Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that trade between Ukraine and Belarus should exceed $6 billion.
“Trade between our countries exceeds $5 billion. I agree with Alexander Grigoryevich [Lukashenko] that we could and should achieve six, eight – we don’t want to stop – billion dollars,” he said at the Second Forum of Regions of Ukraine and Belarus in Zhytomyr on Friday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed the strengthening of Ukraine-Belarus relations at both central and regional levels, as well as that of ties between certain businesses in the two counties.
“A forum like this strengthens the partnership between our countries in all spheres. And, which is highly important, this is not only at the level of capitals – Kyiv and Minsk – but also at the level of our regions and individual businesses,” Zelensky said at the 2nd Forum of Regions of Ukraine and Belarus in Ukraine’s Zhytomyr on Friday.
Commercial contracts valued at $500 million have been signed during the forum, he said.
Nearly 25,000 Hasidim arrived to Ukraine to celebrate Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) 5780, which is celebrated from September 29 through the evening of October 1 this year, according the Jewish calendar.
As a press service of the State Border Guard Service reported on Saturday, for the last 24 hours border guards registered arrival of 5,687 Hasidic pilgrims, who were seeking for entry to Ukraine.
Overall, border guards at the checkpoints in Kyiv, Odesa, Vinnytsia and on the borders with Poland, Slovakia and Romania have already documented the arrival of 24,782 pilgrims in the prescribed manner.
Since the beginning of the arrival of Hasidim from September 6, State Border Service officials refused entry to eight Israeli citizens due to the lack of necessary documents and a ban on entry to Ukraine during a previous visit.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Vadym Prystaiko and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka Ravinatha Aryasinha, during the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, signed an agreement on visa waiver of citizens who use diplomatic, service or official passports.
“Prystaiko and Aryasinha have signed an agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka on visa waiver for citizens who use diplomatic, service or official passports,” the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine reported on Friday.
The parties discussed topical issues on the agenda of relations between the two countries, emphasizing the importance of intensifying political dialogue and enhancing interaction within international organizations. Issues of protection of interests of citizens of Ukraine and Sri Lanka were separately discussed.
Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada has ratified a protocol on Amendments to the Convention between the Government of Ukraine and the Republic of Turkey for avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and real estate.
An Interfax-Ukraine correspondent has reported that a total of 320 MPs backed bill No. 0005 on ratification of the amendments on Wednesday.
According to the conclusion of the foreign policy committee, the changes relate, in particular, to the procedure for taxation of income received by residents of the state, which is party in the treaty, from the disposal of shares or other rights; the procedure for taxation of remuneration received in connection with employment on a ship, aircraft, or other transport operated by an enterprise of the state, which is party in the treaty. The changes will also concern the exchange of information.
Vice-President for Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič has said that underground storage filling levels in the European Union (EU) and Ukraine are good.
“A few words on preparations ahead of this winter. I am glad to say that EU underground storage filling levels are very good – currently standing at 96% of full capacity,” Šefčovič said at a press conference in Brussels after the EU-Ukraine-Russia trilateral gas talks.
“Ukraine’s underground storage filling levels are also good – currently at around 19.6 billion cubic meters, almost 4 billion cubic meters above levels in September last year,” he said.
