Ukraine is waiting for the arrival of investors from Israel and guarantees the protection of their investments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
“Ukraine is waiting for Israeli investors, and the government and I personally guarantee the protection of all their investments. In addition, Ukraine is interested in studying and using Israel’s significant experience in the field of innovation,” Zelensky said during joint statements with Israeli President Isaac Herzog to the media.
He added that Israeli campaigns, in turn, can use Ukraine’s colossal potential as a new European technological hub.
Zelensky noted that today the volume of direct Israeli investments in Ukraine does not meet the potential of the two countries.
“New technologies, innovations, cybersecurity, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, space programs, banking, finance, construction, agriculture are just some promising areas for the development of investment cooperation between Ukraine and Israel,” the President of Ukraine said.
Zelensky also said that the Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and Israel opens up new opportunities for strengthening bilateral economic interaction. The countries intend to increase trade volumes to the level that had been before the spread of COVID-19.
Icebreaker “James Clark Ross” arrived under a blue and yellow flag at Odesa seaport on Tuesday, according to the website of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
“From Denmark to Ukraine through three seas, North, Mediterranean and Black, our handsome man was brought by two captains: Ukrainian captain Oleh Novosilny and British captain-mentor Simon Wallace,” the ministry said.
The department said that in the next weeks the paperwork and technical inventory of the vessel will be carried out. After that the official presentation of the icebreaker for the media will take place and its new name will be announced. Time is also planned for an excursion visit to the ship.
Ukraine acquired the British icebreaker James Clark Ross on August 19, and on August 30, the ship was officially handed over in the port of Frederikshavn (Denmark), and a blue and yellow flag was raised over it.
“Own oceanographic icebreaker opens up a whole range of new opportunities for Ukrainian science and scientists. First of all, it will allow: after a long break to return to the study of the World Ocean; solve logistical problems at the Antarctic Akademik Vernadsky station and expand the possibilities of seasonal logistic consortia with other countries; conduct research not only in Antarctica, but also in the Arctic, and, if necessary, in other regions of the ocean,” the ministry said.
The Education Ministry also said that in 2021 the number of those wishing to work on the winter expedition at the Antarctic Akademik Vernadsky station increased by 30%.
Ukraine does not plan to negotiate with Russia to conclude a direct agreement for the supply of natural gas, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal has said.
“Such negotiations are not planned,” he said in an interview to the lb.ua portal released on Tuesday.
The prime minister said that over 18.5 billion cubic meters of gas have already been accumulated in the underground storage facilities (UGS) of Ukraine [already 18.7 billion cubic meters], the country also has its own gas production, which will allow the coming heating season to pass.
According to him, one should not expect a significant re-export to the European market of gas owned by foreign traders, which is stored in the Ukrainian underground storage facilities.
“In any case, the first proposal is always made to Ukraine. With a probability of 100%, gas that is in Ukraine will be used here,” Shmyhal said.
The Ukrainian authorities will seek to maintain gas transit through the Ukrainian GTS in the future. “Surely, we will insist on maintaining the current level of transit for at least 15 years,” the head of government said.
According to JSC Ukrtransgaz, as of October 1, 2021, foreign service customers store 2.8 billion cubic meters of gas in the customs warehouse mode, while resident companies some 800 million cubic meters.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has suspended Chairman Dmytro Razumkov from conducting plenary sessions of parliament for two plenary sessions.
The relevant decision at the Tuesda meeting was supported by 240 MPs, of which 200 MPs were from the Servant of the People faction. The For the Future and Dovira factions gave 16 and 18 votes in favor, respectively, the Holos faction and the non-factional deputies gave three votes each.
However, ten MPs from Holos, one MP from Dovira, six MPs from Servant of the People, some 18 MPs from Batkivschyna, some 24 MPs from the Opposition Platform – For Life, all 27 MPs from European Solidarity and nine non-factional parliamentarians voted against such a decision.
First deputy head of the Servant of the People faction Oleksandr Korniyenko said during the consideration of this issue that this is due to Razumkov’s refusal to put to the vote of the conciliatory council on Monday proposals on the agenda of the plenary sessions of October 5 to October 8.
“We believe that by such actions, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Dmytro Razumkov, neglected the right of parliamentary factions to submit proposals to the weekly agenda of plenary sessions, which is a gross violation of the rules of Procedure of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The deputy faction of Servant of the People, For the Future and Dovira […] make a proposal to remove the Verkhovna Rada chairman from the holding plenary sessions for two plenary days,” Korniyenko said.
Razumkov declared a conflict of interest and instructed First Deputy Chairmna Ruslan Stefanchuk to conduct the plenary session when considering this issue.
“For two years in this room, we worked so that the law was the same for everyone. You can move in two ways: follow the law or according to political expediency. Today I see what is happening in the room. And if there is a desire to follow the second [way] rather than by law, is the right of MPs. I will not convince anyone, everyone in this room is adults, smart people,” Razumkov said.
“If there is a desire to change the Verkhovna Rada chairman, I said that I would not delay this process. As soon as the application was received, we issued signature lists, in the evenings we received an application for the launch of the procedure, immediately, according to the Regulations, it was launched, but I think that not everyone is happy with this. You need to quickly. So, you can do whatever you want in this room,” he said.
Razumkov also said the position does not matter to him: “This is a tool. Even without a position I will be able to implement everything that we promised in 2019.”
The Holos party called the dismissal of Razumkov another violation of the rules of Procedure of the Verkhovna Rada and an attempt to take parliament under the control of the President’s Office.
“The chairman was dismissed from his post while the issue of his resignation was being considered, for two days. This happened with a gross violation of the law. There was no argumentation regarding the chairman’s resignation, as well as all opposition factions. But, unfortunately, we have some colleagues cooperating with the President’s Office, and they gave votes for the dismissal of Razumkov,” leader of Holos Kira Rudyk said.
According to her, despite the fact that Razumkov started his political life as a representative of the pro-government team, the party opposes his resignation, as he follows the rules.
“If the chairman is replaced, the opposition will have half or even three times less opportunities to defend its position not only from the rostrum, but also directly with journalists. Since the so-called law on oligarchs is to be signed soon, which is unconstitutional, this is another reason why they want to replace the chairman so quickly,” Rudyk said.
As reported, Head of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction David Arakhamia sent a letter on behalf of the parliamentary faction recalling the chairman of the parliament. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky called the issue of Razumkov’s tenure as chairman of the Verkhovna Rada “intra-factional.”
Zaporizhia Ferroalloy Plant (ZFP) in January-August this year increased its output by 0.7% compared to the same period last year, to 139,810 tonnes.
As the Ukrainian Association of Producers of Ferroalloys and Other Electrometallurgical Products told Interfax-Ukraine, over eight months of the year, the plant reduced production of silicon manganese by 29.4%, to 46,310 tonnes, but increased output of ferrosilicon – by 34.4%, to 53,840 tonnes, and ferromanganese – by 11%, to 34,840 tonnes.
The enterprise also increased production of metallic manganese by 2.7 times, to 4,820 tonnes.
In August, 21,000 tonnes of ferroalloys were produced.
Zaporizhia Ferroalloy Plant is one of three Ukrainian manufacturers of these products. The share of the domestic market of its supplies is 30-35%. Products are exported to the CIS countries, the European Union, Asia and Africa.
Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises in January-September this year increased earnings from exports of ferrous metals by 80% compared to the same period last year, to $10.33 billion.
According to updated statistics released by the State Customs Service, in September, earnings from ferrous metal exports amounted to $1.39 billion.
At the same time, Ukraine in January-September this year increased imports of similar products by 42.39%, to $1.08 billion. In September, this figure was $181.73 million.
In addition, Ukraine in January-September 2021 increased exports of metal products by 33.16%, to $870 million. In September, they were exported for $123.72 million.
In January-September 2021, imports of metal products grew by 25.43%, to $790 million. In September alone, imports totaled $96.99 million.
