The Ukrainian government announced on Friday that it will open a special office to promote innovation and investment in Jerusalem. According to the announcement, the new office will be considered a diplomatic representation and will be added to the existing institutions of the Ukrainian Embassy in Israel operating in Tel Aviv. Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz welcomed the move, stating that "the opening of the office is the result of Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit to Kiev this summer and is a strong expression of the strong political relations between the two countries, as well as the commitment of both to continue to advance in all areas, with emphasis on economic cooperation, including the worlds of innovation and hi-tech." "I instructed the ministry's management to immediately deal with the implementation of the decision. This is an important achievement in strengthening and promoting the status of Jerusalem in the world," added Katz. Earlier this year, nearly one-fifth of Ukraine parliament members co-signed a draft resolution urging their new president to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the embassy there. US President Donald Trump in 2017 recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and later relocated the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Following Trump’s announcement, Guatemala also relocated its embassy to Jerusalem. Paraguay moved its embassy to Jerusalem as well, but Paraguayan President Mario Abdo later reversed the previous administration’s decision and said his country’s embassy would move back to Tel Aviv. Romania and Honduras have both announced plans to relocate their countries’ embassies in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, while Hungary opened a new trade office in western Jerusalem in March. (Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)
