Brussels
The State Tax Service of Ukraine presented the results of reforming the sphere of tax administration to the European Union. Ukraine is ready to work according to European rules.
Ukrainian refugees in Brussels have created a choir that performs in the European Parliament and at festivals. Singing helps them cope with stress and promote Ukrainian culture.
Canada will provide Ukraine with $23. 8 million in military aid. The funds will go towards Coyote and Bison armored vehicles, new equipment, ammunition, and electronic warfare systems.
Russian attacks in Ukraine have led to more than 8,000 crimes against the environment, causing €85 billion in damage. The war has heightened attention to the protection of environmental resources.
Influential investor Stephen P. Lynch seeks to acquire a Russian pipeline. The White House is considering cooperation with the Kremlin on gas supplies to Europe, which is causing concern in Germany.
Pete Hegseth emphasized that NATO members should actively invest in their own defense. Countries must reach the target of defense spending at 5% of GDP.
The NATO summit in The Hague will decide how much to spend on defense in the future and discuss a new investment plan. It is important to be able to defend ourselves not only today, but also in a few years.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of strengthening Ukraine's air defense, in particular through the localization of production, and increasing the volume of weapons production.
The German Defense Minister stressed the importance of supporting Ukraine in the war, noting that peace is possible only on the conditions of its freedom and sovereignty. Russia is defeated because Ukrainians are defending their land.
The 28th meeting of the Contact Group on the Defense of Ukraine has begun in Brussels. For the first time in 3 years, the head of the Pentagon is not participating.
NATO defense ministers will discuss support for Ukraine and strengthening deterrence. Priorities include air defense, long-range weapons, and increased defense production.
Mark Rutte assured that the US will be represented at the "Ramstein" format meeting, despite reports of the absence of the Secretary of Defense. He emphasized the full commitment of the US to supporting Ukraine.
EU officials are discussing possible actions by Trump, including a complete curtailment of support for Ukraine and the start of a large-scale trade war. Official Brussels fears that Trump will combine these issues into a tool of pressure.
The US Secretary of Defense will not be present at the "Ramstein" format meeting. This happened after Macron's warning about the risks of double standards.
Great Britain has promised Ukraine 100,000 drones by April 2026, which is ten times more than before. The country has also completed the dispatch of 140,000 artillery shells.
The Hungarian Prime Minister stated that he would oppose Ukraine's accession to the EU, justifying this by protecting Hungarian interests. He believes that it will harm European families.
The Alliance seeks to fill a key gap in response to the threat of Russian aggression. Defense ministers of member states will discuss this issue in Brussels.
Despite the US call for coordinated action, a new package of EU sanctions against Russia is unlikely to be ready for the G7 summit. Hungary may block some proposals.
International consulting company Colliers believes that the election of Karol Nawrocki as President of Poland will not change the country's economic growth forecasts, but the cost of his promises will affect investment attractiveness.
A small underground fire broke out in Brussels near the Europa building, where EU summits are held, due to burning electric cables. Emergency services quickly extinguished the fire, and there were no casualties.
The EU is preparing a new mobile application for age verification that will allow confirming age without disclosing personal data. This step aims to enhance the protection of children online and will be the first stage towards the launch of the EU digital wallet in 2026.
Marta Kos stated that all clusters in the negotiations regarding Ukraine's accession to the EU could be opened this year. She is optimistic that Cluster 1 will be opened as early as June.
Oleksiy Chernyshov stated that Ukraine defends the rights of its citizens who were forced to leave due to the aggression of the Russian Federation. He noted that together with partners they will work on extending the temporary protection status for Ukrainians in the EU.
According to media reports, EU-US talks on combating evasion of sanctions against Russia have failed. An EU special representative announced a break in communications with the American side.
Mark Rutte emphasized the need to increase defense spending and weapons production to counter threats. Allies need to invest more to achieve their goals.
The introduction of EU duties on Ukrainian agricultural products may cause economic damage to Ukraine and undermine confidence in Europe. This will reduce Ukraine's export revenue to 3.5 billion euros.
On May 27, the EU Council will discuss the suspension of Hungary's voting rights due to violations of EU values. This is the eighth hearing within the framework of the procedure initiated by the European Parliament in 2018.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Netherlands and 7 other EU countries have called for an urgent strengthening of civil preparedness for man-made and natural disasters. They insist on accelerating work on threat analysis.
The EU Council has decided to open another 8 chapters of membership negotiations with Albania within the "Competition and Inclusive Growth" cluster. Benchmarks have been set for the provisional closure of these chapters.
Kęstutis Budrys stated that the 18th package of EU sanctions should target the Russian energy sector, including gas, oil, nuclear fuel, as well as financial institutions. He called for breaking the "vicious circle" of Russia avoiding punishment.