Ukraine
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the biggest grain exporter of them all?
The race is on between Ukraine and Russia for the title of “world’s biggest grain exporter” and the two rivals are running neck and neck.
Ukraine's parliamentary coalition collapses, making snap elections impossible
President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy was mulling calling a snap election after he is sworn in on May 20, but this was thwarted by the People's Front faction's decision to quit the ruling coalition.
Ukraine parliament schedules Zelenskiy's inauguration ceremony for May 20
The inauguration of Ukrainian President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy will take place on May 20, according to a special draft resolution greenlighted by the nation's parliament on May 16, which in theory allows the new president to dissolve parliament
Ukraine central bank loses appeal in PrivatBank nationalisation court battle
The National Bank of Ukraine has lost its appeal to the courts to overturn a decision to de-nationalise Privatbank.
Ukraine's president-elect insists on May 19 inauguration
Volodymyr Zelenskiy accuses outgoing President Petro Poroshenko of deliberately delaying handover of power while he attempts to install his people in the army, Supreme Court and National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council.
Poland overtakes Russia to become Ukraine’s biggest trade partner in February
Russia has long been Ukraine’s main trade partner, but relations have crumbled since the annexation of the Crimea in 2014 and trade has fallen thanks to numerous embargoes as the two countries are fighting an undeclared war.
Ukraine’s banks are back in profit, provisions made bad debt non-toxic
Ukraine’s banking sector has returned to profit, and while non-performing loans remain extremely high, those profits have allowed the banks to make provisions for their bad debt, which is no longer regarded as “toxic” by analysts.
COLCHIS: Zelenskiy faces tough choices amidst high expectations
Zelenskiy is allegedly supported by powerful Ukrainian oligarch and Poroshenko’s arch-rival Igor Kolomoyskiy. Ukrainian voters obviously believed that Zelenskiy was the lesser of two evils. What went into making that choice?
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Ukraine foreign reserves decrease by 0.5% m/m in April to $20.5bn
Ukraine's international reserves decreased by 0.5% month-on-month to $20.5bn in April following a 2.1% m/m growth in March, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU).
Ukraine lifts trade restrictions for Moldovan steel company in Transnistria
Sanctions on steel plant in rebel republic reportedly lifted after appeal from Moldovan PM Pavel Filip.
GAS WARS: Ukraine faces a bleak winter as Russia prepares to cut it off
Winter is coming and it promises to be bleak for Ukraine as Russia is clearly preparing to cut its neighbour out of its gas transit system completely. bne IntelliNews talks exclusively with executive director of Ukraine’s gas company Naftogaz
Naftogaz triples gas imports, races to build up reserves before Russia’s Gazprom cuts off supplies
Ukraine’s national gas company Naftogaz believes that Russia will cut off its gas supplies completely on January 1, 2020 and is rushing to build up reserves as high as possible so that Ukraine can get through the freezing winter.
Investment flows into EMs up – except Russia
Non-resident investment flows into emerging markets equity was up in April to $38bn in April, except Russia which saw $2.8bn of outflows as sanctions fears reappear.
KYIV BLOG: Zelenskiy’s zinger roasts Putin’s offer of passports for all Ukrainians
It's what you would expect from a professional stand-up comedian: Ukraine’s president-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy responded to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s offer to grant Russian passports to any Ukrainians that want one with cutting satire.
Arming and rearming: Military spending grows across CEE and SEE in 2018
Russia’s expenditure falls for a second year, even though Moscow fears are driving defence outlays elsewhere. Turkey committed a league-topping 24% more while Iran spent 9.5% less on its armed forces as US tightened economic noose.
Russia opens criminal investigation in dirty export oil whodunit
Russia's oil pipeline operator Transneft launched a criminal investigation into possible deliberate contamination of oil in Russia’s Druzhba pipeline to Europe, the company said on April 26.
COMMENT: After the Ukrainian presidential elections: Anything is possible and nothing is certain
Ukraine’s president-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been on the job less than a week and he is already been tested by Russia and a new language law, but the biggest challenge remains winning seats in the October parliamentary elections
Ukraine's NBU cuts rates for the first time since last summer to 17.5%
The steady downward trend in inflation towards the 5% target allows the National Bank of Ukraine to begin the cycle of reducing the refinancing rate, said the central bank's governor Yakiv Smolii.
Ukraine parliament greenlights Ukrainian language bill
Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, adopted on April 25 a draft law on the Ukrainian language, which provides for the mandatory use of the national language by government agencies, local self-government and in other spheres of public life
COMMENT: CEE Fintech Atlas: Old narratives are changing, innovations may flow now from East to West
After nearly three decades since the end of the socialist experiment many countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) have made enormous progress, but they are still catching up to their western peers. But not in fintech.