Politics & Economics

Europe should maintain its partnership with the U.S. despite the unpredictability of Donald Trump's policy, but at the same time take on greater responsibility for its own security and strategic independence. This opinion was expressed by former Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko in a comment to Ukrinform. "It would be absolute stupidity to shift relations between Europe and the U.S. into a plane of confrontation. After Trump, there will be other presidents, and of course, America will remain a democratic, normal country. Therefore, to suggest that we will now break with the U.S. would, in my opinion, be short-sighted," Ohryzko noted.…

As of May 1, 2025, Ukraine’s international reserves came to USD 46.68 billion, having increased by 10.2% in April 2025. The relevant statement was made by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), an Ukrinform correspondent reports. “Preliminary data showed that, as of May 1, 2025, Ukraine’s international reserves stood at USD 46,683.1 million after increasing by 10.2% in April. This uptrend was driven by large inflows from international partners on the one hand, and lowest net FX sales by the NBU since April 2024 on the other,” the report states. Following the current data from the NBU, Ukraine’s international reserves have hit…

Poland intends to finalize the 17th package of EU sanctions against Russia before the end of its presidency of the Council of the European Union, which concludes on June 30. This was announced by Adam Szłapka, Poland’s Minister for European Affairs, in Strasbourg, Ukrinform reports, citing Polish Radio. As the outlet notes, the European Commission circulated the draft of the 17th sanctions package to EU member states on May 6. “We are not giving up on exerting pressure on Russia’s war economy through sanctions. Work on the next, 17th package has just started. I hope it will have been finalized…

U.S. President Donald Trump believes the situation surrounding the war in Ukraine is approaching a critical point where appropriate decisions will have to be made. The president stated this on Wednesday, responding to a journalists’ request to comment on the comments by Vice President J.D. Vance that Russia is demanding too much to end the war, an Ukrinform staff correspondent reports. "Well, it's possible that he's right. He may know some things..." Trump said. "We are getting to a point where some decisions are going to have to be made. I'm not happy about it. I'm not happy about it."…

Ukraine can count on Europe’s help, in particular that of Germany, and the Kremlin should be aware of that. The statement was made by the newly-appointed German Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, ahead of the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Warsaw, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "Everyone should be aware that in this historic situation, one can rely on Europe. Ukraine can rely on Europe, and everyone in Moscow should know that we will have to be reckoned with. Europe will defend Ukraine and support it with all its might," the minister promised. He noted that today, as a new…

Ukraine's struggle for independence has shown that every nation that bravely and loyally defends itself and its just aspirations can stand up even against someone larger geographically or militarily. This was noted by President Volodymyr Zelensky as he addressed students and professors from Ecuador via video conference, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "Ukraine will always be free and equal among other states in the world. Our battle has shown that every nation that bravely and loyally defends itself and its just aspirations, every nation can stand up even against someone larger, larger purely geographically or in terms of the volume of…

Ukraine is ready to sit down for talks with Russia, but only on condition of Russia's direct participation in the process. This was noted by the head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, in a Telegram post seen by Ukrinform. "We want peace, but its coming depends not only on us. If everything depended on Ukraine, this war would have long ended. But the reality is that Russia demonstrates no sincere desire to stop their aggression," he noted. Yermak recalled that more than 50 days ago, U.S. President Donald Trump proposed a full 30-day ceasefire, to which Ukraine agreed,…

The newly-appointed Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz said Russia continues to be a threat to European security. He said this at a briefing with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw, where he arrived after visiting Paris, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "Russia is and remains the biggest threat to our security... It remains a threat to Euro-Atlantic relations," Merz stated. He noted that Poland, as a direct neighbor of Russia and Belarus, is particularly vulnerable in this regard, and Germany understands this well. Therefore, the Chancellor emphasized, it is necessary to quickly strengthen deterrence forces and collective defense capabilities. He…

Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is urging both sides to exercise restraint and engage in diplomatic dialogue. This was stated in a comment by the Ukrainian foreign ministry, as reported by Ukrinform. The MFA also emphasized the importance of avoiding actions that could further destabilize the security situation in the South Asian region and called for a peaceful resolution of disputes. It noted that Ukraine actively supports all efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability in the region and advocates for the immediate de-escalation of tensions. Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs…

The Servant of the People parliamentary faction will support the ratification of the U.S.-Ukraine agreement on the creation of a Reconstruction Investment Fund, recognizing its critical importance for Ukraine’s defense and recovery. This was stated in a comment to Ukrinform by Oleksandr Merezhko, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation. “Our faction will vote to ratify the agreement. We act responsibly and fully understand what’s at stake. This concerns defense support from the U.S. Without ratification, we might not receive vital weapons and air defense systems to protect our cities and save Ukrainian lives,” Merezhko…