First Lady Olena Zelenska and Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha met with the Rector of Kobe Gakuin University in Japan. The institution joined the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies, becoming the first participant from Japan in this initiative.
An international coalition, led by Canada and Ukraine, called on Russia to unconditionally return abducted Ukrainian children. 38 countries, the Council of Europe, and the EU signed a joint statement, emphasizing the violation of international law.
Estonia sent 22 police vehicles to Ukraine, including Volkswagen Amarok, Škoda Scala, and Nissan Patrol. They are intended for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and the police of Kherson, Zhytomyr, Sumy, and Chernihiv.
The Estonian Ministry of Defense announced the possible deployment of a German-Dutch NATO corps in Pärnu. This is part of the Alliance's strategic plan for the Baltic region, which involves creating infrastructure for 100-200 people.
The number of representatives of Georgia's ruling party "Georgian Dream" and related individuals who have fallen under Western sanctions has exceeded 230. Restrictions were imposed by the USA, Great Britain, the Baltic states, the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, and Ukraine.
Defense ministers of the Baltic states did not receive guarantees from the US regarding maintaining the number of American troops on NATO's eastern flank. The US promises to discuss a possible troop withdrawal with allies.
Ukraine's leading allies in Europe plan to approach the EU for tens of billions of euros in loans for joint procurement of weapons for Ukraine and to strengthen their own defense. The SAFE program envisages loans for weapons, financed by EU debt with a 45-year repayment period.
Nine countries have officially expressed interest in borrowing funds from the EU military procurement program SAFE by the deadline. Poland plans to request 25 billion euros, and Greece – at least 1.2 billion euros.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with President of Estonia Alar Karis, discussing Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure and an invitation to Kyiv. The leaders also discussed Estonia's contribution to strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities and scaling up cooperation.
The Russian border ship "Sochi 500" of the "Svetlyak" series violated Estonia's maritime border east of Vaindloo Island on the morning of July 26, remaining in Estonian waters for about 35 minutes. The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the interim chargé d'affaires of the Russian embassy to hand over a note of protest.
Estonia reports an increase in Russian electronic warfare systems near its borders. Additional signal jamming equipment has been deployed to the Kingisepp area, 20 km from the Estonian border.
The ICRC, together with the National Police of Ukraine and the Commissioner for Missing Persons, will conduct DNA sample collection in the Baltic and Northern European countries. Applications are accepted until July 31, 2025, to search for missing relatives.
Estonia has made sanctions against Belarus indefinite, extending the entry ban for 273 regime representatives, including Oleksandr Lukashenka. This decision is due to the unchanged human rights situation and Minsk's support for Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
Ukrainian epee fencer Vlada Kharkova won a gold medal at the Fencing World Championships in Tbilisi. This is the first "gold" for Ukrainian women's epee fencing in 22 years.
The Viru County Court sentenced Russian citizen Pavel Kapustin to 6. 5 years in prison for spying for the FSB, providing false information, and violating international sanctions. His property worth about 90,000 euros, obtained from illegal activities, was also confiscated.
A number of countries issued a joint statement, calling on Israel to cease hostilities in the Gaza Strip due to the suffering of the civilian population. The Israeli Prime Minister's advisor called this statement a "delusion" that sends Hamas a "wrong and dangerous signal" because it does not pressure the group.
On July 21, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed new ambassadors to a number of countries and international organizations. Among the appointments are ambassadors to Kenya, Kuwait, Spain, Oman, Canada, Mexico, Cyprus, Malaysia, Belgium, Japan, Angola, Estonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, UAE, Algeria, and South Africa.
The European Union has begun work on the 19th package of sanctions against Russia after approving the 18th.
The average duration of working life in the EU in 2024 is 37. 2 years, with notable differences between countries. The Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark lead with indicators of over 42 years, while Romania, Italy, and Croatia have the lowest indicators.
Law enforcement agencies from over ten European countries, Canada, and the USA conducted a joint operation "Eastwood" against the NoName057(16) network. As a result, over a hundred computer systems were destroyed and seven arrest warrants were issued, including for six Russian citizens.
Lithuanian border guards shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle that flew into the country's airspace from the territory of Belarus. The drone was detected 4 km from the border after it was intercepted using special equipment.
US President Donald Trump announced an agreement with NATO on arming Ukraine. Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, the Baltic states, the Netherlands, Canada, and Great Britain supported the initiative, while the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia refused.
As of early 2025, the EU population exceeded 450 million, an increase of 1. 07 million over the year. The growth is driven by migration after the COVID-19 pandemic, although the overall growth rate is slowing down.
Fugitive businessman Serhiy Kurchenko and a number of high-ranking Russian officials have been served with a notice of suspicion for appropriating Ukrainian enterprises in the occupied territories. From 2017 to 2021, they exported products worth over 55 billion hryvnias to Russia and other countries.
Lithuania and Finland plan to start domestic production of anti-personnel mines in 2025 for their own needs and for Ukraine. This decision is driven by the threat from Russia, and Finland considers mines to be a highly effective and cost-efficient weapon.
In 2024, the gender gap in employment in the EU cultural sector narrowed to 0. 8 percentage points, reaching its lowest level in a decade. However, women in the cultural sector are more likely to receive low wages than men.
The Port of Rotterdam is reserving berths for vessels with military cargo and planning cargo diversions in case of conflict. This is being done in coordination with Antwerp and at NATO's request.
In the first quarter of 2025, housing prices in the European Union increased by 5. 7%, and rental prices by 3.2% compared to the same period in 2024. Since 2010, housing prices in the EU have risen by 57.9%, and rental prices by 27.8%.
Two Moldovan citizens were convicted in Estonia for setting fire to the "Slava Ukraini" restaurant and a supermarket. The court established that the crimes were committed on the orders of Russian special services.
The Hamas group is considering a new truce proposal in the Gaza Strip, conveyed by mediators from Egypt and Qatar. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar stated serious intentions to reach an agreement, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls for the complete elimination of Hamas.
