Author’s articles
Ukraine has now joined the Roam Like at Home policy. Ukrainians in the EU can use domestic tariffs without additional charges until March 2027, according to the terms of the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
The Supreme Court of Venezuela appointed Delcy Rodriguez as interim head of state after the events of 3 January. Nicolas Maduro has not been formally removed, which does not trigger elections within 30 days.
The strikes on Caracas and the harsh rhetoric of the White House show that the removal of Nicolas Maduro has become one of Donald Trump's priorities. Experts explain the US motives by geopolitics, domestic politics and the struggle for influence in the region.
A poll by The Economist and YouGov found that 49 per cent of Americans disapprove of Donald Trump's handling of the war between Russia and Ukraine, while only 30 per cent support him.
In Georgia, on the border with Azerbaijan, customs officers found 157 kg of heroin in marble slabs. The estimated value of the consignment is GEL 50 million, or about USD 18.5 million.
On 1 January 2026, Bulgaria officially switched to the euro and abandoned the lev. The country became the 21st member of the Eurozone after almost 19 years of preparation.
On New Year's Eve, Russia launched a massive attack with more than 200 drones in Ukraine. According to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 24 drones were hit at 15 locations. More than 100,000 subscribers in Volyn lost power, and fires and damage to homes occurred in Odesa.
Romania and Croatia have joined the PURL mechanism to purchase US weapons for Ukraine through NATO. Bucharest is allocating €50 million and Zagreb €15 million. The total amount of PURL contributions has already reached $4.3 billion.
In his New Year's address, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Russia's war against Ukraine is part of a broader plan against Europe and directly threatens Germany's freedom and security.
Lithuania is strengthening the defence of its eastern border. The authorities are preparing engineering solutions for blowing up bridges, creating anti-tank lines and accumulating barriers amid the threat from Russia and Belarus.
The NABU and the SAPO served suspicion notices to five MPs in the case of an organised group that systematically received bribes for the required votes in the Verkhovna Rada. The amount of the bribe was up to USD 20,000
Volodymyr Zelenskyy summed up the talks with Donald Trump and his partners. They talked about security guarantees for 30-50 years, a 20-point peace plan, the role of the United States and Europe, possible meetings with Russia, and the issue of reparations.
