, which ranked third in 2023 with a volume of $3.50 billion.
In terms of the number of transactions, NovaPay remains the leader with 411 million, although PrivatMoney is close behind with 403 million, and Financial World has 165 million transactions.
The average amount of a single transfer within Ukraine in 2024 increased by 42.8% to UAH 1,231.3. At the same time, the volume of transfers from abroad remained almost at the previous year’s level.
In 2024, Mastercard and Visa were also included in the National Bank’s list of important payment systems.
Among these card payment systems, Mastercard remains the leader in terms of the number and amount of payment transactions, with 7.22 million transactions worth $120.22 billion, while Visa has 6.29 million transactions worth $95.47 billion. At the same time, Visa’s lag narrowed: according to the results of 2024, its share of transactions was 46.51% compared to 43.07% in 2023.
In total, the amount of payments through card systems grew last year in dollar terms by only 1.3% to $216.4 billion.
A survey conducted by Active Group in partnership with Experts Club found that among South American countries, Ukrainians have the highest level of sympathy for Argentina. According to data published in April 2025, 8.4% of respondents expressed a completely positive attitude toward this country, and another 29.3% expressed a mostly positive attitude. Thus, Argentina has the highest positive balance in the region — 34.6%.
Brazil came in second place in terms of support, with a total of 33.3% positive ratings (6.4% completely positive, 26.9% mostly positive) and a balance of 23.9%. Chile shows rather restrained sympathy: 4.3% of respondents were completely positive, 15.1% mostly positive, giving a balance of 13.3%. Peru, Bolivia, and Uruguay were at or slightly above 10% positive balance.
It is particularly noteworthy that for Bolivia this figure is 8.6%, despite a fairly high level of neutral attitudes — 70.5%.
The situation is much worse for Colombia, which has the lowest balance in the region — minus 4.5%. 18.1% of respondents expressed a mostly negative opinion, which significantly outweighs the total 14.6% of positive perceptions. Venezuela also has a negative balance of minus 2.1%, mainly due to political instability and negative associations in the media.
Most South American countries are perceived by Ukrainians as mostly neutral. In Paraguay, Suriname, Guyana, and Uruguay, the level of neutrality ranges from 71% to 74%. This indicates weak emotional contact and insufficient presence of these countries in Ukraine’s information space.
“Latin American countries remain largely outside the scope of active Ukrainian interest, which creates both challenges and opportunities. Where the level of neutrality is high, there is room for diplomacy, cultural exchange, and building a positive image,” comments Maxim Urakin, PhD in Economics and founder of Experts Club.
On May 22, 2025, the P. L. Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education hosted the National Healthcare Forum of Ukraine – 2025.
The event was attended by the Minister of Health of Ukraine, Viktor Lyashko, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Health, Medical Assistance and Medical Insurance, Mykhailo Radutsky, the Commander of the Medical Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Anatoliy Kazmirchuk, and the Acting President of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Director of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery named after Mykola Amosov of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Academician of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Academician of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Academician of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Academician of the National President of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Director of the State Institution “National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery named after Mykola Amosov of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine” Vasyl Lazoryshynets, Head of the National Health Service of Ukraine Natalia Gusak, Mayor of Lviv Andriy Sadovyi, international and Ukrainian experts, directors of health departments and institutions, rectors of higher medical education institutions.
The forum, organized by the Ukrainian Federation of Professional Medical Associations, became a platform for open dialogue between government representatives, experts, and the medical community on key challenges in the healthcare system.
“The forum is a space where the right questions are asked and answers are sought together. We often talk about reform, but we rarely stop to look back at what has been achieved and what needs to be reviewed. It is precisely such discussions that lead to important changes. We have strategic documents, the main one being the Health Care System Development Strategy for the period up to 2030. It is important that they do not remain on paper. My request to the community is to work according to these documents,” said Minister of Health Viktor Lyashko.
“We propose to create a permanent discussion platform within the National Forum to develop proposals for improving the Strategy and ensuring the protection of the interests of both doctors and patients. We call on everyone to join forces for a healthy future for Ukraine,” said Vyacheslav Kaminsky, Rector of the P. L. Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education.
Financial protection for both patients and medical workers became one of the key focuses of the Forum. According to the Minister, these two areas should be given equal priority in state policy.
The Forum included a ceremony to award young doctors under the age of 40. Twenty-eight talented specialists from different regions of Ukraine received the “Future of the Medical Profession” award from the Ukrainian Federation of Professional Medical Associations.
The awards were presented by the rector of the P. L. Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Vyacheslav Kaminsky, the chair of the board of the NGO MedGlobal Ukraine, Oleksandra Kozlovska, and the secretary general of the UFPMO, Igor Shkrobanets. Each nominee received a commemorative plaque and the opportunity to attend a master class from experienced mentors to improve their professional skills.
The forum was an important step towards deepening the dialogue between all participants in the healthcare system, with a focus on patient needs, support for healthcare workers, and the implementation of solutions that will truly change medicine in the country. Following the forum, the participants agreed to draft a resolution.
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/news/press-release/1074188.html
According to new sociological data published by Active Group in collaboration with Experts Club in April 2025, Ukrainian public opinion on South and East Asian countries and Oceania varies significantly. Japan, Australia, and New Zealand are in favor, while China and some countries in Southeast Asia show either a negative or neutral balance.
Japan received the highest positive rating among the countries in the region, with 62.4% of Ukrainians having a positive attitude towards it, including 26.9% who are completely positive and 39.1% who are mostly positive. It is followed by Australia and New Zealand with an identical net balance of 60.7%. In Australia, 23% of respondents chose the completely positive option, in New Zealand — the same, while more than 40% in each country gave a “mostly positive” rating.
South Korea, with 15.1% completely positive ratings and 34.6% mostly positive, has a respectable balance of 35.7%, although lower than the leaders. Thailand (36.4% positive perception) and Singapore (33.8%) also hold relatively high positions thanks to their stable image associated with tourism and development.
In contrast, countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar are dominated by neutral assessments — over 60% — indicating limited awareness or an information vacuum. In all these countries, the positive balance does not exceed 10%.
Despite its economic weight, China has one of the worst images among Ukrainians in the region: 15.9% expressed a mostly positive opinion, but 35.5% rated China neutrally, and the negative balance was -23.2%. This reflects a certain distrust that has formed against the backdrop of geopolitical events and the information background.
“It is particularly interesting that even Ukraine’s economically important partners, such as China (its largest trading partner), receive low support ratings among Ukrainians. This indicates that Ukrainian society values moral support above real trade and does not recognize “neutrality” if it is not accompanied by humanitarian gestures,” comments Maxim Urakin, PhD in Economics and founder of Experts Club.
Thus, the results indicate that there is significant potential for countries in the region, particularly Southeast Asia, to improve their image in Ukraine through cultural diplomacy, tourism marketing, and economic cooperation.
On May 22, the State Customs Service of Ukraine announced a tender for compulsory motor third-party liability insurance services for owners of land vehicles (OSAGO). According to the Prozorro electronic public procurement system, the expected cost of the services is UAH 70,000. The deadline for submitting bids is May 30.
compulsory motor third-party liability insurance, CUSTOMS SERVICE, INSURER
