“The main priority for us is the continuation of the negotiation process. The actions taken by Turkey are highly appreciated. The results of the negotiations will be analyzed. Italy is ready to act as a guarantor of Ukraine’s neutral status,” the Italian minister told reporters in Baku on Saturday.
Di Maio also noted that as a result of the sanctions against Russia, the question arose of accelerating the expansion of the energy sector. “In this context, Italy pays special attention to the development of cooperation with reliable partners with great potential, including Azerbaijan,” the Foreign Minister said.
In addition, he said that “Italy, within the framework of the energy security plan drawn up, is aimed at moving away from the Russian market.” “To this end, Rome intends to intensify work in the direction of the Mediterranean region,” the Italian Foreign Minister added.
Ukrainian athletes won two “gold” and one “bronze” medal at the European Wrestling Championship in Budapest.
“Today, Ukrainian women received two ‘gold’ and one ‘bronze’ at the European Wrestling Championship. Alina Hrushina-Akobia in the 55 kg weight category and Tetiana Rizhko (65 kg) won gold awards as part of the women’s national team of Ukraine. Ilona Prokopeniuk (62 kg) won the bronze medal,” the press service of the Ministry of Youth and Sports said in a statement.
It is noted that in total Ukrainian women received five awards of the European Championship: two “gold”, one “silver”, and two “bronze”.
The Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) is in a “critical” position with food and fuel as the Russia-Ukraine war continues to unfold, World Bank Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships Mari Pangestu told Al Arabiya TV channel.
“Our forecast team has been estimating that if we see high food and fuel prices last for six months to a year,” she said, “it could negatively impact growth.”
In the global context, “availability and affordability” of food is the UN-backed organization’s concern, according to Pangestu. However, she said that unlike the global food crisis in 2008, the World Bank official clarified that “we actually don’t have a shortage of production.”
“There’s sufficient production of… wheat, rice or other grain products,” she said.
She also said that the food issue goes beyond the Ukraine war.
“Food security and price drops are something that’s not going to go away even after we have resolved the current situation,” Pangestu said.
Earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Medi 1 that Russia’s war in Ukraine is affecting food supplies and energy prices around the world.
In Kharkiv, the payment for all utilities provided by the city will be written off from February 24 until the end of the war, said Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
“I know and understand how hard it is for you, how steadfastly you hold on, enduring all the horrors of war. Therefore, all utilities provided by the city will be written off from February 24 until the end of the war,” Terekhov said in a video message published on his Telegram channel.
“At the same time, I am very grateful to all the people who, despite the fighting, continue to pay for housing and communal services. I promise you that with the arrival of peace in Ukraine, your bills will be recalculated,” he added.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted bill No. 7232 as a basis, which provides for the application of a coefficient of 1.5 to the rates of corporate income tax, environmental tax, rent and property tax for companies that refused to leave the Russian market. 309 people’s deputies voted for the corresponding bill in the first reading on Friday, with the required 226 votes, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, deputy head of the committee on finance, tax and customs policy, said on his Telegram channel.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal says that Ukraine is waiting for proposals from partners on the country’s existing external debts. “Of course, we expect steps and some proposals from our partners on our country’s existing external debts… I think that in the near future we will find a format for how to ease the debt burden of our country. We have started this work, and I think there will be a result in the coming weeks,” Shmyhal said on the air of the national telethon on Friday afternoon. At the same time, the Prime Minister stressed that Ukraine is a responsible payer for its obligations.
