European Union

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has adopted a resolution allowing Ukraine to receive a USD 1. 5 billion loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the EU unveiled a €1. 5 billion plan to develop the continent's arms industry with the aim of increasing joint arms purchases between member states and reducing dependence on imports.

Spain asks the EU to coordinate a tougher stance on Russian LNG imports and help countries withdraw from long-term contracts with Moscow.

How did the Ukrainian energy sector fare during the second winter of the war and what's next?.

The European Commission has proposed to extend the Road Transport Agreement with Ukraine, allowing EU countries to temporarily suspend it under certain conditions.

Ukraine is asking 10 EU member states for permission to extradite war criminals and people accused of large-scale corruption.

The Verkhovna Rada postponed sessions scheduled for March 6-8 due to threats by opposition factions to slow down consideration of bills until authorized MPs are able to travel abroad.

Expert: It is difficult for Ukraine to buy Soviet-style ammunition in the world because of Russia's influence.

The head of Moldova's Information and Security Service has warned that Russia intends to interfere in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in Moldova to undermine the country's European integration and keep it in Russia's sphere of influence.

The Russian army suffered significant losses in its attempts to strengthen the offensive on the Robotic Arc in the Zaporizhzhya region of Ukraine: three MLRS were destroyed, dozens of other units of the occupier's equipment. In addition, more than 400 soldiers of the Russian army were killed and wounded.

The EU discussed Russia's war against Ukraine with China's special representative Li Hui and expressed concern over the export of dual-use goods from China to Russia, calling on Beijing to counteract it.

The EU has agreed on a preliminary revision of packaging rules that paves the way for a 15% reduction in waste by 2040 and bans plastic sauce packets and shrink wrap at airports, as well as introduces a pan-European bottle return scheme.

The European Commission is preparing to propose measures to reorient the defense industry to increase production of military products for European defense in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Macron announces France's support for the Czech plan to buy hundreds of thousands of artillery shells from non-EU countries to help Ukraine.

The European Commission may submit a proposal to use the profits from frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine's defense industry.

Russian intelligence is using a Serbian agent to infiltrate EU institutions and spread pro-Kremlin theories about the invasion of Ukraine.

During his visit to Prague, Macron will discuss France's position on the Czech plan to purchase weapons for Ukraine outside of Europe.

Lithuania supports the Czech initiative to purchase and transfer artillery ammunition to Ukraine from outside the EU to help Ukraine defend itself against russian aggression.

The German gas tariff on cross-border trade threatens EU energy solidarity and efforts to reduce dependence on Russian gas.

Polish farmers have announced a new strike at the Ukrainian border, which will last until April 30, to protest the Green Deal and restrictions on food imports from Ukraine.

Polish exports to Ukraine increased significantly to a record 51. 7 billion zlotys in 2023 amid Russia's full-scale invasion, while imports from Ukraine amounted to 20.3 billion zlotys, resulting in the largest trade surplus with Ukraine in Poland's history of 31.4 billion zlotys.

The EU Council has reached a political agreement to recommend further coordinated reductions in gas demand among member states to prepare for potential supply disruptions in the winter.

U. S. President Joe Biden has signed a decree extending sanctions against russia, imposed in 2014 after russia's aggression against Ukraine, for another year.

Belgium received €1. 7 billion in profits from russian assets and will use the funds to support Ukrainian refugees and defense needs.

Ukraine's Ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Zvarych, called on Poles to end the blockade of the border with Ukraine, which benefits russia by weakening the economies of both countries and Ukraine's defense capabilities against russian aggression.

Ukraine will not sign a new gas transit contract with russia, but is ready to facilitate transit through its pipelines if initiated by the European Union.

The level of counterfeit banknotes in Ukraine decreased in 2023 to 2. 1 counterfeits per million hryvnias, down from 2.2 in 2022, while in the EU, counterfeiting was almost eight times higher, according to the National Bank of Ukraine.

At the beginning of the full-scale russian invasion, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine signed ammunition contracts with any company that claimed to be able to provide shells due to critical need, but some companies failed to deliver, moving money abroad.

The joint venture with Rheinmetall is already providing repair services in Ukraine and plans to expand its activities to include assembly and production.

The EU is preparing sanctions against about 30 russians and companies in connection with the death of russian politician alexei navalny, which are to be approved on March 18.