The decree of President Volodymyr Zelensky on planting 1 billion trees within three years will be implemented, it will be implemented on 170,000 hectares, the total cost of the project is about UAH 2 billion, Head of the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine Yuriy Bolokhovets has said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine. “For planting 1 billion trees, about 170,000 hectares are needed. We have already found up to 100,000 hectares of our own territories that require afforestation. These are sites of fire, areas where forests have been destroyed as a result of various factors. Another 70,000 hectares are land of local authorities, the head of the agency said.
He said that the State Forest Resources Agency proposed that the territorial communities, which land plots were in the zone of implementation of the Green Country presidential program, either plant a forest on its territory, or transfer these plots to the agency for afforestation. According to Bolokhovets, today, more than 20,000 hectares are in the process of being transferred from the communities to the enterprises of the State Forest Resources Agency.
“The second question is financing. We need UAH 2 billion for three years. I am absolutely sure that the forest industry, due to going from the shadows and more efficient work, is able to earn this money itself. And we will do it,” the head of the agency said.
Bolokhovets said that planting 1 billion trees is necessary to minimize the effects of global climate change, create protective belts of trees to protect against dust storms, as well as increase the country’s forest cover from the current 15.9% to the minimum required 20%.
The head of the State Forest Resources Agency also noted the increase in the procurement of seed material for forest reproduction several times. His agency is also creating infrastructure for large-scale seeding and building nurseries for growing quality planting material.
“This year we have already significantly increased the planting in comparison with previous years. Next year, we will at least double the planting. I am absolutely convinced that we will implement the President’s task,” Bolokhovets said.
PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE, PRESIDENT ZELENSKY, STATE FOREST RESOURCES AGENCY, TREES
It is planned to create urban sports parks in all regional centers of Ukraine by 2023-2024, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“In 2022, such parks will be opened in Lviv, Kropyvnytsky, Kryvy Rih, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Sumy, and in 2023 they are planned to open in many regional centers and several other large cities of Ukraine. After that, in 2023-2024, all regional cities and not only will see such clusters that, it seems to me, our Ukrainian citizens will like them,” Zelensky said while inspecting the urban park on the territory of the National Complex Expocentre of Ukraine (VDNG).
He stressed that this is necessary for the development of physical culture among Ukrainians. “We know that more than 60% of citizens are not yet engaged in physical activity. Because of this, there are certain diseases. I believe that it is with such sports, entertainment and modern ‘magnets’ that we will increase the number of people who must engage in various sports for their own health,” Zelensky added.
PRESIDENT ZELENSKY, REGIONAL CENTERS, URBAN PARKS, URBAN SPORTS PARKS
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky discussed with Apple CEO Tim Cook the census project and the Ukrainization of Siri’s personal assistant, the press service of the Ukrainian leader said.
“It was about the population census project, which Apple successfully implemented in the United States, and the possibility of cooperation in the implementation of a similar task in Ukraine,” the press service said.
The parties also discussed the possibility of Apple building a data center for iCloud services in Ukraine, following the example of the center, which was built in Denmark. They also touched upon the Ukrainian localization of Apple products, including Siri personal assistant.
Zelensky told Cook about the achievements of our country in the IT sphere and expressed interest in further expanding Apple’s presence in Ukraine, in particular through online support teams, Apple Music and AppStore moderators, as well as device maintenance service.
“Today Ukraine is a powerful global IT hub. Our specialists successfully cooperate with Fortune 500 companies, including Apple,” he said.
The head of state presented the Diia.City project to the Apple CEO.
In addition, during the meeting, the parties discussed the possibility of cooperation in the direction of education in the field of programming for schoolchildren, students, veterans, medical workers, as well as providing schools and teachers with computers to support those programs that are already being implemented in Ukraine.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, by his decree, put into effect the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of July 30, 2021 On the Strategy of Ukraine’s Foreign Policy.
The corresponding decree No. 448/2021, together with the decision of the NSDC and the text of the Strategy, was published on the website of the head of state on Thursday, August 26 and comes into force from the day of its publication.
According to the decree, the secretary of the Council Oleksiy Danilov is responsible for the implementation of the NSDC decision.
The strategy contains the main priorities and strategic goals of Ukraine’s foreign policy: the state’s course towards membership in the EU and NATO, restoration of territorial integrity and countering Russian aggression, promotion of Ukrainian exports and attraction of investments, cooperation with other states and international organizations, etc.
FOREIGN POLICY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE, PRESIDENT ZELENSKY, STRATEGY
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena took part in the ceremony of sending off the national team for the XVI Summer Paralympic Games in Tokyo (Japan), noting that now it will become a tradition, the press service of the head of state said.
“First of all, I think we need to apologize to you on behalf of our state, the institution of the President, for the fact that no President was personally present at sending off our Paralympians to both Summer and Winter Games in all these years. I think it’s a shame, but we’ll fix it. It is an honor for me and my wife to be here. You are the pride and glory of our sport, our country, our will and spirit. And each of you is an example of unbroken spirit and unlimited possibilities,” the press service quoted the President as saying.
Zelensky noted that the Ukrainian Paralympic team had won 374 medals at the Summer and Winter Games over the years, and expressed confidence that there would be more than 400 medals after the Paralympics in Tokyo.
The President also noted the symbolic date of the beginning of the XVI Summer Paralympic Games – August 24, the day of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence.
“Regardless of the result, I believe that all of you are already champions, already winners. And all these 30 years you have been one of those who nurtures our independence and inspires our country to never give up. So I am very grateful to you, just like every Ukrainian. And I believe that you will confirm this again in the next two weeks in Japan,” he said.
The President stressed that the Ukrainian authorities – the government, local authorities and relevant agencies – should resolve as soon as possible the issue of a professional summer base for Ukrainian Paralympians, which “should never have any problems with funding.”
“It is our duty to show respect for everything you do for our country. Once again, I sincerely wish you success in Tokyo! Inspire! Win! We will sincerely support you and we will wait for you!” added Zelensky.
NATIONAL TEAM, PARALYMPIC GAMES, PRESIDENT ZELENSKY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved the energy security strategy, which was developed on the basis of the national security strategy approved by decree No. 392 of President Volodymyr Zelensky dated September 14, 2020.
Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko said during a presentation of the document at a government session on Wednesday that the strategy identifies, in particular, 29 threats to energy security, the key of which are cyber threats, ongoing Russian aggression, wear of fixed assets, lack of energy reserves, the impact of climate change on the structure and energy consumption regimes, as well as issues of competition in the markets, staffing of the industry and development of scientific and technical potential.
“In accordance with this, three key scenarios have been identified, according to which the energy sector can develop, depending on the threats,” the minister said.
These are “no change,” “unfriendly influence” and “positive transformation” scenarios.
The “no change” scenario envisages, in particular, the preservation of the current trends in the formation and implementation of energy policy, as well as the principles of the functioning of energy markets.
The second scenario “unfriendly influence” is envisaged in the event of an increase in the external influence of Russia in order to gain control over the energy policy of Ukraine.
The third scenario “positive transformation” is aimed at the priority development of the country in terms of the irreversibility of its European and Euro-Atlantic course.
Haluschenko said the main goals of the strategy are, in particular, the availability of energy resources for consumers, the sustainability of the energy sector and its economic efficiency, the environmentally acceptable impact of energy on the environment, as well as the integration of the sector into the EU space.
The Energy Ministry of kraine intends to carry out annual monitoring of threats to the country’s energy security.
ENERGY, ENERGY SECURITY, ENERGY SECURITY STRATEGY, PRESIDENT ZELENSKY
