Ukraine and China have signed a program of cooperation in the field of aerospace for 2021-2025, which consists of 69 joint projects with a total value of contracts of more than $70 million.
As reported on the website of the State Space Agency of Ukraine (SSAU), the program was signed at a meeting of the Ukrainian-Chinese subcommittee on cooperation in space of the Commission on Cooperation between the Governments of Ukraine and China on October 22. The Ukrainian side was chaired by SSAU Head Volodymyr Usov, the Chinese – by Administrator of the Chinese National Space Administration (СNSA) Zhang Kejian.
The cooperation program will be the main one for joint activities of the two countries in space exploration in the medium term.
During the meeting, an agreement on the establishment of a joint laboratory of space science was also signed and an agreement to strengthen the exchange of information on space activities of the two countries was reached.
The next meeting of the subcommittee on cooperation in the field of space is scheduled for 2021 in China.
The Ministry of Infrastructure is mulling several options for cooperation with foreign partners on the project for building high-speed railways, according to the ministry’s website.
Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Vladyslav Krykliy on October 16 met with the director of the Hyundai Corporation representative office in Ukraine. First Deputy Minister Dmytro Abramovych also took part in the meeting.
Krykliy noted that Ukraine is interested in cooperation with Hyundai Corporation.
“The selection of a partner for the implementation of the project for construction of high-speed railways will be carried out on the basis of analysis of the proposed conditions, which should be beneficial for Ukraine. The project requires an integrated approach, in particular, in terms of financing, timing of implementation, the possibility of preparing a feasibility study using grant funds, etc.,” the ministry said.
During the meeting, the director of the Ukrainian representative office of Hyundai Corporation announced his interest in the implementation of infrastructure projects in Ukraine.
During the meeting, the parties also discussed the use of rolling stock on high-speed railways and models for financing infrastructure projects.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and Deputy Head of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov held a video conference and discussed prospects for cooperation in the field of IT, the development of transport links and the future visit of the Ukrainian minister to Ashgabat, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has reported.
“Relations between our countries have always developed in a friendly and constructive manner. I want the pace and tone of the dialog to be maintained and developed. Turkmenistan occupies a special place on our world map. We are ready to move forward politically and economically,” the press service of the ministry said, citing Kuleba as saying.
Meredov invited the Ukrainian minister to visit Ashgabat. The head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry proposed to hold a meeting of Ukrainian and Turkmen companies as part of the visit.
The minister of foreign affairs of Turkmenistan commended the extra sophisticated high-tech infrastructure projects that Ukrainian companies have successfully implemented in Turkmenistan. The interlocutors noted the need to develop this interaction, as well as look for new areas of mutually beneficial cooperation, in particular in the field of IT.
Also, the foreign ministers discussed further cooperation and mutual support of initiatives within the framework of international organizations. Kuleba congratulated Turkmenistan on acquiring observer status in the WTO.
The ministers agreed to hold a meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Turkmen Commission on Economic, Cultural and Humanitarian Cooperation as soon as possible.
The parties also discussed the steps required to restore direct flights between Ukraine and Turkmenistan, as well as the interaction of maritime authorities. The importance of developing alternative transport corridors was noted.
The ministers stressed the need to further encourage Turkmen students to study in Ukraine, the development of medical tourism and health improvement in Ukraine, the need to intensify interaction in the field of culture.
During the video conference, Kuleba and Meredov signed the Cooperation Program between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan for 2020-2021.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Foreign Minister of Romania Bogdan Aurescu have agreed to establish a joint working group on cooperation in the energy sector.
“We discussed in detail the ambitious potential projects in the energy sector, primarily those related to electricity, gas and hydrogen. We decided to create a working group on energy issues and look forward to when our colleagues from the ministries of energy of Ukraine and Romania and the involved business companies will start a detailed substantive conversation on the issues that I have mentioned,” Kuleba said at a joint press conference with Aurescu in Bucharest.
He also noted that he had discussed with his Romanian colleague how to launch the Isaccea-Orlivka ferry service at a maximum capacity.
“I am absolutely sure that we can, we have every opportunity to create and implement ambitious projects that will make Ukraine, Romania, and our region as a whole stronger. It would be an unacceptable mistake not to use the opportunities that we have, primarily in energy and infrastructure sectors. And so today we’ve really discussed how we can launch the Isaccea-Orlivka ferry line at a maximum capacity and eliminate certain problematic issues,” the Ukrainian minister added.
First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova during a video conference with her colleague, First Deputy Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Le Yucheng, agreed to step up cooperation in the political and economic plane. “The parties assured each other of the invariability of the fundamental principles of mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence, enshrined in the political documents concluded since the establishment of diplomatic relations,” the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said.
In addition, among other topics that were in the spotlight became further interaction on the fields of international organizations, ways to intensify trade and economic cooperation, joint participation in the implementation of projects within the framework of the global Chinese initiative “One Belt, One Road.”
The parties also exchanged invitations to visit Beijing and Kyiv.
The likelihood of cooperation between the State Agency for Roads of Ukraine (Ukravtodor) and Alitalia in the development of road infrastructure and “smart roads” was discussed by Minister of Infrastructure Vladyslav Krykliy and Italian Ambassador to Ukraine Davide La Cecilia in Kyiv on Friday.
“The minister briefed the ambassador on a number of important investment projects that are planned in the industry, in particular, in the construction of highways, bridges, concessions of seaports and railway stations. The parties also discussed possible cooperation between Ukravtodor and Alitalia in the development of road infrastructure and ‘smart roads.’ In addition, they noted the importance of developing airports and container trains,” the ministry said in a message on its website.
Krykliy also stressed the interest of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine in the resumption of the work of the Ukrainian-Italian Council for Economic, Industrial and Financial Cooperation with the aim of enhancing relations in the field of transport and infrastructure.
He positively noted the long-term and mutually beneficial relations between Ukraine and Italy in the field of aviation and confirmed his readiness to act on the principle of reciprocity, positively considering all requests from air carriers that will be appointed by the Italian side.
In addition, the parties discussed further cooperation between the two countries in road traffic.
