How to conference call Ukraine

The ongoing crisis and instability in and around Russia and Ukraine means there are still many EU sanctions in place that could significantly affect your ability to carry out business in the region. The invasion by Russia means that all travel to the area is off and a conference call could offer your best chance to stay in touch with colleagues or clients there.

There are over 100 British companies active in this area – covering a wide range of industries, from agriculture to retail – and the UK is currently the 6th largest investor in Ukraine, having invested over £2.3 billion since 1992 (5.4% of total Foreign Direct Investment).

And so if you’re already doing business out there you’ll understand travelling to the region to meet clients and colleagues is not a viable option – in which case, our international conference call facility could become one of your most valuable business tools.

How to set up a conference call between the UK and Ukraine

Go to ConferenceCall.co.uk to get your free PIN and then click on ‘Invite Participants’ to generate an email template.

Enter the time, date and subject of the proposed conference call, choose UK and Ukraine dial-in codes, then click ‘Copy this invitation’ and paste it into an email.

You can now send this email to up to 100 participants, all of whom can join in the conference call.

Dial-in numbers to call

At the allotted time colleagues should dial the following numbers and enter your PIN:

UK participants dial 0843 373 0843 (landline)+44 843 373 0999 (when overseas) 83000 (mobile)
Ukraine participants dial 08-93239953 (from landlines) or +44 843 373 0999 (from mobiles)

Your conference call is ready to begin!

What’s the best time to call Ukraine from the UK?

Kiev is just over 1,500 miles from London but the local time is only two hours ahead of the UK, so keep this in mind when setting up calls during business hours.

Where is Ukraine?

Part of the former Soviet Union, Ukraine (not the Ukraine) is situated in south eastern Europe and is bordered by Belarus to the north, Russia to the east, Moldova and Romania to the southwest, and Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland to the west. The south of the country also has a coastline along the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.

What is the FCO advice on travelling to Ukraine?

If you’ve business interests in Ukraine, you’ll need to work with them remotely, rather than travelling to the region. As Russia Russia has started military operations in Ukraine, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advise against all travel to the country.

If you are a British national still in Ukraine, you should register your presence in Ukraine. This will allow the FCO to provide the latest information. You should also continue to read and follow FCDO Travel Advice.

Even in normal times when things are relatively calm in the region, the situation can quickly change in Ukraine. The security situation in the south-eastern parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions (known as oblasts) of Ukraine has been highly unstable for the best part of a decade due to ongoing clashes between Ukrainian armed forces and Russian-backed armed separatists.

Many public demonstrations regularly take in Ukraine and can quickly turn violent, so you should avoid any such protests.

Crime against tourists is relatively rare, but racially motivated crimes attacks are on the rise. Street crime is a problem, particularly in Kyiv, where a common scam is to engage tourists by dropping a wallet or bundle of money in front of a tourist. The scammer then “finds” the money and asks if it belongs to the tourist or offers to share the money with them. If this happens to you, always walk away without engaging in conversation.

Never let your credit card leave your sight when paying for any goods or services, and never leave food or drinks unattended as spiking is growing increasingly common.

Although, 112 can be used for all types of emergencies, including fires, gas accidents, medical and police, Ukraine currently has several emergency numbers: