Germany has allocated to Ukraine €2 million for staff preparation for Euro-2012

Germany has allocated to Ukraine two million euro for preparation the staff which will participate in European football championship in 2012.

This information was given by Natalia Zarudnaja, the ambassador of Ukraine in Germany.

As she said, in 2009 Ukraine and Germany have signed the cooperation agreement in preparation of experts, and at present money for these projects are already allocated.

The ambassador has informed that the Ukrainian part itself will choose spheres in which there is a necessity to prepare the personnel for the Championship, having noticed that it will be people who will directly work with coming fans, soccer teams and tourists.

Zarudnaja considers that experience of Germany in the organization of mass sports actions will be interesting and useful to Ukraine.

Ukraine's main new yaer tree is lit in Kiev

Today, on friday, december 17, a ceremony of lighting Ukraine's main Christmas tree was held on Independence Square in Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and Head of Kyiv City State Administration Oleksandr Popov participated in the ceremony. Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Volodymyr blessed the Christmas tree.

"I wish you happiness! Let all our country be always united and let this single family be happy and wealthy," the Ukrainian president said while congratulating Ukrainians on the holidays.

Before the lighting of the Christmas tree, Yanukovych and Popov lit the candles from a sacred flame.

Simultaneously with the lighting of the candles the New Year illuminations on the Christmas tree were switched on. The ceremony was rounded off by a celebratory firework display and a concert.

True Santa has come to Ukraine!

Today Santa Claus has come to Ukraine from Finland! Finnish Santa is also known as Yollopuki. He travels to different countries and cities, takes part in various New Year events. 

It is believed that Yollopukki brings the Christmas spirit, and symbolizes the beginning of winter.

Santa has landed to Airport Borispil in Kiev (the capital) and after passing the customs control he immediately came to people.  

Children told the good old man, how they behaved, what they did, how they studied. 

Klitschko cancels Chisora fight

A fight between IBO/IBF/WBO world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine and British challenger Derek Chisora has been cancelled due to an injury suffered by the Ukrainian boxer, reads a statement posted on the champion.com.ua Web site.

"Wladimir has a torn abdominal muscle on his left side," a spokesman for Klitschko Management Group, Klaus-Peter Dittrich, said.

"The injury is not very serious, so Wladimir will return in two months. It's currently unknown when he will be able to face Derek, and this will depend on the doctors," Klitschko's adviser Shelley Finkel said.

Ukraine and Egypt intensify trade and economic cooperation

Ukraine is interested in enhancing bilateral trade and economic cooperation with Egypt, according to the Department of Information and Communications of the Secretariat of the CMU. The Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov said that during meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

This is the first official visit of the Egyptian Minister to Ukraine since independence.

"We call you and your Government to work actively to increase our bilateral trade and economic cooperation. In particular, the decision that we took to create a service centre for our aircraft, engines, and the cooperation in the modernization of the Egyptian defence equipment will enhance our bilateral relations" - Mykola Azarov emphasized.

Ukraine has chosen Miss Ukraine Universe -2011. Photo!

On Saturday, December 11 in Kiev the finale of the beauty contest Miss Ukraine-Universe-2011 was hold.
15 finalists competed for the title and the opportunity to represent Ukraine at the prestigious international contest Miss Universe 2011.
The winner of the contest was 22-year-old Olesya Stefanko from Odessa. The first vice-miss title went to 18-year old Anastasia Burak from Zhitomir. Second vice-miss was named 20-year-old resident of Ivano-Frankivsk Irina Samulyak. The title of Third Vice-Miss received 20-year-old Christina Kryzhanovskaya from Kiev. 

U.S. political scientist and former United States National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) Zbigniew Brzezinski has said Ukraine should continue on its course towards integration with Europe while simultaneously closely cooperating with Russia.

"Ukraine can follow the course it chose before - the course towards the West - but in close cooperation with Russia," he said during a videoconference on Thursday.

At the same time, according to Brzezinski, at present Ukraine is in a rather difficult period connected with a loss of the chance for the country to move towards Europe while maintaining stable ties with Russia.

"It seems to me this chance has been lost, and the consequences of this could influence Ukrainian democracy, national interests and sovereignty," he said.

The political scientist said that if Ukraine wants to strengthen its sovereignty and independence it should protect the Ukrainian language and the country's history.

By: www.kyivpost.com