Ukraine
Ukraine facing a financial cliff as IMF warns Ukraine may need an extra $20bn of external funding in 2025
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has concluded that Ukraine’s financing needs for 2026 and 2027 could be as much as $20bn higher than the government in Kyiv’s own estimates, as negotiations begin on securing a new aid package.
Kremlin puts Russia-Ukraine ceasefire talks on hold
\Negotiation channels between Russia and Ukraine remain formally open but the Kremlin has put talks on hold, as prospects for renewed diplomatic engagement appear remote. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on September 12, Vedomosti reports.
UKraine's NBU keeps rates at 15.5% for the fourth consecutive time
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) kept the key policy rate unchanged at 15.5% for a fourth time in a row on September 11, citing persistent inflationary pressures despite a clear downward trend in consumer price growth, UBN reports.
Russia's Zapad -2025 military exercises are a show of strength as military tensions in Europe rise
The joint Russia and Belarus military exercises get underway on September 12 that will be closely watched by Nato analysts to gauge how strong Russia’s military has become after more than three years of war.
#BREAKING: Belarus releases another 52 prisoners after talks with US
Belarus has released another 52 prisoners following negotiations with the US , with President Alexander Lukashenko granting pardons on what state media described as humanitarian grounds, the BelTA news agency reported on September 11.
COMMENT: What were Russian drones doing in Poland?
With no clear explanation from Moscow, theories have proliferated over how and why more than a dozen Russian drones crossed into Poland on September 10—and what this means for European security.
One in three Poles blame Ukraine for the drone incursion into Polish airspace
For the first time during the full-scale war in Ukraine, Poland has shot down multiple Russian drones in its airspace on September 10, but a third of Poles have blamed the strike on Ukraine, not Russia, according to a poll.
Hungarian foreign minister fails to condemn Russian drone attack during Belarus visit
Peter Szijjarto avoided blaming Russia for drones crossing Polish airspace and causing damage, a stance in line with Budapest’s longstanding reluctance to confront Moscow directly.
Von der Leyen pledges unwavering support for Ukraine, unveils competitiveness reforms in EC state of the Union speech
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen used her annual EU State of the Union address on September 10 to reaffirm the bloc’s commitment to Ukraine, signal a tougher stance on Israeli settler violence, and outline reform
COMMENT: France’s instability risks weakening Europe at a critical moment
The French government fell on September 8, facing a 5.8% of GDP budget deficit it can neither fund nor reduce, plunging the Fifth Republic into yet another crisis at a critical time for Europe.
Trump urges EU to hit China, India with 100% tariffs
US President Donald Trump called for the EU to hit China and India with tariffs of up to 100% on imports in an effort to force Moscow to end its war in Ukraine, the Financial Times reported on September 8.
Poland shoots down Russian drones after airspace breach, authorities say
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he was in “constant contact" with the defence ministry and President Karol Nawrocki.
COMMENT: Putin’s pivot to China cements Russia’s vassalage to Beijing
When Donald Trump declared that Joe Biden had made the “unthinkable” mistake of pushing Moscow into Beijing’s arms, the US president suggested their partnership was inherently fragile.
Europe mulls secondary sanctions as part of the nineteenth sanctions package for the first time
The European Union is considering the unprecedented step of adopting US-style secondary sanctions as part of the nineteenth sanctions package currently under review. The EU has never imposed secondary sanctions before.
Russia plans to double missile production to 2,500 a year, increases drone output to 2,700 a month
Russia plans to double its missile production to 2,500 a year and can already produce 2,700 drones a month, according to Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence.
The US imported $455,000 worth of Russian chicken eggs for the first time 1992 despite sanctions
The US imported $455,000 worth of Russian chicken eggs for the first time in decades despite sanctions, RIA Novosti reported on September 5, citing data from the US statistical service.
Putin warns that coalition of the willing peacekeepers in Ukraine are "legitimate targets"
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that if Ukraine’s European allies send peacekeepers to Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Russia (AFR) will consider them to be “legitimate military targets,” in comments at the Eastern Economic Forum.
US to draw back from Asia in new defence policy concept
The United States is scaling back its strategic focus on Asia, marking a potential end to over a decade of military and political efforts to counterbalance China’s rise in the region, Politico reports.
Half of Poles now against Ukraine joining Nato – poll
Just over half of Poles (53%) are now against Ukraine joining Nato, while only a third (33.5%) support the idea, according to to a recent poll conducted by the IBRiS institute for the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita on August 29-30.