Ukraine

Ukraine hits historic high in Transparency International annual Corruption Perceptions Index, up three points to 36 out of 100

bne IntelliNews January 31, 2024

Ukraine reached a historic high in Transparency International annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) in 2023, improving its score by three points to reach 36 out of a possible 100.

Orban set to compromise on EU's Ukraine financing deal

Tamas Csonka in Budapest January 31, 2024

Amid both threats and signs of flexibility from the EU, the Hungarian premier is expected to drop his veto of the €50bn package.

Is this the last year of Russian gas transit via Ukraine?

Newsbase January 30, 2024

Ukraine has insisted it has no intention of renewing its gas transit contract with Russia that is due to expire at the end of this year.

wiiw projects brighter 2024 for Emerging Europe

bne IntelliNews January 30, 2024

Vienna-based think-tank expects growth to get back on track this year, but warns of risks from a Trump victory in the US and escalation of fighting in Ukraine or Gaza.

EU denies blackmail of Hungary as Budapest indicates potential compromise

Tamas Csonka in Budapest January 30, 2024

EU source claims reported threat to freeze aid to Hungary indefinitely was only 'background material'.

KYIV BLOG: Ukraine's democracy vs corruption

Ben Aris in Berlin January 30, 2024

The Zelenskiy administration has been rocked by a fresh corruption scandal at the Defence Ministry this week, but Ukraine has been plagued by corruption from the day of its independence.

EU leaders threaten to punish Hungary for Ukraine veto

bne IntelliNews January 29, 2024

Orban is now being told that Hungary’s frozen EU funds will be suspended indefinitely unless he co-operates on Ukraine, according to a report in the Financial Times.

Ukraine denies Fico’s claims it could prolong Russian gas transit

Albin Sybera January 29, 2024

“The stance of the Ukrainian side is straightforward: the transit contract will expire at the end of this year,” says Ukrainian government.

US recommends Ukraine switches to more defensive strategy

Ben Aris in Berlin January 28, 2024

Following the failure of Ukraine’s counteroffensive last summer, the Biden administration has abandoned hope of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) retaking any territory in 2024.

Russia’s oil industry is threatened by Ukrainian drones, Western sanctions

Ben Aris in Berlin January 28, 2024

Russian oil refineries are not normally newsmakers, but they have found themselves on the front page recently as Ukraine’s new long-range drones have brought some of Russia’s oil infrastructure within striking distance.

McFAUL: Underestimating the Russian threat to Europe

Michael McFaul in Stanford January 26, 2024

Over the last two years, I have given a lot of talks around the United States and the world about the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. I have a talk discerning the causes of the war and the possibility of a Russia-Nato clash.

Russia imported $1.2bn worth of sanctioned technology in 9M23

bne IntelliNews January 26, 2024

Russia imported $1.2bn worth of sanctioned advanced microchips from US and European firms in the first nine months 2023, Bloomberg reported on January 25.

EU mulls sanctions on Russian aluminium in thirteenth sanctions package

bne IntelliNews January 26, 2024

The EU may include an embargo on Russian aluminium imports as part of their thirteen sanctions package, causing the metal’s price to jump and protestations from the industry association.

UBN: Ignore the Headlines - Momentum is Moving in Ukraine’s Direction, not Russia’s

Mark McNamee of UBN in Kyiv January 25, 2024

For all the talk of the Kremlin’s rising confidence since late 2023, the reality is in fact far from encouraging for Russia. Rather oddly, a nation mired in a foreign war it cannot easily extricate itself from against a far smaller adversary.

Zelenskiy slams Moscow as “playing with lives” of Ukrainians as mystery of downed Russian plane deepens

bne IntelliNews January 25, 2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has accused Russia of "playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners" after Moscow blamed Kyiv for a plane crash that reportedly killed 65 Ukrainian POWs.

Slovak PM takes softer approach in meeting with Ukrainian counterpart

Albin Sybera January 25, 2024

Fico pledges to support EU aid to Ukraine, despite saying earlier that he would support Orbán's proposals to keep the package separate from the EU budget.

Case against Ukrainian investment banker sparks debate on economic security

Ben Aris in Berlin January 25, 2024

Prominent Ukrainian investment banker Igor Mazepa, founder and CEO of Concorde Capital investment company, was released from a pre-trial detention facility after posting bail.

KYIV BLOG: Zelenskiy lashes out at “don’t escalate” rhetoric

Ben Aris in Berlin January 25, 2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has lashed out at the “don’t escalate” rhetoric as Bankova becomes increasingly more desperate that Western support might be evaporating.

65 Ukrainian POWs reportedly killed in Russian plane crash in the Belgorod region

bne IntelliNews January 24, 2024

A Russian Ilyushin-76 military transport plane carrying missiles and 65 Ukrainian POWs crashed in the southern Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, killing all on board.

Turkey’s parliament backs Nato membership for Sweden

bne IntelliNews January 23, 2024

Bill ratifying accession now only needs Erdogan’s signature. Hungary the last country blocking Nordic country’s path into defence alliance.

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