US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Monday that the US embassy in Kyiv could resume work in the next “couple of weeks.”
“As for the embassy, next week our diplomats will return to Ukraine, then we will begin the process of considering the opening of the embassy itself in Kyiv,” Blinken told reporters in Poland after a visit to Ukraine.
“I think it will happen within a couple of weeks,” he added, broadcasting the briefing was led by NBC News.
The US Secretary of State pointed out that Washington is acting “carefully” on this issue, and ensuring the safety of American diplomatic personnel remains a priority.
At a meeting with Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Mathias Cormann, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal welcomed the intention of the OECD to open a regional office in Kyiv.
“I informed the OECD Secretary-General about the creation in Ukraine of a plan and a fund for the restoration of our state. We strive to change the country and the economic model, based on the best world standards. Our goal is based on the principles promoted by the Ukrainian people: a European future, a transparent state and an open economy,” Shmyhal said on his Telegram channel following the meeting.
The prime minister said it is important for Ukraine to use the best practices of the OECD and implement them in the near future.
“I welcomed the intention to open a regional office of the OECD in Kyiv, this is an excellent opportunity to strengthen and accelerate our cooperation,” Shmyhal said.
Shmyhal also said the ‘green’ economy is the basic principle of the new economic model of Ukraine.
“Russia has destroyed and continues to destroy our infrastructure. There is no point in returning to the old models, so we intend to restore it according to modern principles and the latest technologies,” he said.
In addition, the prime minister said that Ukraine intends to make corporatization even more efficient, and in this matter counts on active assistance from the OECD.
Spain soon intends to return the embassy to Kyiv, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday.
“Soon we will reopen the Spanish embassy in Kyiv,” he said in an interview with the Antena 3 TV channel.
The curfew in Kyiv and the Kiev region from April 17 will begin at 22:00 and end at 05:00, Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said.
“The time of the curfew is changing in Kyiv and the region. From today, from April 17, the curfew will start an hour later and end an hour earlier. And it will last from 22:00 to 5:00 in the morning,” Klitschko wrote in a telegram on Sunday .
French Ambassador Etienne de Ponsin has returned to the Ukrainian capital, Tudor Alexis, Consul General of France in Toronto, reports.
“French Ambassador to Ukraine Etienne de Poncins raised the French flag to reopen our embassy in Kyiv and says: “Kyiv was not conquered, Ukraine withstood the aggression and we want to be as close as possible to the authorities to show support and express solidarity” , he tweeted Friday night.
As the French Foreign Ministry reported on April 14, the embassy will soon return to its permanent base in Kyiv.
Kyiv will leave tariffs for hot water at the level of the previous heating season until May 31, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
“Today, in the conditions of martial law, when people found themselves in a difficult financial situation, we made an important decision on the provision of public services in the capital. This decision will ensure the use of tariffs for hot water and heat energy for its preparation until May 31 at the level of the previous heating season. That is, we will extend these tariffs without raising them!” Klitschko said after a meeting of the city council on Friday.
The Kyiv mayor recalled that the city authorities managed to keep tariffs for heat and hot water in the 2021-2022 heating season – “despite a significant increase in the costs of producing these services.”
“So today, in difficult conditions for the state and people, the city continues to restrain tariffs. Further adjustment of the cost will depend on the price of gas, which will be set at the state level. Today, we are doing what we can and what depends on us,” he said.
