11/02/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Leaders of the "Normandy Four" held talks to settle the crisis in the Donbass

02/11/2015 Daily Highlights by "Digests & Analytics - Ukraine" News Agency

Topics of the day

Leaders of the "Normandy Four" held talks to settle the crisis in the Donbass in Minsk. The negotiations between Ukraine and the IMF are near completion. Ukrainian army keeps Debaltsevo foothold. Donetsk and Lugansk shelled again by militants.

Key Events of Ukraine

• The Verkhovna Rada adopted a law on the use of open public funds, according to which all the information on public procurement and the budgets of state and municipal enterprises will be open to public. Access to the information on public finances, posted on its website, will be free.
• The Cabinet of Ministers is ready to amend the law on the single social contribution, as the current model does not work.
• SBU uncovered the scheme in government procurement of drugs due to which the budget has lost more than 1 billion 200 million UAH.
• President Poroshenko signed a decree on celebration of the Memorial Day of Heroes of Hundred of Heaven on the 20th of February.
• Ukraine has purchased coal for $145 million and more than for $4 million - electricity in January. The main energy supplier - Russia.
• Negotiations with the IMF are in the final stage. Ukraine hopes to get the next tranche of the loan in March. According to the Minister of Finance Yaresko Ukraine will need to make changes to the budget in 2015 for approval of a new cooperation program with the IMF.
• Hryvnia continues to fall: 25.56 UAH / USD (+0.72 UAH), 28.87 UAH/EUR (+0,86 UAH) 3.91 UAH / 10 RUR (+0.17 UAH).

Kyiv Life

• Eight checkpoints installed at the entrances to the capital to strengthen security measures.

Ukraine at War

• Fierce fighting in the area of Debaltsevo foothold do not stop. Despite militants statements Ukrainian troops are not in the besiegement.
• The commander of the land forces of USA in Europe, General Hodges sure that regular Russian troops are involved.
• President Poroshenko once again stated that the deterioration of the situation in Donbass can impose martial law.
• Battalion Azov successfully conducted offensive at Mariupol and entrenched on the far outskirts of the city.
• During the massive shelling of Donetsk at least six people were killed. Lugansk also was shelled. According to experts, Russia with these actions is preparing the ground for the introduction of its "peacekeepers" like the Georgian version.
• The US instructors will start training three battalions of the Ukrainian military.

Ukraine and the World

• Negotiations for a peaceful settlement in Donbass between the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany started in Minsk. After midnight, they continued in a narrow format. Russia insists on the financial obligations of Ukraine on the support of the Donbas, full federalization and denies the possibility of control of the state border by Ukrainian security forces. The State Department said the United States are closely watching the progress of the Minsk talks.
• Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations Sergeyev said that the organization has completely lost its capacity in dealing with crisis issues, and the Security Council must be reformed immediately.
• According to British Prime Minister Cameron, the recognition of Ukraine as zone of influence and "appeasement" of Russia would mean encouraging aggression.
• OPEC refused Russia as an observer. At the same Russia can not become a member of the organization, because of the ownership structure of the oil and gas business.
• USA took first place in the world in oil production, pushing Russia to second.
• Latvian Prime Minister Straujuma said that preparations for "hybrid war" with Russia are already noticeable in the information space of the country.
• Negotiations on granting Greece an additional loan to take the country from crisis are not successful yet.