Business news from Ukraine

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Plans Latin American Tour

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is planning a tour of Latin America in the second half of the year, during which he will visit a number of countries in the region.

“Guatemala had an unprecedented response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia. We noticed it, and we will always be grateful. That’s why I’m here. But I’m planning a bigger Latin American tour in the second half of the year. And as part of that tour – I intend to visit a number of countries in the region,” Kuleba said at a press conference with Guatemalan Foreign Minister Mario Bucaro.

Kuleba noted that Ukraine now maintains an ongoing dialogue with many Latin American countries at the presidential and foreign minister level.

“For example, yesterday we hosted Celso Amorimo, Chief Adviser of the Special Consultative Service of the Brazilian Presidential Administration, in Kyiv,” the Minister added.

According to the head of the department, 2023 will be “a year of relations with Latin America” for Ukraine.

“You will hear a lot from us. And of course, we will be happy to hear a lot from Latin America and to host visitors from Latin America,” Kuleba said.

UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT SWITZERLAND AND LIECHTENSTEIN

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will visit Switzerland and Liechtenstein from May 24 to 26, where he will take part in the World Economic Forum in Davos and hold a number of bilateral meetings, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has said.

In particular, Kuleba will meet with President of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis and Crown Prince of the Principality of Liechtenstein Alois. In addition, meetings are scheduled with the Prime Ministers of Greece and Ireland, as well as the Foreign Ministers of Peru, Costa Rica, Austria and Liechtenstein.

On Wednesday, May 25, the minister will also communicate with representatives of foreign media.

CENTRE FOR ASEAN COUNTRIES STUDIES OPENS IN KIEV

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has opened the First Centre for ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Countries Studies in Ukraine at the Institute of International Relations of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
“Last year, ambassadors of the ASEAN countries and I discussed in Ukraine what we could do to develop cooperation. I proposed to create Centre for ASEAN Countries Studies in Ukraine. Today we have implemented this initiative. The Centre is laying the foundation for a qualitatively new level of cooperation between Ukraine and ASEAN,” the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry quoted Kuleba as saying on Tuesday.
The main task of the centre will be to establish effective interaction between researchers and scientific employees, the development of humanitarian and educational contacts between Ukraine and the ASEAN countries.
The minister recalled that this year, for the first time since independence, Ukraine has received a Foreign Policy Strategy, and noted that it paid due attention to Ukraine’s relations with Asian countries. According to him, work with this region should be systematic.
Kuleba noted that the next marker of the development of relations will be Ukraine’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
“Our state has already submitted an application, which is under consideration by ASEAN partners. This will not only be an impulse for further development, but also a clear signal about the new quality of relations between Ukraine and the ASEAN countries,” the Foreign Minister said.
Kuleba said that Ukraine is working to achieve a trade turnover between Ukraine and ASEAN of $5 billion per year.
“I am convinced that it is quite possible to achieve a trade turnover between Ukraine and ASEAN of $5 billion a year, and we are working to implement this goal. We are working to ensure that as many Ukrainian goods, especially those with high added value, are exported to Asian markets,” the minister assured.

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PAKISTAN AND UKRAINE HOLD MEETING OF JOINT ECONOMIC COMMISSION

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba held a telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the parties agreed to hold the first ever meeting of the joint economic commission.
“The heads of Ukrainian and Pakistani diplomacy agreed to hold the first political consultations of the foreign ministries and the first ever meeting of the Joint Ukrainian-Pakistani Commission on Economic Cooperation,” the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on its website.
Kuleba also said that it was Ukrainian traders who exported the critically needed volume of grain, which compensated for two-thirds of the deficit during last year’s food crisis in Pakistan. Thus, the minister said that Ukraine is ready to increase export volumes, in particular, together with Pakistan, to develop trade with other countries in the region.
“The ministers expressed a common desire to significantly increase the number of Pakistani students coming to study in Ukraine. The parties exchanged invitations to make visits,” the ministry said in the statement.

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FRANCE OPENED FOR UKRAINIANS

The French government has opened entry for all types of travel for Ukrainians in accordance with the recommendation of the EU Council, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said.
“Visa-free with France is valid again! The French government has opened entry for all types of travel of Ukrainians according to the recommendation of the EU Council. A certificate of vaccination or a fresh negative test is needed at the entrance,” Kuleba said on Twitter on Friday.
The website tripadvisor.mfa.gov.ua of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine says that Ukraine is included in the list of countries of the so-called “green” zone, therefore, the entry of Ukrainian citizens into France takes place in accordance with the immigration rules of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of France (https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/L-actu-du-Ministere/Attestation-de-deplacement-et-de-voyage).
In particular, there are no restrictions on entry if a citizen of Ukraine is vaccinated with one of the vaccines recognized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and approved for use in France. These include Pfizer/Comirnaty, Moderna, AstraZeneca/Vaxzevria/Covishield and Jansen/Johnson & Johnson vaccines. In this case, the vaccination is considered complete if 28 days have passed since the moment of vaccination with the Janssen vaccine and seven days since the second dose in the case of vaccination with such vaccines as Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeeca/Vaxzevria/Covishield.
If a citizen of Ukraine has not been vaccinated, he can enter France if he has a PCR test done no earlier than 72 hours before entry, or an antibody test done no earlier than 24 hours before entry. The specified entry conditions apply to both adults and children (over 12 years old).

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ESTONIA, LATVIA AND LITHUANIA OPEN BORDERS FOR UKRAINIANS

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have opened borders for Ukrainians for all types of travel, according to the recommendation of the European Council, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said.
“Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania have opened for all types of travel for Ukrainians, according to the recommendation of the EU Council. Visa-free weekend in the Baltic countries? Now it is possible again,” Kuleba said on his Twitter.

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