Partners news

Thursday, February 18

With train passenger rider volumes at half the levels of one year ago, Ukrzaliznytsia plans to lay off 30,000 workers, about 11% of the 260,000 total With train passenger rider volumes at half the levels of one year ago, Ukrzaliznytsia plans to lay off 30,000 workers, about 11% of the 260,000 total, Vadim Bubnyak, chairman of the Trade Union of Rai...

Aiming to introduce Wi-Fi Internet on all intercity trains Aiming to introduce Wi-Fi Internet on all intercity trains, Ukrzaliznytsia plans to launch a pilot project shortly on one of the most popular routes – Kyiv-Kharkiv-Kyiv, announces Volodymyr Reznik, th...

Offering Ukraine as a transport corridor for shipment of goods between Turkey and Sweden Offering Ukraine as a transport corridor for shipment of goods between Turkey and Sweden, Ukrzaliznytsia has proposed specific routes, Edwin Berzins, head of the railroad’s Liski terminal in Kyiv, tol...

Wednesday, February 17

Kyiv’s 11th Regus office work space opens in Podil next month Kyiv’s 11th Regus office work space opens in Podil next month, reports the parent company, Luxembourg-based IWG Plc. Despite last year’s economic recession, total occupancy of the 10 existing Regus wo...

Kyiv’s Sikorsky Airport is to add 500 meters to its runway, allowing Wizz Air, its primary user, to use larger jets. Kyiv’s Sikorsky Airport is to add 500 meters to its runway, allowing Wizz Air, its primary user, to use larger jets. By moving to Airbus 321 jets, Wizz Air says it can reduce frequencies and noise in ...

Mayor Klitschko signed an order last week for design work to start on a 5-year upgrade of the airport Mayor Klitschko signed an order last week for design work to start on a 5-year upgrade of the airport. By expanding the runway to 2,810 meters, upgrading lights and adding an instrument landing system...

German and Biden Administration officials are discussing a package of measures that would allow the Russia-German gas line to open, but protect Ukraine’s security concerns German and Biden Administration officials are discussing a package of measures that would allow the Russia-German gas line to open, but protect Ukraine’s security concerns, according to a Financial Ti...

“As Berlin seeks solutions, early signs from Washington indicate that the Biden administration is seeking to defuse the Nord Stream 2 debate,” “As Berlin seeks solutions, early signs from Washington indicate that the Biden administration is seeking to defuse the Nord Stream 2 debate,” the FT writes. “Two knowledgeable sources said [US Secret...

A cold weather spike in electricity consumption, a lack of coal, and power plant breakdowns are forcing Eastern Ukraine to import electricity A cold weather spike in electricity consumption, a lack of coal, and power plant breakdowns are forcing Eastern Ukraine to import electricity from Belarus and Russia and Western Ukraine to import elec...

Electricity consumption last week was 6.5% more than forecast Electricity consumption last week was 6.5% more than forecast. But coal reserves fell to one third of required minimums. Thanks to imports, Kudrytskyi does not predict immediate power shortages.

DTEK Group, Ukraine’s largest private power producer DTEK Group, Ukraine’s largest private power producer, called on the government yesterday “to abolish price caps, which are an obstacle to the liberalization of the electricity market.” The company cit...

Ukraine’s Energoatom will soon stop sending spent nuclear fuel to Russia for processing and storage Ukraine’s Energoatom will soon stop sending spent nuclear fuel to Russia for processing and storage, Petro Kotin, the company head, said yesterday. In July, the Centralized Spent Fuel Storage Facility...

With demand strong for Ukrainian government bonds, the Finance Ministry depressed yields on all five hryvnia bonds sold at yesterday’s auction With demand strong for Ukrainian government bonds, the Finance Ministry depressed yields on all five hryvnia bonds sold at yesterday’s auction, the Ministry reported. With yields dropping from six to ...

Looking beyond the bland public statements surrounding Ukraine’s recent suspension of talks with the IMF, Looking beyond the bland public statements surrounding Ukraine’s recent suspension of talks with the IMF, Anders Aslund, a veteran IMF observer, writes in an Atlantic Council blog: “No agreement was c...

DiDi, China’s giant online taxi service, plans to launch this year in Ukraine, reports AIN.ua news site. With 550 million users DiDi, China’s giant online taxi service, plans to launch this year in Ukraine, reports AIN.ua news site. With 550 million users, tens of millions of users and billions of dollars in revenues, DiDi ent...

DiDi will compete with Bolt, Uber and Uklon for Ukraine’s taxi market, estimated by Uklon at $800 million a year. DiDi will compete with Bolt, Uber and Uklon for Ukraine’s taxi market, estimated by Uklon at $800 million a year. Uber, the first mover in Ukraine, now operates in seven Ukrainian cities and claims th...

Taxi services got a boost yesterday when the Rada overwhelmingly approved a bill raising the penalty for drunk driving to $608 Taxi services got a boost yesterday when the Rada overwhelmingly approved a bill raising the penalty for drunk driving to $608. For repeat offenders, the fine is doubled to $1,216, licenses are suspen...

McDonald’s Ukraine plans to expand a pilot program of restaurant waste recycling to all 96 restaurants in the country by the end of this year McDonald’s Ukraine plans to expand a pilot program of restaurant waste recycling to all 96 restaurants in the country by the end of this year, the company announced yesterday. As part of a world...

Tuesday, February 16

Asia was Ukraine’s fast growing export market Asia was Ukraine’s fast growing export market, the Economy Ministry reports on its website. “The most important indicators are the phenomenal growth of exports of Ukrainian products to Vietnam and Chi...

Ukraine’s economy returned to normal at the end of last year with fourth quarter GDP down only 0.7% Ukraine’s economy returned to normal at the end of last year with fourth quarter GDP down only 0.7% below the fourth quarter of 2019. Despite the weekend lockdowns in November, consumer demand was a m...

No IMF tranches “ No IMF tranches “will not be a catastrophe” for Ukraine, Danylo Hetmantsev, chairman of the Rada’s Committee on Tax and Customs Policy, told reporters yesterday. On Saturday, the IMF announced that it...

The Cabinet of Ministers submitted a bill to the Rada yesterday to fire Artem Sytnyk, head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, or NABU. The Cabinet of Ministers submitted a bill to the Rada yesterday to fire Artem Sytnyk, head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, or NABU. Funded largely by the EU and the US, the bureau i...

A total of $3 billion worth of deals and memorandums were signed over the last two days by Ukrainian company executives and officials in the United Arab Emirates A total of $3 billion worth of deals and memorandums were signed over the last two days by Ukrainian company executives and officials in the United Arab Emirates, the third largest economy in the Midd...

After Sunday’s defense production deals, most of yesterday’s contracts were signed with Mubadala Investment Fund, the oil-rich nation’s sovereign wealth fund After Sunday’s defense production deals, most of yesterday’s contracts were signed with Mubadala Investment Fund, the oil-rich nation’s sovereign wealth fund. With $232 billion in assets under managem...

“Ukraine has very promising potential for foreign investment “Ukraine has very promising potential for foreign investment, and the signing of memorandums with leading entities of Ukraine represents a commitment to explore potential investments and areas of coop...

Deal highlights are: Deal highlights are:

DTEK CEO Maksym Tymchenko signed a memorandum of understanding with Masdar, Mubadala’s renewable energy company. DTEK CEO Maksym Tymchenko signed a memorandum of understanding with Masdar, Mubadala’s renewable energy company. Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi noted that Masdar has projects in 30 countries and ...

Oschadbank, or State Savings Bank of Ukraine, signed an agreement with Mudabala Oschadbank, or State Savings Bank of Ukraine, signed an agreement with Mudabala “to identify potential initiatives for joint investment in Ukraine,” reports the bank’s press service.

Abu Dhabi is setting a goal of “increasing trade and investment in agro with Ukraine 10 times over several years, that is, to bring it to $2 billion a year,” Abu Dhabi is setting a goal of “increasing trade and investment in agro with Ukraine 10 times over several years, that is, to bring it to $2 billion a year,” Zelenskiy economic advisor Timofei M...

Abu Dhabi’s Abu Dhabi’s INTELMAX Management Consulting will set up a Kyiv office to work with Ukraine’s Finance Ministry to create a platform for the exchange of intellectual property based on Fantom blockchain a...

Dubai Ports World showed President Zelenskiy their proposal to create several new terminals in Yuzhny, Ukraine’s busiest port. Dubai Ports World showed President Zelenskiy their proposal to create several new terminals in Yuzhny, Ukraine’s busiest port. DP World has drawn up plans to build terminals for general grains, minera...

Dmytro Sennychenko, chairman of Ukraine’s State Property Fund Dmytro Sennychenko, chairman of Ukraine’s State Property Fund, and Sergiy Tsivkach, executive director of UkraineInvest signed memorandums with Mubadala to create possibilities for large scale investm...

Ukraine’s trade deficit in goods and services shriveled last year to $255 million – 93% below the level of 2019 Ukraine’s trade deficit in goods and services shriveled last year to $255 million – 93% below the level of 2019, reports the State Statistics Service. The most dynamic factor was the 12.5% drop in imp...

For services, Ukraine’s traditional surplus shrank by 31%, to $6 billion For services, Ukraine’s traditional surplus shrank by 31%, to $6 billion. Exports declined by 28.5%, to $11.2 billion. Imports fell by 25%, to $5.2 billion.

Monday, February 15

With Eurobond rates low, Ukraine may not feel urgency With Eurobond rates low, Ukraine may not feel urgency, analysts say. With the Biden Administration forming its policy and team for Ukraine, the IMF may be waiting to get clear signals from the US, its...

Tim Ash writes from London Tim Ash writes from London: “It’s always a frustration in Ukraine that in times of flush global market liquidity reform momentum stalls…Markets can of course turn… Ukrainian policy makers would ...

In response, President Zelenskiy promised to submit to the Rada this week needed In response, President Zelenskiy promised to submit to the Rada this week needed draft bills to improve the judicial system and “insist” lawmakers debate them “quickly.” Finance Minister Serhiy Marche...

Russian sanctioned eight more Ukrainian companies Friday, raising the total to 84. Russian sanctioned eight more Ukrainian companies Friday, raising the total to 84. The new decrees includes: vessel maker Craneship, towage firm Donmar, cargo operator Transship and metal producer Max...

Yuriy Gusev, Ukroboronprom’s director general, yesterday signed $1 billion worth of agreements and contracts in the United Arab Emirates Yuriy Gusev, Ukroboronprom’s director general, yesterday signed $1 billion worth of agreements and contracts in the United Arab Emirates with the country’s two leading military equipment manufacturers...

Nicknamed “Little Sparta” Nicknamed “Little Sparta” by former US Defense Secretary James Mattis, Sunni-dominated UAE is a close ally of Saudi Arabia and faces Shia Muslim Iran across the Strait of Hormuz. Government-owned EDGE...

With the UAE’s Hope probe now in Mars orbit, Ukrainian space and high tech companies could contribute to boosting bilateral trade With the UAE’s Hope probe now in Mars orbit, Ukrainian space and high tech companies could contribute to boosting bilateral trade, Zelenskiy said yesterday in a meeting with Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed ...

“Ukraine can and will become a guarantor of food security in the Emirates,” Zelenskiy told WAM, the Emirates News Agency “Ukraine can and will become a guarantor of food security in the Emirates,” Zelenskiy told WAM, the Emirates News Agency, shortly after arrival on Saturday. “We are among the world leaders in the expo...

The six-month Expo ideally will promote Emirates investment and tourism in Ukraine The six-month Expo ideally will promote Emirates investment and tourism in Ukraine, Zelenskiy said. In 2019, 250,000 Ukrainians flew to Dubai, the Emirates’ largest city, using four airlines – flyduba...

The European Investment Bank will lend €270 million to rebuild Boryspil airport’s 50-year-old western runway The European Investment Bank will lend €270 million to rebuild Boryspil airport’s 50-year-old western runway, the EU bank announced Friday at its Luxembourg headquarters. In addition to replacing the ...

The EIB also is loaning Ukraine €50 million to buy Covid-19 vaccines and modern refrigeration equipment to store them The EIB also is loaning Ukraine €50 million to buy Covid-19 vaccines and modern refrigeration equipment to store them, the bank reported Friday. Earlier, the World Bank announced it would loanvUkraine...

Vaccinations are to start in Ukraine this week Vaccinations are to start in Ukraine this week, Viktor Lyashko, chief sanitary doctor and deputy health minister, said Saturday. Over the next 10 weeks, 367,000 people are to be vaccinated – largely s...

After six weeks of remote talks, an IMF team in Washington suspended its work Friday with Ukraine After six weeks of remote talks, an IMF team in Washington suspended its work Friday with Ukraine, awaiting “more progress.” Needed steps include adopting legislation to restore anti-corruption bodies...

At stake are soft loans of At stake are soft loans of: $2.9 billion from the IMF, $750 million from the World Bank and €600 million from the EU. With $29 billion in foreign currency reserves and manageable debt repayments throu...

Hours before talks were suspended, Dragon Capital wrote Hours before talks were suspended, Dragon Capital wrote: “Moderate fiscal funding needs in the coming months suggest no urgency about IMF financing…We expect a $0.7bn second tranche in July-Augu...

Friday, February 12

Before the Euro Parliament vote, Josep Borrell the Commission’s de facto foreign minister, warned: Before the Euro Parliament vote, Josep Borrell the Commission’s de facto foreign minister, warned: “Despite notable progress, widespread corruption continues to hamper Ukraine’s reform process. Its ke...