Israel to give Ukraine $200 mln in loan guarantees for healthcare, civilian infrastructure projects

MOSCOW. Feb 17 (Interfax) - Israel intends to provide Ukraine with up to $200 million in loan guarantees for healthcare and civilian infrastructure, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said.

"Israel extended a considerable amount of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine last year, including the deployment of the Shining Star field hospital," Ukrainian media quoted Cohen as saying at a joint press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Dmitry Kuleba in Kiev on Thursday.

Cohen assured Ukraine that Israel would continue to support it. In particular, he announced "loan guarantees of up to $200 million to finance Israeli projects in the field of healthcare and civilian infrastructure."

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, in turn, has invited Israel to join the implementation of the Peace Formula plan.

"Israel has always been an important partner in the Middle East. During the meeting with Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, we discussed steps to deepen bilateral cooperation in different areas," Ukrainian media outlets quoted Zelensky as saying in a social media post on Thursday.

"I hope that this visit will help further deepen our cooperation," he said.

Ukrainian media outlets also reported, citing a statement made by Cohen, who visited Kiev on Thursday, that Israel's embassy has reopened in the Ukrainian capital.

"Ukraine is a friend of Israel, and further activities of the embassy and employees, who are working here in challenging conditions, will make relations between the countries stronger," Cohen said on social media on Thursday.