Ukraine set to make Pesach, Chanukah and Rosh Hashanah official holidays

Ukraine is looking set to grant Pesach, Chanukah and Rosh Hashanah official status, according to the country’s president.

Volodymyr Zelensky made the announcement in a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week, during which the two leaders also discussed an Israel-Ukraine trade agreement.

In a statement from the president’s office, Zelensky’s spokesman said the Ukrainian leader had congratulated Netanyahu on last week’s announcement that Israel and the United Arab Emirates were normalising ties.

After updating Netanyahu on the stalemate military position against Russian-backed rebels in the east of Ukraine, Zelensky paid tribute to the UAE tie-up as “an historic achievement and a clear example of the opportunities for dialog and diplomacy that other countries in the region can follow”.

He was speaking on the day that Ukraine registered its highest daily total of confirmed coronavirus cases, adding that Kiev would be interested in buying any Israeli-made vaccine. “Ukraine should be among Israel’s friends who will be the first to join the study and use of the vaccine,” said Zelensky.

Netanyahu said Jerusalem would “soon complete ratification” of the Israel-Ukraine Free Trade Area Agreement, which Zelensky said was “a long-awaited step”.