European Commission

The president of Ukraine congratulated the head of the European Commission on the approval of the new composition of Commissioners. Von der Leyen stressed the importance of European security and the need to increase defense spending.

The European Parliament voted to approve the second European Commission under the leadership of Ursula von der Leyen. The new composition received 370 votes in favor and is expected to begin work on December 1, 2024.

Google plans to change the display of search results in Europe after complaints from competitors about reduced traffic. The company will also remove hotel maps in three countries, although some competitors consider these changes insufficient.

The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Poland stated that there are no obstacles to the exhumation of victims of the Volyn tragedy. They also discussed support for Ukraine's accession to the EU and the issue of border blockade.

The European Commission has accused Bluesky of violating the Digital Services Act by failing to provide mandatory information. The company has engaged lawyers to resolve the issue of compliance with EU requirements.

The EU plans to include Chinese companies that help russia produce drones in the 15th sanctions package. Control over russian oil tankers will also be tightened to avoid sanctions circumvention.

The NABU Audit Commission has approved the criteria and methodology for assessing the bureau's work for the period from March 2023 to November 2024. The audit will cover five key areas of activity, including corruption investigations and international cooperation.

The European Commission has announced the 15th package of sanctions against Russia, which is expected to be presented next week. The package will not contain economic restrictions, but will expand the blacklist of individuals and companies.

The Spanish Government is preparing a national civil protection plan to counter military threats. The plan will be part of a new five-year National Civil Protection Strategy.

NATO and Ukraine will hold talks on November 26 over Russia's launch of an experimental hypersonic missile. The meeting will be held at the ambassadorial level after the strike on the Dnipro River, where ICBMs and other missiles were fired.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed that Russia used an intercontinental ballistic missile against Ukraine. British intelligence agencies and the EU are checking information about the ICBM launch, which could mean a new escalation.

A spokesman for the European Commission warned of a possible new escalation if the launch of an ICBM against Ukraine is confirmed.

The President of the European Commission, who has a medical degree, helped a passenger on a flight from Zurich to Brussels. The incident occurred on her way back from the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Romania and Bulgaria will join the Schengen area by land in January 2025. This will allow the countries to avoid multibillion-dollar economic losses and increase their growth rates.

NABU's Public Control Council criticizes the lack of criteria and deadlines for an independent audit of the bureau. The PIC will set up a working group to study the mechanism of the audit after the results are made public.

EU military spending in 2024 will amount to 326 billion euros, which is 1. 9% of the Union's GDP. 17 member states will sign agreements on joint air defense and military research and development projects.

The relevant committee of the Rada recommended to cancel the requirement of a 75% passing score for cognitive testing of HACC judges. Experts believe that this will increase the court's dependence on the NABU and the SAPO.

Brussels sends a technical mission to assess the situation in Georgia. The country's president and opposition do not recognize the results due to massive violations and falsifications.

The ECHR found violations of lawyer Sergienko's rights by NABU detectives during his detention. Ukraine must pay compensation for ill-treatment and improper investigation of the incident.

Russia halted gas transit to Austria via Ukraine after OMV offset €230 million in arbitration fees. Von der Leyen announces that the EU is ready for winter and that gas storage facilities are fully filled.

The disbursement of a €4. 1 billion tranche of EU aid to Ukraine is pending approval by the EU Council. The European Commission hopes to make the payment by the end of 2023.

The NBU set the official hryvnia exchange rate at UAH 41. 24/USD, which strengthened the hryvnia by 10 kopecks. Different exchange rates were observed on the interbank market, in banks and exchange offices.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine meets with the IMF mission led by Gavin Gray in Kyiv. Ukraine expects to receive a tranche of USD 1.1 bn in late December after fulfilling all structural benchmarks.

The European Commission has approved the disbursement of EUR 4. 1 billion to Ukraine under the Ukraine Facility after the required benchmarks have been met. The total amount of support for the year will reach EUR 16.1 billion after approval by the EU Council.

The German Ministry of Economy has ordered Deutsche Energy Terminal to stop supplying Russian LNG. The decision was made after the announcement of planned gas supplies from Russia to the Brunsbüttel terminal.

A Kharkiv-based human rights group has reported regular violations of the presumption of innocence in high-profile cases by the NABU. The bureau's detectives pass information to activists in almost all investigations.

Shmyhal and Borrell discussed cooperation within the European Peace Fund and the development of the Ukrainian defense industry. Ukraine expects to receive 1 million rounds of ammunition by the end of the year and is counting on support for weapons production.

The European Parliament is considering a resolution to strengthen control over Russian oil tankers and their insurance. The document envisages systematic sanctions and enhanced satellite monitoring of the vessels.

The European Union is discussing the possibility of continuing to support Ukraine in the event of a Trump administration. The EU has already provided €118 billion in aid, but is critically dependent on American military resources.

The President of the European Commission congratulated Donald Trump on his election victory. The parties discussed Ukraine's defense, trade, energy, and strengthening ties between the EU and the US.