European Union

The 14 member countries of the Artillery Coalition discussed a roadmap for meeting the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine until 2027. The goal is for Ukraine to achieve sustainable artillery capabilities and interoperability with NATO.

The Biden administration is considering imposing sanctions against Gazprombank. The US plans to ban American banks from cooperating with the Russian lender by the end of the month.

The EU is investigating information about a factory in China that produces drones for the Russian army. The European bloc is ready to impose sanctions against Beijing if the facts are confirmed.

Radoslav Sikorsky announced an important meeting in the Weimar Triangle Plus format next week in Warsaw. Representatives of Ukraine, France, Germany and other European countries are invited to the talks.

More than 2,000 soldiers of the Anna Kyivska Brigade have completed two months of training in France. The brigade received full equipment, including AMX 10 tanks, Caesar self-propelled artillery systems and other equipment.

The Hague hosted the third preparatory meeting for the establishment of an international Commission of Inquiry for Ukraine. Twelve new countries have joined the initiative, bringing the total number of states and the EU to 43.

The EU foreign policy chief has reported evidence of Chinese arms supplies to Russia for the war against Ukraine. The EU is considering imposing sanctions against Chinese companies, including asset freezes and entry bans.

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 Ukrainian government is attracting a concessional loan from the World Bank worth more than $1 billion, with support from Japan and Britain. The EU will allocate an additional €150 million for port restoration and other projects.

The European Union is developing a package of sanctions against tankers transporting Russian oil in circumvention of restrictions. It is planned to introduce fines for the trade participants and additional measures in early 2024.

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.

China's Landbridge Petrochemical plant has purchased 2 million barrels of African oil for delivery in January 2025. This unusual decision is attributed to the possible tightening of sanctions against Iranian oil and rising prices for Russian oil.

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.

European leaders call on the Biden administration to provide more weapons and strengthen sanctions against Russia before the end of the presidential term. The EU is preparing for a possible reduction in support for Ukraine under Trump.

The EU foreign policy chief spoke out against a diplomatic solution that would marginalize Ukraine and the EU. Borrell emphasized the need to continue supporting Ukraine even if the US position changes.

The EU Court of Justice dismissed the appeal of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine against the registration of the trademark “Russian warship, go. ..”. The court recognized the phrase as a political slogan that cannot indicate the commercial origin of goods.

US Secretary of State Blinken announced that the aid would be adapted to Ukraine's needs on the battlefield. The United States is ready to use every dollar of the $61 billion package and expects increased support from its allies.

In 2023, EU countries issued 3. 7 million primary residence permits for third-country nationals. Ukrainians, Belarusians and Indians received the most permits, with one third of all permits issued for employment.

US Secretary of State Blinken travels to Brussels to coordinate further support for Ukraine with NATO and EU partners. The visit takes place against the backdrop of Trump's election victory and North Korean troops' participation in the war on the side of Russia.

On November 12-13, Andriy Sybiga will hold a series of meetings with senior EU and NATO officials in Brussels. The key topics will be military support, EU and NATO accession, and post-election security in the United States.

Shigeru Ishiba dozed off during a parliamentary vote on his candidacy for the post of Prime Minister of Japan. The spokesman explained the incident by the effect of strong cold medicine.

In October, India and Saudi Arabia became the main importers of Russian fuel oil and gas oil. Total exports amounted to 4.15 million tons, with deliveries to India up 56% and deliveries to Saudi Arabia down 9%.

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.

Defense Minister Umerov discussed with Borrell the possibility of producing Ukrainian drones worth $11 billion. Ukraine can invest $3 billion on its own, but needs the support of partners to fully realize its potential.

The leadership of the Ministry of Finance and the NBU have started discussing the sixth review of the EFF program with IMF experts. Ukraine needs to fulfill four structural benchmarks to receive the next tranche in December.

During Borrell's fifth visit to Ukraine, the parties discussed lifting restrictions on strikes against Russian military targets. They also discussed military aid and the allocation of $50 billion from the G7.

Zelenskiy meets with Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur to discuss military aid. Estonia will provide a new support package and consider financing the production of drones in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' strikes on Russian arsenals reduced the occupier's use of artillery. The President emphasized the need for long-range weapons from Western partners to further weaken Russia's military power.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell said there were no plans for a Trump presidency in the United States. Instead, the EU is focusing on strengthening its own defense capabilities and autonomy.