European Union
The first bill of the 119th Congress of the United States calls for recognizing the actions of the Russian Federation as genocide of the Ukrainian people. The document condemns Russia's war crimes and calls for support for Ukraine together with NATO and the EU.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry denies Hungary's claims that the cessation of russian gas transit will have a negative impact on prices. Most EU countries have already adapted to the new realities, except for a few, including Hungary.
The President held a meeting on the negotiation process with the EU and expects a productive year for accession. Ukraine plans to open all negotiating clusters with the EU by 2025.
The myth of cheap medicines in Europe: what do Ukrainians say? (VIDEO).
The Biden administration plans to impose sanctions on tankers transporting Russian oil at more than $60 per barrel. The measures will also affect those involved in oil trading above the price ceiling.
The President spoke about Ukraine's most complex anti-corruption system in Europe and its results. Zelenskyy emphasized that corruption exists in the country, but all cases are severely punished.
Such a scenario would be a small success for Ukraine.
After Karl Nehammer's resignation, Austria found itself in a political crisis. The leader of the right-wing populist FPÖ party, Herbert Kieckl, has a real chance to lead the government thanks to the support of 29% of voters.
The fuel company Wissol cut out the footage of actor Andro Chichinadze, who was detained for participating in the protests, from the commercial. The company explains this by the expiration of the contract, not political motives.
Ukraine and Poland signed a memorandum on the establishment of a joint gas hub. It is planned to supply liquefied gas through the port of Świnoujście to Ukrainian underground storage facilities.
Poland did not invite the Hungarian ambassador to the EU presidency ceremony because of the granting of asylum to a suspected former deputy minister. Hungarian Minister Szijjarto called the decision “pathetic and childish.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has started expulsion proceedings against 91 foreigners, including 25 protesters against the freezing of EU accession talks. 10 people have already left the country.
A large-scale opinion poll showed that Zaluzhnyi has 24. 29% of voter support, ahead of Zelenskyy and Tymoshenko. 73.4% of Ukrainians support peace talks, and 89% believe the country's direction is wrong.
In Bratislava, 4,000 people protested against Prime Minister Fico's pro-Russian policies. Protesters with EU flags accused Fico of “treason” and called on him to “go to Moscow.
In Warsaw, thousands of farmers protest against the Green Deal and imports from Ukraine outside the European Commission. Politicians from the Confederation and Law and Justice parties are seen at the rally.
The government plans to create a mechanism for the full confiscation of Russian frozen assets this year. Ukraine expects $50 billion from the G7 and the EU to be secured by frozen Russian assets.
The President of Ukraine outlined the key elements of a just peace, including a powerful army and reliable security guarantees. Zelenskyy emphasized that NATO was the best option, and that guarantees without US participation would be weak.
Robert Fico announced that the Smer party is ready to reduce support for Ukrainian citizens in Slovakia. This is a reaction to the cessation of Russian gas transit through Ukraine, which resulted in a loss of 5 billion euros in revenue.
Chinese automakers achieved record sales in 2024, but expect a challenging 2025. Market growth will slow to 2% due to trade tensions and fierce competition.
On January 3, farmers will protest in Warsaw under the slogan “5 x STOP” against the EU and Ursula von der Leyen's policies. The participants are opposed to the Green Deal, imports from Ukraine and other EU initiatives.
Popular medicines in the EU are much more expensive than in Ukraine.
The European Commission has announced that Hungary will lose its right to EU assistance due to violations of the rule of law. The country failed to fulfill the requirements for reforms to overcome corruption and conflicts of interest by the end of 2024.
Moldova was granted the right to increase its electricity import quota from the EU from 315 MW to 600 MW. This is possible provided that the electricity is not used by other importers.
Robert Fico said that the termination of Russian gas transit through Ukraine would have a negative impact on the EU, but not on Russia. Fico announced a “two-track policy” for 2025, focused on all sides of the world.
More than UAH 100 billion remained in the single treasury account and more than UAH 163 billion in foreign currency accounts. During the year, Ukraine attracted USD 41.7 billion in external financing, of which USD 12.6 billion were non-repayable grants.
Tens of thousands of pro-European demonstrators celebrated the New Year outside Georgia's parliament, continuing their protests against the government. President Salome Zurabishvili joined the protesters, refusing to hand over power to a successor.
Starting from January 1, 2025, Ukraine will introduce new rules for compulsory motor insurance. The amount of payments will increase, the system for calculating the cost of policies will change, and a direct settlement mechanism will be introduced.
On January 1, 2025, Romania and Bulgaria officially became part of the Schengen area. Passport checks at land borders have been canceled, making it easier to travel between EU countries.
The government plans to cover the 2025 budget deficit with $36. 9 billion in external borrowings. The EU, IMF, and the US will be the main donors, and Ukraine's economy may grow by 4.3%.
President Zelenskyy said that the Hungarian and Slovak people support Ukraine, and their authorities should recognize the truth. He emphasized the importance of European unity and warned against cooperation with Russia.