Business news from Ukraine

Ukrainian rescuers received special equipment from Germany

The German Federal Agency for Technical Assistance (THW) and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) transferred 14 units of special vehicle equipment for the State Emergency Situations Service (SES), the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.
“Fire truck ladders and fire truck elevators allow you to get to the upper floors of the building to evacuate people or to extinguish fires at height. Therefore, for us it is very necessary equipment, which is always in short supply, “- said the chairman of the State Emergency Service Sergey Kruk, quoted by the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Telegram-channel on Wednesday.

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German media reported on Zelensky’s visit to Germany on May 13-14

German media report about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s planned visit to Germany on 13-14 May, but there is no official confirmation from the Ukrainian side.
Thus, Bild reports that on May 14 Zelensky will be received by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the president of Ukraine will hold a meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. In addition, Zelensky will visit Aachen, where he will be awarded the Charlemagne Prize.
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Germany to provide Ukraine with 111 mln euros for reconstruction

Secretary of State for Development, German government coordinator for international aid to Ukraine Jochen Flasbart, who arrived in Kiev yesterday, agreed on another aid package with Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk and Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development reported.
According to the report, the development ministry will invest an additional 111 million euros in housing for displaced people and in support for Ukrainian municipalities, such as renovating and equipping kindergartens, schools and hospitals.
“Rebuilding Ukraine will be a gigantic task for the country, its people and for us as an international community. And it is already beginning now, even if, unfortunately, there is no end in sight to the war. This long-term perspective and early planning is important. We want to show the people of Ukraine that we will continue to stand with them in solidarity. And we need to make sure that our short-term support matches the long-term recovery,” the secretary of state said.
He stressed that “this is also about investing in Europe’s future, because a strong economic Ukraine will also be an important pillar of our shared European prosperity.”
Flasbart is in Ukraine from April 18 to 19 as the federal government’s commissioner to coordinate international reconstruction efforts. In addition to talks with the Ukrainian government on expanding bilateral cooperation, the trip includes talks with Ukrainian civil society on strengthening anti-corruption measures and transparency, as well as an exchange of views with Ukrainian entrepreneurs. Flasbart is also holding talks with parliamentarians, the Ukrainian Association of Cities and Municipalities and the United Nations.
According to information, Berlin has provided 3.6 billion euros in civilian support to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion last February.

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Germany plans to allocate another EUR12 bln for military aid to Ukraine

German authorities are planning to allocate another EUR12 billion for military support to Ukraine, Bloomberg reported, citing sources on Wednesday.
The Bundestag budget committee is expected to approve the plans of German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on Wednesday. Thus, in case of approval of such a step, the total amount of funds, directed by Berlin for military aid to Kiev, will increase up to EUR14.2 billion.
In particular, the amount planned for 2023 will more than double and reach EUR5.4 billion. The rest of the funds – EUR8.8 billion – will be available if necessary in the coming years. The money will not come from the Defense Ministry’s budget or the special EUR100 billion fund for the modernization of the Bundeswehr.
In addition, on Wednesday, the Bundestag budget committee is expected to approve the purchase of 10 self-propelled rapid-fire howitzers from Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co KG worth EUR 185 million; these guns are to replace the howitzers transferred by Germany to Ukraine.

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Nationwide strike could paralyze Germany’s transportation system Monday

German residents were moving more actively around the country on Sunday, many domestic trains were jammed with passengers as people sought to get to their desired destinations before a major strike by transport workers began, Western media reported.
On Monday, March 27, many transport workers, from railroad workers to airport and public transport employees in cities, are expected to take part in a nationwide strike. This strike is expected to halt traffic in the country for a day.
German trade unions have called on thousands of transport workers to take part in the strike and to demand higher wages – to cope with high inflation. Thus, in the trade union Verdi said that they had appealed to go on strike to 120 thousand people and in the EVG union that protects the rights of railway workers in Germany – to 230 thousand people.
The unions are seeking to raise the wages of the transport industry employees by 10-12%, but at the moment, the employers offer a phased increase of 5% and a one-time payment of about EUR2.5 thousand.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, the day before the strike, Munich Airport was already closed, flights were also cancelled or delayed in Germany’s largest airport – Frankfurt am Main Airport.

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Germany to increase support for Ukraine to develop climate policy and protect biodiversity

The total budget of technical assistance projects to be implemented in Ukraine within the framework of the International Climate Initiative will amount to EUR 44.5 million, including both new projects and those planned to be launched before the war or whose work was temporarily suspended with the outbreak of hostilities.
According to the website of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine on Tuesday, such initiatives were discussed in Berlin during the meeting of the Ukrainian delegation headed by Deputy Minister Alexander Krasnolutsky with representatives of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection of Germany, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection of Germany, the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Secretariat of the German Institute for International Cooperation.
German projects, in particular, will cover support for Ukraine in implementing the Paris Agreement and adaptation to the consequences of climate change in the Black Sea region, establishing an emissions trading system, forming a low emission policy, preserving forests in the Carpathians, and increasing Ukraine’s ability to overcome the consequences of war and integrate into the EU. In addition, they talked about Ukraine’s accession to the climate club, which is now being formed by the European Union.
In addition, the German government is ready to help Ukraine with the construction of rehabilitation centers for animals affected by war, which are envisaged in the plan for the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.
According to Krasnolutsky, Ukraine is striving to apply the best practices that exist today in Europe for its reconstruction and development.

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