European Union

Ukraine and the EU have begun consultative meetings in Brussels to conduct an official inspection of food security, veterinary and phytosanitary policies as part of Ukraine's accession negotiations with the EU.

The Council of the European Union has approved a mandate for negotiations with Ukraine on the extension of the Agreement on the Liberalization of Freight Transport, which will allow Ukraine to continue freight transportation without permits until at least June 2025.

According to CASE Ukraine senior economist Volodymyr Dubrovsky, the draft law on the “white business club” proposed by Danylo Hetmantsev is aimed at dividing entrepreneurs and undermining their efforts to reform the tax system.

The G7 energy ministers are discussing setting a common target date of 2035 for the closure of coal-fired power plants, a significant step toward the phase-out of fossil fuels.

Stefanchuk met with Polish MPs to discuss military support, Zelenskyy's Peace Formula, Ukraine's path to the EU and NATO, and post-war reconstruction.

The European Commission's new package of sanctions against Russia should target Russia's "shadow fleet," liquefied natural gas, and circumvention of the restrictions imposed.

The American fund Argentem Creek Partners, which is suing for a grain terminal in Odesa, is financing the business of Russians close to Rosneft, foreign media reports.

The EU and the US have expressed concern over Iraq's new law criminalizing LGBTQ+ relationships with up to 15 years in prison, criticizing it as a threat to human rights and freedoms.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will announce at noon whether he will resign over corruption charges against his wife.

China's intelligence chief promises a "powerful offensive" to combat espionage and eliminate traitors amid a barrage of espionage accusations from Europe and the United States.

The National Bank of Ukraine has set the official hryvnia exchange rate at 39. 6015 UAH/USD, strengthening the hryvnia by 7 kopecks.

Turkey is seeking a long-term agreement with ExxonMobil to import up to 2. 5 million tons of LNG annually, which would reduce its dependence on russian gas supplies.

Italy is ready to support EU sanctions on russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), as it has diversified its gas supplies and can do without russian gas entirely.

Latvia has donated a 250 MVA transformer, compressor, and transformer oil to Ukraine to help supply power and heat critical infrastructure after the russian missile attacks.

Germany opposes the confiscation of $300 billion in frozen russian assets for Ukraine's reconstruction and military aid, fearing it would set a precedent that could lead to new lawsuits against Germany for World War II crimes.

During a protest against the law on "foreign agents" in Tbilisi, clashes broke out between activists and law enforcement. Police used tear gas against protesters who tried to enter the parliament building.

On Sunday, April 28, activists gathered in Tbilisi for another protest against the draft law on "foreign agents," chanting "No to the Russian law. Yes to Europe" and marched to the parliament, surrounding the building with a symbolic "human chain"

Macron is calling for a debate on the role of nuclear weapons in Europe's common defense, proposing to discuss missile defense, long-range capabilities, and nuclear weapons for countries that have them or host US nuclear weapons.

Russians damaged energy facilities and the natural gas transportation system in the west of the country during a massive missile attack on April 27.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland said that Ukraine should take the initiative in the ethically ambiguous issue of returning Ukrainians of military age from Poland.

President Zelenskyy called on leaders to stand in solidarity against Russian terror around the clock so that the terrorists are defeated. Ukraine is preparing for new communication with its partners to strengthen its position and convince Moscow that the war will not benefit them.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine inspected the construction of the second level of defense at power substations during a visit to Volyn and Lviv regions, assuring that the work would be completed in time to strengthen the protection of energy facilities from Russian attacks.

Russia has launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine's gas facilities, which are crucial for gas supplies to the European Union. Some of the missiles were shot down by Ukrainian air defense systems.

Ukraine and Denmark sign a letter of intent for Denmark to purchase Ukrainian military equipment to be transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Russia will look for ways to circumvent EU sanctions on its liquefied natural gas operations, threatening that if it finds them, it will have the opposite effect on European industry.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met in Kyiv with Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže to discuss further support for Ukraine, including military assistance, EU and NATO integration, increased sanctions against Russia, and confiscation of Russian assets.

Spain will send Patriot missiles to Ukraine, which will arrive at the logistics base within four days, and provide other military assistance, including machine guns, vehicles, anti-tank weapons, and howitzers over the next two months.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba discussed with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares further military assistance and steps to strengthen Ukraine's air defense.

The Ukrainian government has allocated UAH 1 billion to compensate farmers for up to 25% of the cost of agricultural machinery purchased under the "Made in Ukraine" program, which aims to support domestic producers, and it is expected that about 4,000 farmers will benefit from this government support.

The total amount of damage caused to the Chornobyl nuclear power plant during the russian occupation reaches UAH 3 billion, including the cost of demining the area around the plant.