The French government has opened entry for all types of travel for Ukrainians in accordance with the recommendation of the EU Council, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said.
“Visa-free with France is valid again! The French government has opened entry for all types of travel of Ukrainians according to the recommendation of the EU Council. A certificate of vaccination or a fresh negative test is needed at the entrance,” Kuleba said on Twitter on Friday.
The website tripadvisor.mfa.gov.ua of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine says that Ukraine is included in the list of countries of the so-called “green” zone, therefore, the entry of Ukrainian citizens into France takes place in accordance with the immigration rules of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of France (https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/L-actu-du-Ministere/Attestation-de-deplacement-et-de-voyage).
In particular, there are no restrictions on entry if a citizen of Ukraine is vaccinated with one of the vaccines recognized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and approved for use in France. These include Pfizer/Comirnaty, Moderna, AstraZeneca/Vaxzevria/Covishield and Jansen/Johnson & Johnson vaccines. In this case, the vaccination is considered complete if 28 days have passed since the moment of vaccination with the Janssen vaccine and seven days since the second dose in the case of vaccination with such vaccines as Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeeca/Vaxzevria/Covishield.
If a citizen of Ukraine has not been vaccinated, he can enter France if he has a PCR test done no earlier than 72 hours before entry, or an antibody test done no earlier than 24 hours before entry. The specified entry conditions apply to both adults and children (over 12 years old).
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will pay a working visit to the Republic of Turkey on June 18 to June 20, where he will take part in Antalya diplomatic forum, the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
“The head of Ukrainian diplomacy will speak at the plenary session of the forum on the subject ‘Energy: What future awaits us?’ And will hold a number of bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Central Europe, the South Caucasus, the Middle East, Africa and Asia,” the Foreign Ministry said.
It also said that Antalya diplomatic forum is being held by Turkey for the first time.
“This forum is intended to become an annual international platform for exchanging views on topical international issues, discussing effective steps of modern diplomacy to respond to global challenges. This forum is attended by more than 40 heads of state, government, foreign ministries, as well as representatives of academia, experts and the media,” Ukrainian diplomats said.
Transit of gas through Ukraine should remain even after the construction of Nord Stream 2, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said.
Maas told journalists in Berlin on Wednesday that Chancellor Angela Merkel told Russian President Vladimir Putin long ago that for Germany, the completion of the construction of Nord Stream 2 is associated with the need for further gas transit through Ukraine.
According to him, nothing will change in Germany’s position in this regard.
Due to the suspension of international flights by the Nepalese government until May 31, 2021, some 107 Ukrainian citizens had to stay in Nepal, mainly climbers and tourists, MFA Spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko said. “Some 45 people were accommodated in hotels in Kathmandu, they are provided with everything they need. The rest of the citizens are in the mountainous area. Four Ukrainians have been diagnosed with COVID-19, they are being provided with the necessary assistance. Their health condition is satisfactory,” Nikolenko told Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday.
According to him, the Ukrainian Embassy in India maintains contact with compatriots directly or through representatives of travel companies who organized the relevant tours.
Nikolenko said that, in addition to the general group in the social network, a round-the-clock “hot line” of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine operates to process requests from citizens stuck in Nepal or their relatives: 044 238 1657, 044 238 1588. An honorary consul of Ukraine also works in Kathmandu to provide prompt consular assistance to Ukrainians.
“Diplomats are working to resolve the issue of the early return of Ukrainian citizens to their homeland. At the same time, they must understand that strict quarantine restrictions are in force in Nepal,” the speaker said.
Nikolenko said that now the possibility of Ukrainians leaving on repatriation flights of foreign countries is being considered.
“According to available information, Turkish Airlines submitted a request for permission from the Nepalese side to carry out charter flights to Nepal. We keep this case under control,” he said.
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson drew attention to the fact that a lot of inaccurate information is being circulated around the situation with our citizens in Nepal.
“I want to reassure everyone – we will not leave our people alone. The Ukrainian side also appealed to the Indian government with a request to allow the transit of our citizens through the territory of India,” he said.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani during a telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba on Tuesday expressed North Macedonia’s solidarity with Ukraine amid the Russian escalation.
According to the MFA website, the head of the North Macedonian Foreign Ministry confirmed strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within internationally recognized borders, including Crimea as an integral part of Ukrainian territory.
Bujar Osmani confirmed his readiness to visit Ukraine in the second half of 2021 at the invitation of Kuleba.
The interlocutors also paid attention to the preparation of celebrations on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence.
The Georgian ambassador to Ukraine, who was recalled for consultations in May 2020 in connection with the situation related to former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, will be sent back to Kyiv in the near future.
The decision to bring the Georgian ambassador back to Kyiv will be made shortly, Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said on the Rustavi 2 television channel on Saturday. “This is the wrong time and the wrong circumstance – tensions escalating around Ukraine – to not have our ambassador in place,” Zalkaliani said, adding that Georgia would seek dynamic development of relations with Ukraine.
“We have a lot of common challenges, bilateral relations have been affected, but we are a state and we act to the benefit of state interests,” Zalkaliani said, adding that Ukraine took Georgia’s decision to recall its ambassador with understanding.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry recalled Ambassador Teimuraz Sharashenidze from Kyiv for consultations in May 2020 after former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili (2004-2013) was naturalized by Ukraine and took charge of the Executive Committee of Ukraine’s National Reform Council. Tbilisi explained its demarche with the appointment of a person convicted in Georgia to an official position in Ukraine in contradiction to the spirit of bilateral cooperation. In addition, the Georgian authorities repeatedly called Kyiv’s attention to the fact that Saakashvili kept interfering in Georgia’s internal affairs.
