Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to hold telephone talks with Russian and Ukrainian Presidents Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky in the near future, Western media reported on Thursday.
“At the end of this week or early next, I plan to have telephone conversations on the issue of the grain corridor with both Putin and Zelensky,” Erdogan said during a press conference in Madrid.
He noted that Turkey seeks to “pursue a balanced policy, not a course based on confrontation.” Erdogan hopes for fruitful talks with both leaders.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has met with well-known British businessman Richard Branson, the press service of the President’s Office reports.
“The visit of British businessman Richard Branson to Ukraine is another reminder that the world and famous people continue to support us. We talked about maintaining the world’s attention to the war in Ukraine, as well as the prospects for cooperation in post-war reconstruction. Richard, thank you for the kind words about our people and willingness to help!” – wrote Zelensky in the telegram channel.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced his intention to expand the country’s relations with the countries of the African Union.
“It was during my term that the first Strategy for the Development of Ukraine’s Relations with African States was approved. Dialogue with all countries of the continent will be intensified. The Special Representative of Ukraine for African Affairs will also start working in the near future,” Zelensky said, speaking via video link at a meeting of the Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union on Monday.
On his instructions, the first regional tour of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in the history of the Ukrainian state is being prepared for the states of Sub-Saharan Africa, the President said. According to Zelensky, he also initiates visits to African countries by representatives of the Verkhovna Rada.
“I invite you to visit our country now to renew our bilateral ties. And I propose to start preparing, with our common willingness, a large political and economic conference ‘Ukraine – Africa,” the president said.
He recalled that “many countries of the African Union know Ukraine well economically and in the field of education.” “Our ties are really very ancient. Our specialists built enterprises in your countries back in Soviet times. Your students studied at our universities and are studying now,” Zelensky said.
“Until February 24, more than 300 Ukrainian blue helmets performed tasks within six UN missions. And our national contingent, including the 18th Separate Helicopter Detachment, was an important part of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And it is on this basis of the relationship that has existed for many, many years that we must build a new political history, ” he said.
“If it wasn’t for the Russian war, you would be in a completely different position now – completely safe. That is why, in order to avoid famine, the efforts of states like Russia to return to the aggressive policy of colonialism must end, ” Zelensky said.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has held a meeting with American actor and director Ben Stiller in Kyiv.
“Your trip to Irpin and Makariv, meetings with our people say a lot. We appreciate that in this difficult time for our country you are close,” Zelensky said, hosting Stiller at the President’s Office.
According to him, Ukrainians now feel the support of the whole world and many famous people. “And the visit of Ben Stiller once again confirms this,” the Telegram channel of the head of state says.
As reported, Ben Stiller is paying a visit to Ukraine as a UN goodwill ambassador. He visited Lviv, liberated from the occupiers of Makariv settlement of Buchansky district of Kyiv region and the capital of Ukraine.
On April 30, the American and UN Ambassador for Refugees actress Angelina Jolie visited Lviv.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that he and the Prime Minister of Great Britain have a common view on how to move towards victory over the Russian occupiers.
According to the head of state, his talks with the Prime Minister of Great Britain were as substantive as possible.
“We went over all the key issues of bilateral relations. Issues of the general situation in Europe and in the world. First of all, these are two important things: defense and security. We discussed the current situation on the front line in our east, in the south of our state, our capabilities in protecting against Russian aggression. We have a common view on how to move towards victory. Because this is the result Ukraine needs – the victory of our state,” Zelensky said at a briefing with Johnson in Kyiv on Friday.
He thanked the British Prime Minister for understanding Ukraine’s needs for weapons.
“We talked about the need to increase the supply of heavy weapons to Ukraine. The main thing today is also to ensure the air defense of Ukraine. We began to move in this direction,” the president added.
President of the United States Joe Biden has said he had informed President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky that the U.S. is providing another $1 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, the White House reported on Wednesday.
“I informed President Zelensky that the United States is providing another $1 billion in security assistance for Ukraine,” Biden said in the statement posted on the website of the White House.
Biden also said that the assistance includes “additional artillery and coastal defense weapons, as well as ammunition for the artillery and advanced rocket systems.”
The U.S. remains committed to supporting the Ukrainian people whose lives have been ripped apart by this war, Biden said.
“Today, I am also announcing an additional $225 million in humanitarian assistance to help people inside Ukraine, including by supplying safe drinking water, critical medical supplies and health care, food, shelter, and cash for families to purchase essential items,” the U.S. president said.
