Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov and a government delegation have arrived in Ukraine on a visit, Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reports.
The delegation also includes the ministers of justice, environment and energy – Atanas Slavov, Yulian Popov and Rumen Radev, deputy ministers of defense and foreign affairs – Stanimir Georgiev and Tikhomir Stoychev, as well as the head of the Defense Ministry, Admiral Emil Eftimov.
Details of the visit were not disclosed.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may visit Russia to discuss with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Yeni Şafak reported on Tuesday, citing sources in the administration of the Turkish president.
According to the publication, “the upcoming visit of President Erdogan to Russia is of critical importance for the deal.” The estimated dates of the trip are not named.
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky together with his wife Olena Zelensky went on a working visit to Sweden.
“Working visit together with the first lady to Sweden. Meetings with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, King Carl XVI, Queen Silvia, Speaker Andreas Norlen and heads of parliamentary parties. Extensive Ukrainian-Swedish talks. I will personally thank Sweden for the support of our struggle for freedom and independence,” – said the head of state in his Telegram.
As the President noted, the primary task of the visit is to strengthen Ukrainian soldiers on the ground and in the sky, the development of bilateral cooperation, in particular in the defense industry, European integration of Ukraine and common security in the Euro-Atlantic space, as well as Sweden’s full support for Ukraine on its way to NATO.
“We are confident that together we will guarantee reliable peace in the entire Baltic-Black Sea-Azov region,” Zelensky wrote.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba starts his third tour of African countries, on July 23-24 the foreign minister will visit Equatorial Guinea for the first time, the ministry’s press service reports.
“Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will visit the African continent for the third time amid the worsening global food crisis following Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative. On July 23-24, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister will start his tour with a visit to Equatorial Guinea. The visit will be the first in the history of diplomatic relations,” the statement said, published on Sunday morning.
It is noted that in Malabo, the Foreign Minister will hold talks with the leadership of Equatorial Guinea on the development of bilateral relations, increasing trade, as well as on ensuring food security in Africa and support for the “Formula of Peace” of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The press service reminds that in January 2022, the African Strategy of Ukraine was approved. Within the framework of this strategy, contacts with African countries were significantly intensified through the Ukrainian President, the Foreign Ministry and parliamentary diplomacy.
Kuleba made his first African tour in October 2022, where he visited Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Kenya, and his second tour in May 2023, visiting Morocco, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Mozambique and Nigeria.
“Developing relations with African countries strengthens the global coalition in support of Ukraine against the backdrop of Russian aggression and creates new opportunities for Ukrainian businesses and citizens. The third African tour of Dmitry Kuleba is a continuation of the African strategy and the renaissance of Ukrainian-African relations”, – emphasized in the message.
China will send a special representative for Eurasian affairs to visit Ukraine, the official Xinhua news agency said Wednesday.
“China will send a special representative of the government for Eurasian affairs to visit Ukraine and other countries for in-depth communication with all parties on the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis,” the agency wrote, citing a telephone conversation between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.
Reportedly, Xi Jinping noted that the complex evolution of the “Ukrainian crisis” has a serious impact on the international situation. According to him, the agency reported, China will press for peace and promote negotiations, and will make its own efforts to stop the fighting and cease-fire and restore peace as soon as possible. The Chinese side will send a special representative of the Chinese government for Eurasian affairs to visit other countries as well to conduct in-depth communication with all parties on the political settlement of the “Ukrainian crisis.”
“In the afternoon of April 26, 2023, President Xi Jinping had a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the initiative of the Ukrainian side. The two sides exchanged views on Sino-Ukrainian relations and the Ukrainian crisis,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
According to the press service of the Foreign Ministry, Xi Jinping noted that the Sino-Ukrainian relations have passed through 31 years of development and reached the level of strategic partnership, which contributed to the appropriate development of the two countries.
He also noted President Vladimir Zelensky’s “emphasis on the development of China-Ukraine relations and cooperation with China,” and thanked Ukraine for its great assistance in evacuating Chinese citizens last year.
“Mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity is the political foundation of Sino-Ukrainian relations. Both sides should focus on the future, persistently consider and plan bilateral relations in the long term, continue the tradition of mutual respect and sincerity between the two sides and promote the development of the China-Ukraine strategic partnership,” the statement said.
It stressed that “China’s readiness to develop China-Ukraine relations is consistent and clear.”
The Chinese side said that no matter how the international situation changes, China is ready to work with Ukraine to promote mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
“Xi Jinping noted that the complex evolution of the Ukrainian crisis has had a serious impact on the international situation. On the issue of the Ukrainian crisis, China has always stood on the side of peace, and its main position is to promote peace and negotiations,” the Foreign Ministry said.
The ministry recalled their “peace plan,” and added that China is “neither a creator nor a party involved in the Ukrainian crisis.”
“As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a responsible large country, we will neither watch the fire from the other side nor pour oil on the fire, let alone seize the opportunity to profit,” China said.
It stressed that “dialogue and negotiation are the only possible way out,” there are no winners in a nuclear war, and “all parties concerned must remain calm and restrained in solving the nuclear problem.”
“It is hoped that all parties will think deeply about the Ukrainian crisis and work together to seek a path toward long-term peace and stability in Europe through dialogue. China will insist on establishing peace and facilitating negotiations, and will make its own efforts to stop the war as soon as possible, cease fire and restore peace,” China said.
In addition, the Chinese side will send the Chinese government’s special representative for Eurasian affairs to Ukraine and other countries to conduct in-depth communication with all parties “on the political resolution of the Ukrainian crisis.
China has provided several batches of humanitarian aid to Ukraine and is ready to continue providing assistance within its capabilities.
For his part, Zelensky presented his views on the current crisis in Ukraine, thanked China for its humanitarian aid to Ukraine and welcomed China’s important role in restoring peace and resolving the crisis through diplomacy.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Ukraine.
In an interview with the Associated Press, it is noted that Zelenskyy extended an invitation to Ukraine to one notable and strategically important leader, Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“We are ready to see him here. I want to speak with him. I had contact with him before full-scale war. But during all this year, more than one year, I didn’t have,” the Associated Press said, citing Zelenskyy.
