In 2023, the EU received 25. 9% of global international tourism revenue, almost double that of the US with 12.3%. Tourism revenues accounted for 2.5% of the EU's GDP, continuing its recovery after COVID-19.
The speed of Patriot air defense system supplies to Ukraine depends on how soon the US provides Europe with a replacement for this type of weapon. Six European countries have about two dozen such systems, their price is about $1 billion per battery.
A Ukrainian-Polish expedition has begun search and exhumation work in Lviv. They will last approximately until August 30 and aim to rebury the remains of Polish Army soldiers who died in 1939.
The UK government is investing £100 million to strengthen border security and combat criminal gangs involved in smuggling people across the English Channel. This funding will support a pilot project of an agreement with France and other initiatives to deter the flow of illegal migrants.
Poland has signed a contract worth over 6 billion euros with South Korea for the purchase of an additional 180 K2 tanks, which will increase its tank fleet to 1,100 units. This will make the country one of the leading tank powers in NATO, surpassing the combined tank numbers of Great Britain, Germany, France, and Italy.
A light aircraft crashed near the Spanish island of Mallorca, killing a 60-year-old former US Air Force pilot and his 13-year-old son. The disaster occurred on August 2 during acrobatic maneuvers over the sea; the causes are being investigated.
In Germany, the number of asylum applications has significantly decreased, with 70,011 initial applications registered from January to July. This is almost 50% less than in the same period last year.
Poland extended border control with Lithuania and Germany until October 4 due to the threat of illegal migration. The decision was agreed with partners and is aimed at closing the migration route.
Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder advocates for Ukrainian refugees in Germany to receive lower payments as asylum seekers, instead of citizen's benefits. According to him, this applies to all Ukrainians, not just newcomers, and is the reason for the low employment rate of refugees.
In Germany, the third arson attack on cables on a railway line near Hohenmölsen, Saxony-Anhalt, has been recorded. This led to train disruptions, particularly in North Rhine-Westphalia, where hundreds of services were canceled.
An opinion column by financial expert Olena Sosedka.
A survey in the Czech Republic shows growing fatigue with Ukrainian refugees, although most support their stay. 58% believe the country has accepted too many refugees, but 52% support providing asylum.
The German army has launched an air bridge to the Gaza Strip, dropping 14 tons of humanitarian aid. The action is part of a joint project with Jordan, announced by the German Chancellor.
Slovenia has banned the import, export, and transit of weapons to and from Israel, becoming the first EU country to introduce such restrictions. This decision has symbolic significance due to the almost zero volume of arms trade between the countries.
Germany will transfer additional Patriot launchers to Ukraine as a first stage. Other system components will be transferred within 2-3 months.
In the first six months of the current year, Spain welcomed 44. 5 million tourists, which is 4.7% more than last year. The cumulative spending of travelers increased by 7.5%, reaching almost 60 billion euros.
Andriy Yermak held talks with advisors from Great Britain, France, Germany, and Italy. The preparation of a bilateral security agreement between Ukraine and the USA was discussed, which includes financial support from European partners.
Germany will provide Ukraine with two Patriot air defense systems. The US will replace these systems for Germany with new ones.
Documents have been found in the archives of the German Foreign Ministry confirming Putin's territorial claims to Crimea, eastern Ukraine, and Kazakhstan as early as 1994. The former German Consul General in St. Petersburg reported that Putin stated these territories belonged to Russia.
Tesla no longer accepts orders for its luxury electric vehicles Model S and Model X in Europe. Buyers can only purchase pre-configured models, while Model 3 and Model Y are available for order.
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.
Two US Republican senators have proposed the Peace Act bill to create a special fund. It will allow allies to finance the supply of American weapons to Ukraine.
Biathlete Laura Dahlmeier died on July 28, 2025, as a result of a rockfall on Laila Peak in the Karakoram Mountains. The International Biathlon Union expressed condolences to the athlete's family and friends.
An 8. 8 magnitude earthquake occurred in Kamchatka, causing partial flooding of the Severo-Kurilsk port. Tsunami warnings have been issued for the USA, Japan, Canada, and South America, where waves up to 1.4 meters high are expected.
World experience shows that without state support, the aviation industry cannot function effectively, and investments in it create thousands of jobs.
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.
A Bundeswehr helicopter crashed into the Mulde River in Germany, killing two people. The Minister of Defense visited the crash site, and the search for one person is ongoing.
Germany plans to increase its defense budget to 162 billion euros by 2029, which is double the current level and significantly exceeds NATO targets. Part of the funds, 9 billion euros annually, will be directed to support Ukraine, as well as to a large-scale modernization of the German army.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the compromise in the tariff dispute with the administration of US President Donald Trump would significantly harm the German economy and lead to higher inflation. He thanked the European Commission for the negotiations, noting that it was the best possible outcome, although it cannot satisfy Germany.
Five Ukrainian citizens, including a family with two children, were injured as a result of a regional express train derailing in Germany. All Ukrainians are undergoing examination, their lives are not in danger.
