Today's Contents
Just The Facts:
- Ukraine, EU to negotiate new framework for agricultural trade after temporary tariff suspension ends, Koval says
- EBRD launches global tender to find investors for Moldovan port key to Ukraine reconstruction
- UK makes second $990 million payment to Ukraine for military spending through ERA scheme
- ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih hopes to return to pre-war investment plans of $500 million per year
Here's What They Think:
- The Guardian: Ukraine's European allies need to step in to compensate for dwindling US military aid
- Newsweek: US aid freeze puts Ukrainian independent media at risk, fuels Russian disinformation
Sober Second Thought:
- War lowers Ukraine's emissions but raises toxic pollution risks, study shows
The Rebuilders' Social
- Think tank DiXi Group calls for more government info on Russian attacks on Ukraine's grid, CMS outlines Ukraine's move toward innovative therapies through health technology assessment and managed entry agreements, and a new GovTech platform is launched.
Ukraine, EU to negotiate new framework for agricultural trade after temporary tariff suspension ends, Koval says
Ukraine and the European Union will not return to pre-war agricultural trade conditions after the temporary suspension of tariffs and quotas, or so-called Autonomous Trade Measures (ATM), ends on June 5, but will work on a compromise solution, Interfax Ukraine reported on Monday, citing Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitaliy Koval.
Speaking during Ukraine's national telethon, Koval described his meeting last week in Brussels with European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen as constructive and professional, and said that it focused on addressing key challenges.
Koval added that Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has tasked officials with developing a new cooperation framework that balances the interests of Ukrainian and European farmers, ensures predictable and controlled trade volumes, and maintains access to the EU market for Ukrainian agricultural products.
"This is not only about numbers, it is about people. It is important for us to maintain the stability of rural areas. So that Ukrainian farmers in the Sumy, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv regions have access to the European market, because this is a premium market," Koval said, as quoted by Interfax.
Koval stated that 52% of Ukrainian agricultural exports are directed to European markets. He emphasized that these high-quality products often incorporate EU-produced inputs, giving Ukraine a justified right to export them to the EU.
"We are not a threat to the agricultural policy of European countries. We are part of a complementary economy, and our farmers are the basis of the economic strength of the agricultural European Union," the minister said.
Last week, Politico quoted Commissioner Hansen as saying before the meeting with Koval that the European Commission will let Ukraine's emergency access to the EU market expire, excluding the possibility of extending the current ATM regime.
"The current measures will fall back anyhow," Hansen told MEPs in the European Parliament's agriculture committee, Politico reported. "The Council has been very clear that there is no possibility of the extension," Hansen added, referring to the position of EU member countries.
Hansen noted that the Commission is developing a new system of tariff quotas, though "not at the same level" as the current unrestricted access. However, he maintained that the new arrangement would still be more beneficial for Ukraine than returning to the pre-invasion terms of the existing free trade agreement.
The ATM was granted to Ukraine by the EU after Russia's full-scale invasion. Since then, EU farmers and a number of bloc's governments, including Poland, France, Hungary, and Slovakia, have been protesting the move, saying it hurts local producers by allowing for cheap Ukrainian products to flood the market.
Ukrainian officials and farming organizations have cautioned that allowing the current emergency regulations to expire without an alternative plan could result in a €3.3 billion loss in exports and a 2.5% decline in gross domestic product, as per Politico.
The Kyiv-based European Business Association (EBA) said on Friday it had appealed to the EC, urging the extension of the ATM beyond June 5.
"Such a decision would be crucial for preserving stable trade relations between Ukraine and the EU, supporting the recovery of Ukraine's agricultural sector, and reinforcing Ukraine's economic resilience for further integration into the European trade and economic architecture," the EBA said in a press release.
EBRD launches global tender to find investors for Moldovan port key to Ukraine reconstruction
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said on Monday it has launched an international tender to find new investors for Moldova's main sea-to-river port, the Giurgiulesti International Free Port, which the European lender owns.
The port is located on Moldova's stretch of Danube river frontage and borders both Romania and Ukraine. The EBRD said in a press release that the port's strategic role has increased in the region and that is well positioned to serve for the future reconstruction of Ukraine.
The EBRD has been involved in the development and operation of the Giurgiulesti International Free Port since 1995. Over the years, the port faced several financial and operational challenges on its path to becoming a fully functional enterprise. In 2013, the EBRD extended a new loan and became the main economic beneficiary of the port's operations.
In 2021, the EBRD acquired full ownership of the Danube Logistics group of companies, becoming the sole ultimate owner of Danube Logistics SRL, the port's operating entity, as per the statement.
"The EBRD has consistently stated its intention to attract reputable investors to further support and develop the port into a competitive hub for regional and international trade," the lender said in the press release.
UK makes second $990 million payment to Ukraine for military spending through ERA scheme
The UK has transferred to Ukraine GBP 752 million ($990 million) for the procurement of military equipment, including air defense, marking the country's second payment through the so-called Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) initiative.
The first payment of the same amount was made on March 6, while the third and final one is expected in 2026, the British government said in a press release on Monday.
In October, the UK agreed to provide Ukraine a GBP 2.26 billion loan as its contribution to the G7's $50 billion package (ERA) to support Ukraine's military, budget, and reconstruction needs. The loan is to be repaid using proceeds from Russian frozen sovereign assets.
"We are stepping up support for Ukraine to deter Russian aggression and bolster Britain’s national security as the foundation of our Plan for Change," British Defence Minister John Healey said.
The announcement on Monday follows a pledge by Britain's Ministry of Defense last week to send Ukraine GBP 350 million from this year's planned GBP 4.5 billion in military support funding.
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih hopes to return to pre-war investment plans of $500 million per year
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, one of Ukraine's largest steel producers, intends to revive its pre-war goal of investing $500 million annually in production development, GMK Center reported on Monday, citing the company's CEO Mauro Longobardo.
"This will create opportunities not only for existing Ukrainian businesses, but also for attracting significant investments to Ukraine and increasing the overall level of economic development in the country," Longobardo said at the Business Wisdom Summit 2025, as quoted by GMK Center.
Longobardo said he believed that one of Ukraine's main current challenges is developing a clear and sustainable plan for integration into the European Union (EU).
"We need a very specific plan on how we will integrate into the European Union until the end of the war and after it. This transition in the coming years will be key to creating a sustainable economy of the future," the CEO said.
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih relies on exports, so global market prices set its product value, Longobardo stated, noting that the rising costs for electricity, gas, and coking coal have driven up production expenses, reducing competitiveness and making it hard to reach pre-war output levels without losses.
The company can't fully pass these costs to consumers, risking market share, and is sustaining production volumes with support from its parent company, ArcelorMittal.
"Since the beginning of the war, our parent company ArcelorMittal has allocated $1 billion to ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih to help us survive. For our part, we are making every effort. Now we are holding the line," Longobardo said.
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih is a full-cycle steel plant, which consists of the coke and by-product plant, ore mining, and steel production.
In 2023, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih's capex budget amounted to $130 million. Last year, it planned to increase it by 19% year-on-year to $155 million.
The Guardian: Ukraine's European allies need to step in to compensate for dwindling US military aid
Without immediate and coordinated European action, Ukraine risks facing the next phase of the war severely under-supported, wrote David Shimer, a former White House national security council official between 2021-25, in an opinion piece for The Guardian.
Shimer outlines four key steps Europe should take to compensate for the dwindling US military aid: increase direct military aid from European stockpiles, invest in Ukraine's growing defense industry, negotiate with the Trump administration to fund critical US-produced air defense systems, and use frozen Russian sovereign assets to finance long-term support. Those steps would not only help Ukraine endure the war but also reduce its dependency on inconsistent US aid and bolster its negotiating power.
Newsweek: US aid freeze puts Ukrainian independent media at risk, fuels Russian disinformation
The abrupt halt of US humanitarian and development aid to Ukraine—especially the funding for local media—has pushed independent journalism to the brink of collapse, Muhammad Tahir, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center and a former executive at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, wrote in an opinion article for Newsweek.
As Ukrainian media weakens, Russia's state-backed propaganda machine is stepping in to fill the void, spreading false narratives through fake local platforms and social media, according to the article. The author urges immediate restoration of aid, arguing that in a time of war, truthful journalism is a vital defense.
War lowers Ukraine's emissions but raises toxic pollution risks, study shows
Since the 2010s, Ukraine has made notable progress in aligning its environmental policies with EU standards. However, the 2022 full-scale invasion has triggered extensive environmental damage and hampered monitoring efforts, according to a study published by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC).
The war has paradoxically reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to a collapse in industrial activity and the destruction of energy infrastructure, while simultaneously introducing new war-related emissions, according to the report, titled "Status of Environment and Climate in Ukraine."
In 2022, Ukraine's GHG emissions fell by 23–26% compared to 2021, but military activity generated an estimated 77 MtCO₂-eq within the first 18 months, the study found. At the local level, 363 Ukrainian municipalities have joined the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, committing to cut emissions by 33% by 2030 and implement climate adaptation strategies for floods and heatwaves.
Between 2018 and 2022, levels of pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), and total suspended matter (TSP) generally met national air quality standards. However, nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and formaldehyde (CH₂O) exceeded safe thresholds. Fine particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) in Kyiv remained under EU limits but exceeded WHO recommendations.
Although forests cover only 20% of Ukraine's territory, the country ranks among Europe's leaders in forest area. Around 1.7 million hectares—15% of the forest cover—have been affected by war-related deforestation, wildfires, and contamination. In 2024 alone, Ukraine experienced record wildfires, burning 965,000 hectares—more than twice the EU’s total for the same period, according to the study.
The study highlighted that soil health is critical in Ukraine, where agriculture contributes 11% to GDP and accounts for 60% of exports, valued at €23.3 billion in 2023. Ukrainian soils are naturally rich in nutrients and organic matter but are increasingly vulnerable to degradation.
Erosion is the most widespread threat, impacting around 40% of the country’s soil. The war has further worsened conditions by releasing toxic elements like lead, mercury, and arsenic, which pose serious public health risks as they can enter the food chain, the report noted.
The Black Sea is facing compounded pressures from pollution, overfishing, invasive species, and climate change. Since the war, chemical releases and habitat destruction have increased, though systematic environmental monitoring has become nearly impossible due to security concerns.
The study also underscored the urgent need to modernize Ukraine's environmental monitoring systems and improve transparent reporting. This knowledge is crucial for rebuilding efforts under the Ukraine Plan, part of the broader Ukraine Facility—an EU-supported recovery and resilience program aimed at helping Ukraine progress toward EU membership.
Social Media Posts
Push Toward Innovative Therapies in Ukraine
Borys Danevych, head of CEE life sciences at health care at international law firm CMS, promoted a presentation outlining the push in Ukraine toward innovative treatments through health technology assessment (HTA) and managed entry agreements (MEA).
"Ukraine continues to strengthen its healthcare system through significant reforms in pricing, reimbursement, and access to innovative therapies," he wrote, adding that the government is "gradually aligning the country’s approach with best international practices. These efforts aim to boost the pharmacoeconomics based decision-making on coverage and reimbursement, promote access to effective health technologies, and ensure greater transparency in public healthcare funding."
Calls for More Info on Russian Attacks
DiXi Group, the Ukrainian think tank, called on the government to resume publishing information on the consequences of Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy grid, which it stopped completely on March 27.
"Without data on the consequences of Russian attacks, the international community may get the false impression that the threat has passed and the Ukrainian energy sector no longer needs support, while business and the public sector will have less chance to respond adequately and in a timely manner to challenges, in particular regarding energy supply."
New GovTech Platform
The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine announced the launch of a "global platform for GovTech solutions" along with the World Economic Forum and the Global Government Technology Centre.
"The GovTech Intelligence Hub is an international platform for sharing ideas, expertise, and practical case studies in digital governance. It brings together the best digital solutions for the public sector from around the world—from local initiatives to national platforms. Ukraine is among the first countries to present its projects on the GovTech Intelligence Hub."
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