The IMF will soon launch a mission to Ukraine to assess the country's financial needs and discuss a potential new lending program. IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack emphasized the importance of a robust anti-corruption architecture in Ukraine.
According to a European Commission study, 46 road fatalities per million inhabitants were recorded in the EU in 2023. The highest mortality rates are observed in the southeastern regions, particularly in Bulgaria, Greece, France, and Romania.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the possibility of issuing joint EU debt to support Ukraine. This will happen if the plan to use frozen Russian assets fails due to Belgium's blocking.
EU ministers discussed financing for Ukraine, supporting the idea of a reparations loan. This option is considered the most feasible for covering the deficit without additional burden on member states.
The European Commission has launched a new investigation into Google to assess whether the company is downgrading news agencies and other publisher sites that host sponsored content. This investigation under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) aims to ensure that news publishers do not lose important revenue.
Ukraine received €5. 9 billion from the European Union, of which €4.1 billion came as part of the ERA Loans mechanism from the profits of frozen Russian assets. Another €1.8 billion was allocated within the framework of the Ukraine Facility, which confirms Ukraine's movement along the path of reforms and European integration.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed the allocation of almost 6 billion euros to Ukraine under the ERA loan and the Ukraine Facility. The European Council also committed to covering Ukraine's financial needs over the next two years, considering three funding options, including a reparations loan based on immobilized Russian assets.
The Irish media regulator Coimisiún na Meán has launched an investigation into the social network X for failing to remove illegal content. This is the first official investigation under the EU's Digital Services Act, and the company faces a fine of up to 6% of its annual global turnover.
Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak met with the Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine, Katarína Mathernová. They discussed, in particular, the prospects of Ukraine receiving a "reparations loan" from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets.
Ukraine expects a tranche of direct budget assistance from the EU totaling 6 billion euros on November 13. The funds include 4.1 billion euros under ERA loans and 1.9 billion euros under the Ukraine Facility.
A number of European countries will receive additional support from the EU to overcome the growing migration burden. The new mechanism will become operational after the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum comes into force in mid-2026.
The European Commission plans to designate WhatsApp's open channels as a "very large online platform" under the Digital Services Act, which will require adherence to high content moderation standards. This decision applies to channels that are open news feeds and have over 45 million users in Europe, without affecting personal messages.
The European Commission has begun establishing a new intelligence body to improve the use of information from national intelligence services. The unit, being formed within the European Commission's Secretariat-General, will recruit staff from the EU intelligence community.
The European Union has imposed a ban on Russian oil imports, making exceptions for Hungary and Slovakia for their energy security. Brussels wants to completely abandon Russian energy carriers by the end of 2027.
The European Commission is exploring the possibility of obliging EU member states to gradually remove Huawei and ZTE from their telecommunications networks. This could turn a 2020 recommendation into a legal requirement due to deteriorating trade and political ties with China.
The European Union will discuss two main ways to raise financial support for Ukraine: borrowing or using frozen Russian assets. EU finance ministers are meeting in Brussels after pledging to cover Ukraine's needs in 2026-2027.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen avoided a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the COP30 conference due to Brussels' demands for London to pay billions of euros. The British leader wanted to discuss dissatisfaction with EU demands for a payment of up to 6.5 billion euros to participate in the "credits for weapons" program and contributions to the EU budget.
The European Commission proposes to permanently freeze Russian assets in the EU and use the proceeds to finance Ukraine. Rejection of this plan could lead to annual EU expenditures of 5.6 billion euros, affecting the deficit and debt of individual states.
Romania and Bulgaria are trying to prevent the shutdown of their critical oil refineries as US sanctions against their Russian owners take effect on November 21. Bulgaria is considering nationalizing Lukoil's refinery in Burgas, while Romania views nationalization as a "last resort" for the Petrotel refinery.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said that his country would not support the European Union's idea of using Russian assets to cover Ukraine's military expenses. Fico will not support the use of 140 billion euros from frozen Russian assets to go towards Ukraine's reconstruction or aid.
Representatives of the EU and the Belgian government have not reached an agreement on the use of frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine. Belgium demands legal guarantees and fears lawsuits, while the EU insists on a plan to use 140 billion euros.
The European Union plans to establish a Center for Democratic Resilience to counter disinformation from Russia and other authoritarian regimes. This step is a response to the intensification of hybrid attacks and the spread of fake materials on social networks.
The United States fully supports the European Union's use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. The EU proposes to use up to 185 billion euros of Russian sovereign assets frozen in Europe without confiscating them.
EU countries could pay up to 5. 6 billion euros in interest payments annually if they do not agree on 140 billion euros for Ukraine, secured by Russian assets. The European Commission sent a document to EU capitals, highlighting the financial consequences of rejecting this plan.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius suggested that drone sightings over Belgium could be related to discussions about the use of frozen Russian assets. Belgium holds 183 billion euros in Russian assets, which constitutes the majority of all Russian state assets in the EU.
The European Commission is tightening visa rules for Russian citizens due to increasing security risks. Russians will no longer be able to obtain multiple-entry visas, requiring a new application for each trip to the EU.
The EU introduced a new entry-exit system (EES) on October 12, which involves collecting biometric data from non-EU citizens. Currently, all checkpoints on the border with Hungary and Poland are connected to the system, and no traffic complications have been observed.
Five countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in energy and reaffirmed their commitment to diversifying gas supplies to Europe. This will reduce dependence on Russian energy resources; opportunities to increase American LNG supplies were discussed.
The European Council and Parliament have agreed to accelerate investments in the EU defense industry as part of the ReArm Europe plan. Ukraine will gain access to the European Defense Fund for joint developments.
The Georgian authorities have initiated new criminal cases against former President Mikheil Saakashvili and other opposition politicians. They are accused of sabotage, aiding hostile activities, and calling for the overthrow of the government.
