Canada is going to provide a $1.8 billion loan to Ukraine through the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in budget year 2023, CBC TV channel reported with reference to the country’s draft budget.
“Canada will extend a $2.4 billion Canadian dollars ($1.8 billion) loan to Ukraine in the coming budget year. The measure is contained in the latest federal budget, tabled in Parliament on Tuesday by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland,” the report said.
The loan for Ukraine will be distributed through the IMF. It is intended to cover the budget deficit and pay for social services, including medical services.
According to the TV channel, separately, the Canadian federal budget also announced CAD 84 million (almost $62 million) in additional direct humanitarian aid for Ukraine in the coming fiscal year – money which will be used for mental health services, the removal of mines and other measures. The money will come out of the existing budget at Global Affairs Canada.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres is on his way to Ukraine on an official visit to discuss the Istanbul “grain” deal, the UN press service said.
“The secretary general has just arrived in Poland on his way to Ukraine. On Wednesday morning he will meet with President Volodymyr Zelenski in Kiev to discuss the continuation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in all its aspects, as well as other topical issues,” the report states.
It is noted that this is the third visit of the Secretary General to Ukraine in the last year.
As reported, the “grain” deal was concluded in Istanbul on July 22, 2022. With the participation of the UN, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine signed two documents, one on creating a corridor for the export of grain from three Ukrainian ports (Chornomorsk, Odessa and Pivdenniy), and the other on removing barriers to the export of Russian food and fertilizers.
The deal is set to expire on March 18. The UN Secretary General previously expressed hope that it would be extended.
The head of the European Parliament (EP), Roberta Metsola, arrived in Kyiv late Friday night.
“It is good to be back in Ukraine. To these brave people who inspired the world. To the heroes who refuse to give up. To those who sacrificed everything for our values. To the Europeans whose home is in our European Union,” Metsola wrote on Twitter’s microblog on Saturday night.
She stressed that “the future of Ukraine is membership in the European Union” and that Europe will “go all the way with you.”
Metsola also met with the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk.
“It’s good to see my friend Ruslan Stefanchuk again. Cooperation between the European Parliament and the Ukrainian Parliament will be strengthened”, – said the head of the European Parliament.
In turn, Stefanchuk stressed that the European Parliament is undoubtedly at the forefront of support for Ukraine.
The MP added that during the meeting the sides discussed sanctions against Russia, noting that “all possibilities of circumventing restrictions should be stopped”.
Also Stefanchuk thanked the European Union for financial support, for macrofinancial assistance.
In addition, the head of the Ukrainian parliament raised the topic of China’s proposals on the so-called “peace treaty.”
“He said that there is a formula for peace, proposed by Ukrainian President Zelensky. And it is to the support of this initiative we call the world”, – summed up Stefanchuk.
The first long-term blood storage bank in Ukraine has been opened on the basis of the Kyiv City Blood Center in Kyiv within the framework of the Bold Blood project, which allows freezing and preserving rare blood types for up to 30 years.
According to a press release of the project, the center will also allow for operational logistics under the most difficult conditions, including at the scene of hostilities to rescue the injured military and civilians.
According to the acting director of the city blood center, Vitaliy Demsky, previously such important blood components as erythrocytes could be stored for a maximum of 42 days, the new blood bank will extend the life of erythrocytes up to 30 years.
“Today, we have new special equipment that can store red blood cells at temperatures from -80°C and below, and also allows freezing and thawing blood components,” Demsky said.
The project was implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health, PariMatch Ukraine and Kyiv City State Administration.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen has arrived in Kyiv on a visit. This is the first visit of an Israeli high-ranking official to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion.
“I have come to say: Israel supports Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in difficult times,” Cohen wrote on his Twitter account.
During his visit, the Israeli foreign minister is scheduled to meet with President Vladimir Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba.
Cohen is expected to visit Bucha, Babi Yar and announce the reopening of the Israeli embassy in Kiev, which was closed due to the war.
Warsaw Metro will provide Kyiv Metropoliten with 60 subway cars.
This is stipulated in a letter of intent signed between the mayors of Kyiv and Warsaw, Vitali Klitschko and Rafal Trzaskowski, on Wednesday.
The document was signed during a visit to Kyiv by the mayors of four European capitals – members of the Pact of Free Cities – who arrived to reaffirm their support to the Ukrainian capital, the press service of Kyiv mayor said.
The mayors of Warsaw, Prague, Budapest, and Bratislava concluded the Pact of Free Cities in 2019. Kyiv joined the document on September 26, 2022.
Warsaw became a logistic center for transferring humanitarian aid to Kyiv from other European cities and countries, including 2,500 tonnes of food, hygiene items, medicines, as well as pipes and a generator for PJSC Kyivvodokanal, the press service said.
