Ukraine is heading towards economic issues in foreign policy and intends to develop trust and trade relations with Israel, Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk said during the third Ukrainian-Israeli Innovation Summit in Kyiv.
“I support the proposal of our President and Foreign Minister about economization of our foreign policy. In our case, this includes such important aspects as the development of investment attractiveness, innovative technologies and trade relations between Ukraine and Israel. These are all real things, but for this we need to develop trust between our nations. We also need to support the agricultural sector, which needs Israeli technologies, irrigation systems, in everything that is aimed at its support and development,” Korniychuk said.
He said that the non-diplomatic trade and innovation mission of Ukraine in Jerusalem will also address these areas.
“This will also be a priority for the embassy in the next 6-12 months. We have already discussed the issue of premises for this mission, but the main question remains who will be involved in the B2B area in the mission,” the diplomat said.
The ambassador also announced his intention to pay more attention to popularizing the investment attractiveness of Ukraine. “Israel for me is a country with which I practiced law for many years, paying attention to supporting foreign direct investment in Ukraine. And I intend to be a lawyer for all Israeli investors in Ukraine and to promote their investments,” he said.
“My mission in Israel begins next week, and after the quarantine, I will have meetings with representatives of the government and parliament. I am looking forward to it,” Korniychuk said.
Israel has sent drinking water, tents and sleeping beds to Ukraine for the operations to clean up the aftermath of heavy floods in Ivano-Frankivsk region, Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said.
“The State or Israel has sent aid to Ivano-Frankivsk region to help alleviate the impact of massive floods. Many thanks to Israeli friends for supporting Ukraine’s response to the natural disaster. We highly value your solidarity!” the minister said on his Twitter page on Wednesday.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will make a working visit to Israel through January 23-24 to take part in the events as a part of the World Holocaust Forum, the President’s Office reported. “Through January 23-24, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will make a working visit to Israel to take part in the commemoration events as a part of the World Holocaust Forum devoted to the 75th anniversary of liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp,” reads the report.
The program also foresee talks of Zelensky with the Israeli leadership and a meeting with the country’s business leaders.
Ukraine and Israel signed bilateral documents on cooperation in agriculture, economics, education, culture, as well as youth and sports. “A series of Ukrainian-Israeli documents were signed in the presence of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu,” the presidential press service reported on Monday.
Thus, Acting Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Olha Trofimtseva and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel to Ukraine Joel Lyon signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the sphere of agriculture between the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the State of Israel.
In addition, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the State of Israel Hennadiy Nadolenko and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel to Ukraine Joel Lyon signed an Agreement between the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Ministry of Education of the State of Israel as regards facilitating the study of the Hebrew language in the educational institutions of Ukraine and the study of the Ukrainian language in the educational institutions of the State of Israel.
In addition, the ambassadors of the two states signed a Program of Cooperation in the spheres of education, culture, youth and sports between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel for 2019-2022.
State Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Oleksiy Perevezentsev and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel to Ukraine Joel Lyon signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine and the Israeli Patent Office of the Ministry of Justice of the State of Israel.
AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION, ECONOMICS, EDUCATION, ISRAEL, SPORTS, UKRAINE
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Kyiv on August 18-20 to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, The Times of Israel said. According to the publication, Netanyahu is set to fly to Ukraine for a two-day visit less than a month before the elections to the 22nd Knesset. In Kyiv, Netanyahu will meet with Zelensky and visit the Babi Yar (Babyn Yar) Holocaust Memorial Center.
As reported, Netanyahu in April congratulated Zelensky over the phone on his victory in the presidential elections in Ukraine.
On January 21, Ukraine and Israel signed an agreement on a free trade area (FTA), according to which Israel abolishes about 80% of import duties for Ukrainian industrial goods and more than 9% for agricultural goods. At the same time, Ukraine abolishes about 70% of import duties for Israeli industrial products and more than 6% for agricultural goods.
At that time, Netanyahu welcomed the “strong” Israeli-Ukrainian relations. “These ties have deep historical and cultural roots,” he said.
On July 11, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ratified an international free trade agreement between Ukraine and Israel.
On August 7, Zelensky signed bill No. 0223 on ratification of the FTA agreement into law.
Ukraine’s parliament, has ratified the international agreement on free trade between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel.
Some 230 lawmakers voted for corresponding bill No. 0223 at a plenary session of parliament on Thursday.
