Economy
Oil prices have risen above $100 amid the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz
Global oil prices have risen sharply as the US prepares to block shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent rose to $101.91 per barrel, whilst WTI rose to $104.16.
Зеленський анонсував переговори з Європою про спільну систему захисту неба (ВІДЕО)
Україна цього тижня проведе переговори з європейськими партнерами щодо створення спільної системи захисту неба. Про це Володимир Зеленський заявив у зверненні з нагоди Дня українського зброяра.
A new model for rapid defence procurement is being launched in Ukraine
Previously, there was no procedure in place that would allow the Ministry of Defence to procure innovative technologies for testing within the armed forces.
The White House has warned staff of a ban on betting on prediction markets amid the war with Iran
The US Presidential Administration has issued a warning to staff regarding the prohibition on using their official positions for betting, against the backdrop of events surrounding Iran. This follows suspicions arising from substantial winnings in financial and futures markets.
ЄС хоче розблокувати 90 млрд євро для України після поразки Орбана
У Євросоюзі розраховують швидко повернутися до питання 90 млрд євро допомоги для України після поразки Віктора Орбана на виборах в Угорщині. У Берліні вже заявили, що сподіваються на “дуже швидке” розблокування пакета, який Будапешт до цього блокував через суперечку навколо нафтопроводу.
German far-right groups want to resume operations of the Nord Stream gas pipeline in order to receive gas from Russia
Internal documents of the opposition party ‘Alternative for Germany’ (AfD) refer to plans to resume Russian gas supplies via the Nord Stream pipeline.
Military pay in 2026 has been put on hold: Friz explains why
The issue of increasing pay for military personnel in 2026 has once again stalled in parliament. MP Iryna Friz stated that the Rada is not pushing ahead with the relevant legislative changes, and that one of the main reasons is the current link between pay rises for military personnel and the automatic increase in pensions for military pensioners.
Cryptocurrencies in the 2025 declarations: nearly 2,800 officials have declared Bitcoin, USDT and meme coins
In their 2025 declarations, 2,783 Ukrainian officials declared cryptocurrency holdings. This is more than 30% higher than the previous year. The stablecoin USDT featured most frequently in the declarations, whilst Ethereum and Bitcoin also remained among the most popular assets.
Russia's budget deficit has exceeded the annual target in just two months
Russia’s federal budget recorded a significant deficit in January–February 2026, which has already exceeded the target set for the whole year. Discrepancies in the data provided by different government departments further complicate the assessment of the situation.
Trump has threatened to impose 50 per cent tariffs on countries providing military support to Iran
US President Donald Trump has announced his intention to impose heavy tariffs on countries that supply military aid to Iran. The announcement came against the backdrop of a worsening situation following the breakdown of negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
The US has announced a blockade of Iranian ports following the collapse of talks with Tehran
The US Central Command has announced that, from 13 April, it will begin blocking all vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports. The decision was announced following fruitless talks between Washington and Tehran in Islamabad.
The Rada has passed a law on new rules for verifying length of service for pension purposes: details
The Verkhovna Rada has passed Bill No. 13705-d, which amends the rules for verifying insurance records for the purposes of pension awards and recalculations. The legislation is intended to simplify the procedure for people who do not have a complete set of paper documents, whilst the Pension Fund will be required to explain more clearly exactly which details are missing. Separately, another important issue for pensions is ongoing in 2026 — the completion of the transition period for the digitisation of paper employment record books by 10 June.
