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The US and Ukraine signed a subsoil agreement on April 30. However, the true value of Ukraine’s minerals remains uncertain. U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that the worth of Ukraine’s subsoil could reach trillions of dollars. President Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine’s mineral wealth is “priceless.” Efforts to extract and process minerals are progressing slowly and may require extensive new infrastructure, with costs remaining unpredictable. Experts indicate that, in many cases, this suggests that the mineral deposits are not

According to hotel analytics service HotelMatrix, in the first quarter of 2025 the average daily rate (ADR) for Ukrainian hotels in major tourist regions showed record growth. Hotel prices in Kyiv continue to rise due to high demand for international and business events. In the first three months of the year, costs increased: in January to ₴2,552 (+14%), in February to ₴2,590 (+17%), and in March to ₴2,548 (+15%). In Lviv, hotels are experiencing an increasing average room rate trend.

Over the next 100 days, the US will work to bridge the gap between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. During negotiations in London, delegations from Ukraine, the US, and Europe agreed on a list of 22 actions that could serve as a foundation for an agreement regarding the settlement of the war, stated Keith Kellogg, the US President’s Special Envoy for Russia and Ukraine. “We have proposed 22 very specific actions. After frank and challenging discussions with the Ukrainians, we

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham stated that he has the backing of 72 colleagues in the Senate for the bill, which proposes “devastating” new sanctions against Russia. He believes that sanctions can compel Putin to come to the negotiating table and halt the war in Ukraine. A key element of the bill is the implementation of 500% tariffs on imports from countries that purchase Russian hydrocarbons or uranium. The document also includes a prohibition on US citizens purchasing Russian sovereign debt.

For the first time since Donald Trump returned to the White House, the US presidential administration has authorized arms exports to Ukraine valued at $50M or more, which includes the supply of defense goods and services. Deliveries must be made through the Direct Commercial Sale (DCS) program – contracts between foreign entities and American companies. From 2015 to 2023, the US quietly permitted the continuous export of defense products and services to Ukraine amounting to over $1.6B through DCS. Moreover,

Ukrainian businesses reduced their net debt over 2022-2024 by increasing their liquid funds and deposits and reducing debt to Ukrainian banks by $21B, which is 200% more than foreign investment over this period and twice as much as in the “most successful year in Ukrainian history”, said Concorde Capital’s Head of Research Oleksandr Paraschiy. Business loans decreased by $2-2.8B, deposits increased by $16-17.7B, business investment in government bonds increased by approximately $2.4B. This deleveraging can be interpreted as Ukrainian businesses’

according to the NBU Business Activity Expectations Index (BAEI). Among the reasons for the weakened assessments indicated by respondents are significant declines in weather conditions, ongoing uncertainty regarding the future of hostilities, rising business costs for raw materials and labor, accelerating inflation, a decline in the hryvnia’s exchange rate against the euro, and a shortage of skilled personnel. Meanwhile, positive factors included steady consumer demand, the receipt of international financial assistance, and an unexpectedly favorable situation in the energy sector.

Officials from the Trump administration, who have met with Russian diplomats at least six times over the past two months, have returned from the negotiations without an outcome, which is beginning to raise concerns among them. A briefing for the US’ European and Ukrainian partners was conducted by following the completion of its discussions with Russia. Despite the White House’s generous package of proposals for the Kremlin, including the lifting of sanctions, joint business projects, and recognition of Crimea, Putin

Russian President Putin continues to insist that four Ukrainian regions be recognized as part of the Russian Federation in exchange for an end to hostilities. In particular, Putin is asserting claims over the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia regions within their administrative borders, although none of these regions is fully controlled by the Russian military. Donald Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who spoke with the Russian leader for three hours in the Kremlin on April 25, attempted to persuade Putin

Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna considers comments made concerning the potential for a decision on Moldova’s EU accession negotiations, made during her visit to Hungary, to be unconstructive. She went to Budapest specifically to discuss the rights of national minorities. The minister stated that on May 1 she plans to speak by phone with European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Marta Kos to raise the issue. Stefanishyna also mentioned that Ukraine and Hungary have agreed

In recent years, China has solidified its position as the EU’s primary supplier of rare earth elements, while Russia has lost its market share. In 2020, EU countries imported 10,700 tons of rare earth elements valued at €72.3M. More than half of these imports came from Russia (€9.9M). China’s share was 43%, with other countries accounting for only 6.5%. In 2021, the volume of rare earth element imports rose to 16,900 tons (€106.5M). Russia’s share fell to 27.2%, while China’s

DTEK Renewables Finance has announced on the Irish Stock Exchange’s website its intention to undertake large-scale projects aimed at creating energy storage facilities (ESF) in Ukraine. Consequently, the company has initiated amendments to its Eurobond trust agreement and the terms of intergroup financing and transactions. The development of battery storage technologies is a critical component in securing Ukraine’s energy stability amid the challenges confronting the country’s energy system. In August 2024, several DTEK Renewables subsidiaries participated in an ancillary services

According to Natural Gas ExPro quotes, gas prices in Ukraine on April 29 were approximately €31.8 per MWh, while spot prices on the Dutch TTF were €31.5 per MWh. Thus, for the first time since May 1 2024, natural gas prices in Ukraine have exceeded European prices, with the spread reaching €0.3. This situation developed as natural gas prices in Europe declined over the past week due to warm weather and stable gas supplies. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, gas prices have

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Estonia Maksym Kononenko stated that Kyiv and Tallinn possess significant unrealized potential for bilateral trade relations. In this context, he noted that Ukraine’s share in Estonia’s total imports is less than 1%, indicating substantial potential for growth. The diplomat added that by entering the Estonian market, Ukrainian companies gain access to the Nordic region’s business networks, particularly Finland and Sweden, given the strong connections between these markets. Simultaneously, Minister of Agricultural Policy Vitaly Koval urged representatives of

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a draft law for the ratification of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the governments of Ukraine and the UAE. This document establishes a free trade regime between the two nations. The agreement enhances opportunities for Ukrainian businesses in the global market, as the UAE serves as a significant economic, trade, and financial hub in the Middle East. The agreement, which encompasses nearly the entire scope of bilateral trade, will promote growth in the

These announcements include investments starting from $10M, with the total exceeding $3B. Specifically, $287M represents completed projects, $2.57B is currently being implemented, and $172M is planned. Notably, the list includes: ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih: investments in mining, metallurgy, and infrastructure, aimed at maintaining competitiveness and improving occupational safety during the war – $325M Bayer: expansion of seed plant capacities – €60M DTEK: Tyligulska Wind Power Plant – €650M Elementum Energy: Dniester Wind Farm (second stage) – $110.5M Kyivstar: investment in developing

Construction of the Interjuice Bukovyna juice concentrate production plant  is underway in the village of Kobolchyn, Chernivtsi region. The enterprise will be able to process up to 1,500 tons of fruit raw material per day. The plant’s primary product is concentrated apple juice, as well as juices from local berries and fruit, including raspberries, cherries, sweet cherries, and plums. Raw production materials are planned to be purchased mainly from farms in the Chernivtsi and neighboring regions, which will provide additional

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is already evaluating a pilot social housing project in Ukraine. The signing of the initial financing agreement for the project could happen as early as this year, stated Kristina Mikulova, head of the EIB regional office in Eastern Europe. She explained that a decision from the Cabinet of Ministers is also anticipated, which will establish the necessary regulatory framework. According to Mikulova, the pilot project will enable testing of the approach and methodology for building

Experts indicate that development plans in the eastern and eastern central regions are currently very restrained. New projects are rarely launched; most activity is on projects that were initiated before 2022 are being completed. Instead, the secondary market is actively engaged. Demand for ready-made housing with renovations remains stable. A certain revival is also evident in the office segment. Active development continues in Kyiv and the surrounding areas, focusing on affordable residential complexes with a price range of $1,000 to

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that a 30-day ceasefire is “impossible without resolving all the nuances”. The Kremlin also mentioned that they had not received Ukraine’s response to its proposed temporary truce. However, President Zelenskyy highlighted that, against the backdrop of global calls for Russia to end the war and initiate a ceasefire, the aggressor launched Shahed drones at civilian infrastructure in the Cherkasy region on April 28. The President stressed that a ceasefire should not be temporary or