In 2023, more than 7,000 departure orders were issued to Russian citizens, 34% more than in 2022, with Germany expelling the most Russians - 2,000.
44 countries support the creation of a special tribunal to investigate and prosecute the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine, and the Netherlands has offered to host it.
At the end of the winter gas withdrawal season, European gas storage facilities were 59% full, a record high for this time of year, allowing the EU to have enough gas for the next winter and reduce its dependence on Russian gas imports.
Romania and Bulgaria have partially joined the Schengen area for air and sea travel, allowing free movement without document checks, but land border controls remain in place due to Austria's opposition on migration grounds.
On the last Saturday of March, 190 countries around the world participate in Earth Hour, turning off their lights for one hour to promote energy efficiency and smart resource consumption, the largest environmental movement in the world.
Today marks International Mermaid Day, which honors the mythical sea creatures that have captured the human imagination for centuries.
UNESCO has approved an emergency assistance program to monitor and address the environmental damage caused by Russia's destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine, mobilizing more than $66 million to restore Ukraine's cultural heritage, education and science affected by Russian aggression.
A new international rail route connecting Prague, Kosice, and Chop has been launched, with daily rail service operated by Ukrzaliznytsia and RegioJet, offering a 13-hour journey between Prague and Chop.
Ukraine will lose millions in potential profits due to new EU restrictions on duty-free imports of agricultural products from Ukraine, which take into account the reduced imports from the second half of 2021.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, a famous actor, underwent surgery to install a pacemaker due to a congenital heart defect and is recovering well.
Ukraine may withdraw from the list of "international sponsors of war" due to pressure from China, France, Austria, and Hungary on companies that are on the list despite supporting Ukraine.
In the semifinals of the Euro 2024 playoffs, Ukraine will play Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the winner will face Israel or Iceland for a ticket to the tournament.
Austria has expelled two Russian diplomats for actions incompatible with their diplomatic status, bringing the total number of Russian diplomats expelled since the summer of 2020 to 11.
During the spring school holidays in Ukraine, Ukrzaliznytsia will run additional trains to such popular destinations as Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Vorokhta and others.
The EU will propose a negotiation framework for the accession of Ukraine and Moldova, but formal negotiations are unlikely to begin before the June 2024 European Parliament elections due to the need for agreement among all 27 EU member states.
In Spain, the victims of terrorist attacks on several trains in Madrid in 2004 are remembered. The attacks killed 192 people and injured almost 2,000.
Starting March 18, Ukrzaliznytsia will launch online ticket sales for routes to Austria and Hungary, first in the Ukraine-Austria direction, and later in the Ukraine-Hungary direction via Austria.
Foreign companies from Austria, Germany, and Turkey have begun rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine, expecting large investment opportunities after the conflict ends, Bloomberg reports.
Kristina Piskova, a 24-year-old student and model from the Czech Republic, won the 71st Miss World beauty pageant in 2023.
Starting March 14, China will extend its visa-free regime to six countries - Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg - on a pilot basis.
Austria has approved the expansion of its gas pipeline with Germany to gain greater independence from Russian gas.
Ukraine's Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko has ruled out any possibility of commercial agreements to continue transporting Russian gas through Ukraine after the expiration of the current transit agreement.
Ukraine is asking 10 EU member states for permission to extradite war criminals and people accused of large-scale corruption.
The German gas tariff on cross-border trade threatens EU energy solidarity and efforts to reduce dependence on Russian gas.
Ukrainian athletes won 7 awards at the European Airgun Championships in Hungary, including 2 gold medals.
Alexei Navalny was buried in Moscow, surrounded by heavy security and a large crowd of people wishing to say goodbye to the politician.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer warned against an "escalation spiral" in Russia's war against Ukraine and pointed out that new solutions are needed to bring it to a peaceful conclusion, including with the involvement of BRICS countries such as China and India.
The EU is preparing to completely cut off Russian gas supplies through Ukraine by the end of the year, as it has already sharply reduced its imports of Russian gas, oil, and coal over the past two years.
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg reacted to French President Emmanuel Macron's words that sending Western troops to Ukraine should not be ruled out, saying that there is no consensus on this issue.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba claims that frozen Russian assets in Western countries could cover a significant portion of the costs of rebuilding and defending Ukraine from Russian invasion.
