News about Ukraine
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has offered his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky to meet. The offer was made against the background of Kiev’s warnings that Russia was preparing a new offensive through the Belarusian territory to the Ukrainian capital and Chernihiv Region.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fitzo has said that the idea of granting Ukraine the status of an “associate member” of the European Union does not enjoy support inside the EU and does not yet have political conditions for implementation.
Polish farmers have started recruiting staff for the seasonal harvest of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Offers for foreign workers are becoming increasingly attractive: higher wages, free housing and liberal qualification requirements.
The South-Eastern Europe (SEE) region is becoming militarized. Countries are increasing the share of military expenditures in GDP, developing existing and launching new weapons production plants, and increasing exports and imports of arms and ammunition.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed granting Ukraine the status of an “associate member” of the European Union. This status implies the possibility for the country’s representatives to participate in the work of the association’s governing institutions without the right to vote.
Recently, UAVs have been appearing more and more frequently near the borders of the Baltic States. Since the beginning of the month, the airspace of the Baltic States and Finland has already been violated six times by real or suspected drones, which is a cause for concern for all European countries.
As of mid-May, there were no significant changes on the Black Sea freight market. Deficit of new cargo transportation requests remains, especially in coaster segment. As a result, freight rates are decreasing.
In order to receive part of the funds from the €90bn loan approved by the EU for Ukraine on April 22, Brussels requires Kiev to change its tax legislation.
Although Lithuania is accelerating the strengthening of its drone countermeasures systems after recent incidents of drones flying into its territory, it needs more time. Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas draws attention to this.
In the 2026/27 season, Ukraine will increase sunflower production, sunflower oil production and exports after a weaker 2025/26 marketing season. However, Russia is still ahead of Ukraine and will retain its status as the largest sunflower oil producer in the world. This is evidenced by the USDA forecast.
Russia will not be able to annex all of Ukraine. But Kiev will lose control over part of the country’s territory. As it happened with Finland as a result of the Soviet-Finnish “Winter War”.
Romania’s Ministry of Finance released a stunning report on May 13 detailing a massive, repeated flow of cash across the country’s borders throughout 2024 and 2025.
A group of people’s deputies of Ukraine registered the draft law No. 15223 of 08.05.2026, which proposes to recognize the Gagauz as an indigenous people of Ukraine.
In January, year-end inflation in Ukraine was forecasted at 7.5 percent. However, already in the April forecast it reaches 9.4%. However, the projected long-term trend is moderately positive, then inflation at the end of next year will be 6.5%, and in 2028 – 5%.
Latvia is in political turmoil after its defense minister and prime minister resigned.
“The pressure on Russia must not abate,” Moldovan President Maia Sandu said at the opening of the Council of Europe’s ministerial session, which saw the signing of a Partial Enlarged Agreement on the establishment of a Committee for the Management of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
Romanian barley of the new harvest is currently contracted at prices lower than Ukrainian barley of the harvest-2026. That is, this Romanian grain now looks more competitive on export markets, ASAP Agri experts report.
A clear and predictable algorithm for the resumption of imports of animal feed, poultry meat and poultry meat products to the Moldovan market was developed by the specialized agencies of Moldova and Ukraine during the working visit of the delegation of the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSA) to the neighboring country.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga has said that one day of hostilities costs the country about $450m, he said while commenting on the prospects of ending the conflict and the need for further international support.
US President Donald Trump has not ruled out his visit to Russia before the end of 2026. He made the corresponding statement before leaving on a visit to China.
