Partners news

Tuesday, February 23

UAE companies “ UAE companies “are talking about a big project – the construction of a large marina in Odesa and a large separate port,” President Zelenskiy said yesterday, fresh from a 2-day working visit to t...

President Zelenskiy said he is ‘confident’ that Ukraine will get IMF funds by the end of this year. President Zelenskiy said he is ‘confident’ that Ukraine will get IMF funds by the end of this year. If a deal cannot be reached on the remaining $2.9 billion, “there is plan B, plan C,” he told report...

From London, Timothy Ash speculates that delays in receiving tranches from the $5 billion program From London, Timothy Ash speculates that delays in receiving tranches from the $5 billion program could be because Ukraine’s government knows it can borrow at low rates in international markets while ...

“Zelenskiy needs to understand that the Fund is in the end a creditor,” “Zelenskiy needs to understand that the Fund is in the end a creditor,” writes Ash, senior emerging market strategist at BlueBay Asset Management. “It sets the terms, as it is lending the money at a d...

Monday, February 22

As Ukrainians move toward cashless transactions and internet banking, banks closed 11% of bank branches last year, to 7,100, As Ukrainians move toward cashless transactions and internet banking, banks closed 11% of bank branches last year, to 7,100, the National Bank of Ukraine reports in its banking sector review. The clos...

Over the next three years, Ukraine’s entire 20,000 km network of roads of ‘national importance’ is to be repaired or rebuilt Over the next three years, Ukraine’s entire 20,000 km network of roads of ‘national importance’ is to be repaired or rebuilt, Infrastructure Minister Vladyslav Krikliy, said yesterday on the ‘Healthy ...

Six months after opening, the Orlivka, Ukraine – Isaccea, Romania ferry across the Danube yesterday carried its first bus, Six months after opening, the Orlivka, Ukraine – Isaccea, Romania ferry across the Danube yesterday carried its first bus, on the Odesa-Varna, Bulgaria route. With coronavirus controls easing, the fer...

Disrupting many families’ winter break vacation plans, restaurants, cafes and entertainment venues close today through Sunday in Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Zakarpattia regions. Disrupting many families’ winter break vacation plans, restaurants, cafes and entertainment venues close today through Sunday in Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Zakarpattia regions. Due to an upsurge...

President Zelenskiy signed a decree Saturday freezing the assets of Ukrainian politician and businessman Viktor Medvedchuk and banning him from doing business in Ukraine for three years. President Zelenskiy signed a decree Saturday freezing the assets of Ukrainian politician and businessman Viktor Medvedchuk and banning him from doing business in Ukraine for three years. The decree al...

Zelenskiy also moved to nationalize Zelenskiy also moved to nationalize PrykarpatZapadtrans, a Medvechuk-owned company that runs the Ukraine section of a 1,433 km Russia-Belarus-Hungary diesel pipeline. On independence in 1991, this pip...

Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council accused Medvedchuk of “financial terrorism.” Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council accused Medvedchuk of “financial terrorism.” In a Friday night briefing to reporters, security council spokesman Alexei Danilov said Medvechuk and three...

The Security Council also charged The Security Council also charged that illegal shipments of coal from occupied Donbas helped fund the three TV channels Kozak owned. In 2016, the Ukrainska Pravda published an investigation alleging t...

Ukraine’s government also put on a seizure list five corporate jets used in the past for flights between Kyiv and Moscow Ukraine’s government also put on a seizure list five corporate jets used in the past for flights between Kyiv and Moscow. Scheduled commercial air service between Ukraine and Russia stopped in October...

Medvechuk said Saturday that the measures will not “scare me and prompt me to flee.” Medvechuk said Saturday that the measures will not “scare me and prompt me to flee.” In the Rada, he heads the largest opposition group – the Opposition Platform — For Life party. This pro-Russia coal...

The US Embassy in Kyiv The US Embassy in Kyiv tweeted Saturday afternoon: “We support Ukraine’s efforts to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity through sanctions. Medvedchuk has been under U.S. sanctions ...

The EU is Ukraine’s largest trading partner, accounting for 41% of all foreign trade last year The EU is Ukraine’s largest trading partner, accounting for 41% of all foreign trade last year, Trade Representative Taras Kachka reports on Facebook. Russia and CIS countries play a diminishing role....

Prime Minister Shmygal, fresh from a 2-day trip to Brussels, told the Rada Friday: Prime Minister Shmygal, fresh from a 2-day trip to Brussels, told the Rada Friday: “Already more than 14,000 small and large Ukrainian companies are exporters of our products to the EU. This list will...

To develop Ukraine’s small and medium-sized enterprises, the European Investment Bank is ready to allocate €700 million in loans To develop Ukraine’s small and medium-sized enterprises, the European Investment Bank is ready to allocate €700 million in loans, Prime Minister Shmyhal told the Rada Friday. “Loans with a zero rate &...

Turkey-Ukraine trade held to pre-pandemic levels last year, finishing around $5 billion. Turkey-Ukraine trade held to pre-pandemic levels last year, finishing around $5 billion. If a Turkey-Ukraine free trade agreement is signed, “we will reach $10 billion very quickly,” Ukraine’s A...

Carrying a 3,700 kg payload, an unmanned Cygnus cargo spacecraft is to dock this morning with the International Space Station. Carrying a 3,700 kg payload, an unmanned Cygnus cargo spacecraft is to dock this morning with the International Space Station. Ukrainian design and equipment largely built the first – or lower – stage...

Friday, February 19

Airlines are betting on Ukraine’s enduring love affair with Italy Airlines are betting on Ukraine’s enduring love affair with Italy. Starting in late May, SkyUp will expand its Kyiv flight network to nine Italian cities: Bari, Bergamo, Bologna, Catania, Lamezia Term...

A sign of summer travel A sign of summer travel: people who want to visit Italy’s Sardinia island will have to present a coronavirus vaccination certificate, Governor Christian Solinas tells L’Unione newspaper, according to ...

UIA restores flights from Kyiv to New York, Toronto, Delhi, Cairo and London-Heathrow UIA restores flights from Kyiv to New York, Toronto, Delhi, Cairo and London-Heathrow, according to a new summer schedule that starts in time for the May holidays. The new schedule also restores a hos...

The start date of vaccinations against Covid-19 in Ukraine is slipping by 2-3 weeks The start date of vaccinations against Covid-19 in Ukraine is slipping by 2-3 weeks, Andriy Slavutsky, head of UNICEF health programs said yesterday at a vaccination training event. Due to paperwork d...

Ukraine hopes to sign its long-delayed Open Skies agreement with the EU in 10 days, Ukraine hopes to sign its long-delayed Open Skies agreement with the EU in 10 days, when Charles Michel, president of the European Council, visits Kyiv, Prime Minister Shmyhal tells Ukrinform. Fresh f...

Miss flying? Miss flying? For $95, UIA offers on Sunday, March 7 a “Flight over Kyiv”. This 70-minute excursion features a view of Chornobyl nuclear plant from 900 meters and an overflight of Antonov’s airport at ...

Dnipro airport, Ukraine’s largest airport construction project of the year, will be rebuilt by Kyiv’s Dnipro airport, Ukraine’s largest airport construction project of the year, will be rebuilt by Kyiv’s Altis-Construction LLC. With a $141 million bid for the three-year project, Altis beat six other c...

In a survey of 172 hotels across Ukraine, 23% predict business will return this year to 2019 levels and 57% predict a full return in 2022 In a survey of 172 hotels across Ukraine, 23% predict business will return this year to 2019 levels and 57% predict a full return in 2022, reports the Ukrainian Hotel & Resort Association. Horwath...

In January, hotel occupancies were: In January, hotel occupancies were: Lviv – 35%; Kharkiv – 31%; Kyiv – 23%; and Odessa – 19%. The average room rate in Kyiv was $57, according to Hotel Matrix, a web-based analy...

Due to controls surrounding coronavirus, the world tourism industry lost $935 billion Due to controls surrounding coronavirus, the world tourism industry lost $935 billion during the first 10 months of 2020, reports United Nations World Tourism Organization. To allow safe travel, the E...

Despite corona controls, Ukraine’s Border Service registered 11.2 million exits by Ukrainians last year Despite corona controls, Ukraine’s Border Service registered 11.2 million exits by Ukrainians last year, potentially one quarter of the nation’s adult population. Top destinations were: Poland – 4 mil...

Ukraine received 3.4 million visits by foreigners Ukraine received 3.4 million visits by foreigners. The top countries were Ukraine’s land neighbors: Moldova – 933,000; Belarus – 463,500; Russia – 390,000; Poland – 272,000; Romania – 229,000; and Hun...

The number of Kyivstar subscribers who traveled abroad during the Dec. 24-Jan. 10 holiday season was down 81% yoy, The number of Kyivstar subscribers who traveled abroad during the Dec. 24-Jan. 10 holiday season was down 81% yoy, reports Ilya Polshakov, New Business Director for Kyivstar, Ukraine’s largest mobile ...

One year after coronavirus controls shut down air travel, the Infrastructure Ministry wants to give $18 million in tax and airport rent relief to the four Ukrainian airlines One year after coronavirus controls shut down air travel, the Infrastructure Ministry wants to give $18 million in tax and airport rent relief to the four Ukrainian airlines that carried evacuation fl...

On March 28, Mykolaiv airport wins back its lone scheduled flight, a Windrose Airlines flight to Kyiv. On March 28, Mykolaiv airport wins back its lone scheduled flight, a Windrose Airlines flight to Kyiv. On March 1, Windrose resumes its charter flights from Mykolaiv to Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.

For summer travel, Pegasus Airlines will launch six routes from Ukrainian cities to Turkish resort towns. For summer travel, Pegasus Airlines will launch six routes from Ukrainian cities to Turkish resort towns. With flights starting as early as April, the Turkish discount airline will fly from Kyiv Borys...

SkyUp, Ukraine’s largest discount airline, started last year with double the fleet – all Boeing 737s – but carried only 1.2 million passengers, half its forecast. SkyUp, Ukraine’s largest discount airline, started last year with double the fleet – all Boeing 737s – but carried only 1.2 million passengers, half its forecast. Despite a bad year, the airline retai...

This spring, SkyUp starts service from Kyiv Boryspil This spring, SkyUp starts service from Kyiv Boryspil to two Polish cities popular with Ukrainian workers: Katowice and Lodz. At the end of May, as the tourism season starts, SkyUp plans to start servi...

Thursday, February 18

Poland’s PKP Cargo wants to develop a border terminal at Medyk as a transit point for Europe’s East-West trade with China Poland’s PKP Cargo wants to develop a border terminal at Medyk as a transit point for Europe’s East-West trade with China. Located three kilometers west of Lviv oblast, the Polish terminal has two par...

China surpassed the U.S. last year as the EU’s top trading partner, China surpassed the U.S. last year as the EU’s top trading partner, Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office, reported Monday. “In 2020, China was the EU’s main partner,” the agency reported....

Metinvest, Ukraine’s largest private company, plans to increase its capital expenditures this year by about 25% yoy, to $800-850 million, Metinvest, Ukraine’s largest private company, plans to increase its capital expenditures this year by about 25% yoy, to $800-850 million, Oleksandr Lyubarev, corporate finance and treasury director, s...

Dragon Capital writes: Dragon Capital writes: “Metinvest’s 2020 results were expectedly strong thanks to a surge in iron ore and steel prices in 2H20…During the call, management sounded optimistic about the prospects for 20...

With China accounting for 80% of rare-earth imports into the U.S., Ukraine could benefit from Washington’s growing nervousness about supplies, With China accounting for 80% of rare-earth imports into the U.S., Ukraine could benefit from Washington’s growing nervousness about supplies, mining experts say. Rare earths are essential for product...

Mining World.com argues Mining World.com argues that Ukrainian miners focus on the easy pickings: vast deposits of high quality iron ore. “Ukraine is developing its raw material potential one-sidedly,” reports the website. “...

“Ukraine harbors significant reserves of non-ferrous and rare-earth “Ukraine harbors significant reserves of non-ferrous and rare-earth metals including unique deposits of beryllium, zirconium, tantalum, and a complex of phosphoric rare-earth and rare-metal ores,” rep...

“Deposits of less-common metals and rare-earth group are of special value,” “Deposits of less-common metals and rare-earth group are of special value,” reads the World Data Center’s National Atlas of Ukraine. “Geologists have [mapped the] Perha deposit of beryllium in Zhytomy...

A Japan-Ukraine free trade pact and cooperation between the Japan Space Agency and Dnipro’s Pivdenne Design Bureau are on the horizon for the 2020s A Japan-Ukraine free trade pact and cooperation between the Japan Space Agency and Dnipro’s Pivdenne Design Bureau are on the horizon for the 2020s, Serhiy Korsunsky, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Japan sai...

Canada and Ukraine plan to start talks this year to expand the 2017 Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement to cover services and investments, Canada and Ukraine plan to start talks this year to expand the 2017 Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement to cover services and investments, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry reports. On Tuesday, Marc Garneau,...

The Biden Administration “is reviewing US policy” toward Nord Stream 2 The Biden Administration “is reviewing US policy” toward Nord Stream 2, while letting a deadline for more sanctions to pass on Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday from Washington. With...

Timothy Ash writes of compromise solutions aired in the last two days: Timothy Ash writes of compromise solutions aired in the last two days: “These are not solutions but rather “sell outs” when viewed from Ukrainian perspective, which would bring the pipeline on stream....