Yesterday my latest visit to Israel started with a group of inter-parliamentary relations of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine with Israel.

From left to right: Honorary Consul of the State of Israel in Western region of Ukraine Oleg Vyshniakov, co-chairman of the parliamentary group of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of inter-parliamentary relations with the State of Israel Georgiy Longvinskiy, Minister of Defense of the Sate of Israel Avigdor Lieberman.

From left to right: Honorary Consul of the State of Israel in Western region of Ukraine Oleg Vyshniakov, Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein.

From left to right: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the State of Israel Hennadii Nadolenko, Honorary Consul of the State of Israel in Western region of Ukraine Oleg Vyshniakov.

From left to right: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the State of Israel Hennadii Nadolenko, Honorary Consul of the State of Israel in Western region of Ukraine Oleg Vyshniakov,  Minister of Immigration and Absorption Sofa Landver, MP of Ukraine, co-chairman of the parliamentary group of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of inter-parliamentary relations with the State of Israel Georgiy Longvinskiy.

From left to right: Deputy Chairman of the Knesset, co-chairman of the parliamentary group of the Knesset of inter-parliamentary relations with Ukraine Tali Ploskov, MP of Ukraine, co-chairman of the parliamentary group of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of inter-parliamentary relations with the State of Israel Georgiy Longvinskiy, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the State of Israel Hennadii Nadolenko, Honorary Consul of the State of Israel in Western region of Ukraine Oleg Vyshniakov

I think this visit is one of the most successful and productive in the development of the Ukrainian-Israeli relations.

Yesterday’s main event was the news of the agreement between the governments of Ukraine and Israel about providing work positions for Ukrainian builders. Over a year our builders will be able to live, study and work in Israel on the general conditions with Israelis - with the appropriate social security and health insurance. An important fact is that their average salary will be about 2500 US dollars. The collaborative group of Ukrainian and Israeli experts on the basis of the State Employment Service will pick out employees for Israel. In order to apply for a job, you need to go to any of the regional center of employment, fill in the documents, submit a medical certificate and pass an appropriate examination. Then you can safely go to work in Israel. At the first stage, Israel has provided work positions for four specialties – they are specialists who work with building constructions and metals, and also tilers and plasterers.

There were also a number of meetings yesterday. In particular, our group of friendship, ministers, and diplomats visited the Israeli parliament: met with deputies, attended the plenary session. First, we were taken by the head of the parliamentary group of Israel-Ukraine Tali Ploskov. Mrs. Ploskov visited Ukraine repeatedly, knows and understands the perspectives of cooperation between our two countries, and is making great efforts to implement them.

Later I met with Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein, whom I don’t just know well, but also we have been friends for a long time. By right, I can call Mr. Edelstein a great friend of Ukraine. “We recognize the integrity of Ukraine and do not recognize any formations that have arisen in its territory”, - sounded Speaker of the Knesset Israel's position toward Ukraine.

Meeting with new Israel Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman was interesting and productive. Mr. Minister told, that Ukrainians and Israelis are in a similar situation, as well as they understand each other. I am confident that with the advece to the post of Defense Minister Mr. Lieberman will bring relations between Ukraine and Israel to the next level. This is shown by the willingness with which the Minister responded to reports of Israeli drones in occupied Donbass. Mr. Lieberman has promised our delegation to personally investigate the situation and to give a thorough answer.

Also our group had a meeting with Mrs. Sofa Landver – Minister of Immigration and Absorption, who is a frequent guest in Ukraine and who from the first hands knows about situation in the state. We have discussed repatriates’ integration program, talked about how to solve the problem of unemployment, and more.

The day was very busy, but very productive. I am pleased with the agreements reached and am confident that the business visit was another incentive to improve cooperation between Ukraine and Israel.