The Ukrainian leader has agreed with his German counterpart that EUR 150 million, which was provided as part of a state loan from Germany, will be spent on the fight against the novel coronavirus in Ukraine.
This was discussed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a phone call, the Office of the President of Ukraine said on March 31.
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"The parties discussed the situation around the spread of the coronavirus in the world, as well as practical measures that are being taken in both countries to counter the pandemic," it said. "It was decided to check opportunities for an exchange of information related to the pandemic, in particular, regarding the standards that are being introduced to treat the disease."
The German leader also positively assessed the adoption of two draft laws on farmland and banking regulation in Ukraine. In this context, she noted the importance of an early conclusion of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding a new cooperation program.
The two officials also spoke about the need to provide additional funding for Ukraine from the European Union and the World Bank.
What is more, Zelensky informed Merkel about the current situation in Donbas, Ukraine's east. They discussed the outcome of recent consultations within the framework of the Tripartite Contact Group on Donbas. The two leaders touched on prospects for new Normandy talks as a separate subject.
