The talks with Russia have not brought the results desired by Ukraine just yet, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address on Monday night.
“There is no result desired by us just yet. Russia declared its position, and we made an argument in order to stop the war. We received certain signals. When the delegation returns to Kyiv, we will analyze what we have heard and will decide how to proceed to the second round of negotiations,” Zelensky said.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on changes in the composition of the National Investment Council on Tuesday, January 11.
According to decree No. 8/2022 published on the presidential website, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (by agreement) Ruslan Stefanchuk; Deputy Head of the President’s Office of Ukraine, Deputy Secretary of the Council Rostyslav Shurma; Deputy Chairman of the Servant of the People faction, Secretary of the Council (by agreement) Halyna Yanchenko were included in the staff of the National Investment Council.
Also, according to the document, Managing Partner of LV & PARTNERS (Georgia) Levan Varshalomidze (by agreement); First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko were approved in the personnel of the National Investment Council:
In turn, former Minister of Economy Oleksiy Liubchenko and ex-Speaker of Parliament Dmytro Razumkov were removed from the staff of the National Investment Council by the decree.
The decree comes into force on the day of its publication.
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
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet on Monday evening, July 12, during a dinner, according to the website of the German government.
“Chancellor Angela Merkel will welcome President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky at a dinner at the Federal Chancellery on July 12, 2021 at 19:00 [20:00 Kyiv time],” it said.
It is noted that the topics of a joint discussion will be bilateral relations, the implementation of the Minsk Agreements on the settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, the process of Ukrainian reforms, as well as economic issues and relations with Russia.
According to an announcement on the website of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, a conversation between German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Zelensky is scheduled for 10:00 (11:00 Kyiv time).
Earlier, Zelensky said that during his working visit to Germany on July 12, he intends to discuss with German Chancellor Angela Merkel the topic of energy security in the context of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline construction.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is ready to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said Hungarian Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office Gergely Gulyás.
“Ukraine is a very important neighbor of Hungary. Therefore, we are ready to meet. It rests with Ukraine to decide,” Gulyás said in an interview with Varosh published on Thursday.
He stressed that there are no additional conditions for this meeting.
“The Hungarian Prime Minister is ready to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky,” Gulyás added.
U.S. President Joseph Biden will hold his first telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday evening, April 2, an informed source from the President’s Office of Ukraine told Interfax-Ukraine.
“We confirm the fact of the call, yes,” the source said.
Earlier, the upcoming conversation between the presidents was reported by the Politico ezine, citing two people who were aware of the planned call.
“Ukrainian officials had been pushing for a call between Zelensky and Biden for weeks, including in a recent call between national security adviser Jake Sullivan and top Zelensky aid Andriy Yermak, according to one person familiar with their conversation,” according to the Politico’s statement on Friday.
It is noted that the conversation follows at least three high-level calls between the United States and Ukraine this week between Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and their Ukrainian counterparts.
