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The Executive Vice President of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis told in an interview with UNIAN what the unblocking of the Ukrainian-Polish border depends on, how soon Russian grain will be targeted by the EU sanctions, and about priority directions in increasing European pressure on Russia.

In connection with the stabilization of the epidemiological situation, the Cabinet of Ministers eased some quarantine measures, the hryvnia exchange rate strengthened by 18 kopiykas, while inflation rose to 9.5% per annum – these are the key economic developments of the outgoing week.

The situation around Nord Stream 2 is heating up. The closer the European tour of U.S. President Joe Biden, the closer the denouement. What will be the end of the saga of the Russian "construction of the century", conceived as an energy "stick" for Europe and a "funeral march" for Ukraine's gas transit status?

It's not the first year that the Kremlin has been declaring the expansion of the "geography of challenges" for Russia, including from the collective West. And Russia intends to confront these "challenges", as is almost always the case, with the help of its army and weapons. UNIAN was figuring out whether Ukraine would become an arena for such confrontation, given the high risks that are out there.

Sniper unit commander Serhiy Varakin, call sign "Smile", in an interview with UNIAN told about the "handwriting" of different snipers, why the Army needs to get rid of the tradition to assign top-class specialists for duty in a cafeteria or at the checkpoints, how to create ideal conditions for the military, and how he counters those who join the Army solely for good pay.

The government has approved a three-year forecast for the country's economic development, expecting GDP growth at 5% in 2024; Parliament has restricted the use of plastic bags, while Naftogaz has presented three-year contracts for gas supplies to thermal generators – these are the main developments in the country's economy of the first week of June.

The Ukrainian currency has recently shown an upward trend after sliding in April amid Russia's military escalation. So should Ukrainians worry about the hryvnia exchange rate in the coming period of summer holidays?

A member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation, Bohdan Yaremenko, told UNIAN about the prospects of Ukraine-Belarus trade war, the price Alexander Lukashenko is already paying for his latest moves, and the responsibility for the Ryanair plane diversion incident that lies not only with Minsk but also with Moscow.

Ukraine has cut all flights to Belarus and banned imports of Russian and Belarusian electricity, while domestic gas suppliers published household tariffs for June – these are the main economic developments of the last week of May.

Ukraine's former Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko sat down with UNIAN to explain why Ukraine will have to sacrifice "good relations" with Belarus, whether it is possible that the scenario of Roman Protasevich's "detention" was written in Moscow, and why the collective West needs to apply harsh sanctions against the dictator over his actions.

At a press conference on the two years of tenure, President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to extend the Big Construction state program, the Verkhovna Rada changed three key ministers, and the Cabinet decided to abandon state regulation of gas prices for thermal generation firms – these are the key economic developments of the outgoing week.

House arrest of Viktor Medvedchuk does not contribute to his work as one of the leaders of the Rada's second-largest faction, "Opposition Platform – For Life" (OPZZh). UNIAN asked to what extent the high treason charges pressed against Medvedchuk will affect the OPZZh disposition, the ratings of this political force, and the sympathies of its voters.

Russia is pursuing the "hot" phase of its war on the territory of Ukraine, also waging a hybrid one. Shortly after pretending to withdraw troops earlier deployed along Ukraine borders "for drills", Russia decided to block the Sea of ​​Azov for navigation for six months, until the end of October, launching yet another "exercise." How massive is the damage done to Ukraine and can these moves be dealt with?

Ukraine and France have sealed commercial agreements worth EUR 1.3 billion, the Cabinet of Ministers has set up the Bureau of Economic Security, as well as introduced state regulation of petroleum and diesel prices – these are the key economic developments of the outgoing week.

Ukraine Ombudpserson's representative for human rights in the security and defense system and procedural rights, Viacheslav Petliovany, sat down with UNIAN to tell about the conditions in which imprisoned Ukrainians are held around the world, what detainees complain about in Russia, Europe, and the U.S., and why prisons in occupied Donbas and Crimea are worse than those in Bangladesh, Vietnam or Thailand.

During a visit to Kyiv, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken discussed with the Ukrainian authorities the reform progress and vowed aid in countering Russian aggression, the World Bank approved the allocation of $200 million for the reform of Ukraine's higher education, while the State Statistics Service reported an inflation slowdown – these are the main economic developments of the outgoing week.

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Binken will pay a working visit to Ukraine on May 5-6. UNIAN has polled Ukrainian experts on possible topics set to be discussed at meetings with Ukrainian officials and representatives of civil society, as well as on what Ukraine should focus on.

The Cabinet of Ministers determined what the electricity tariffs would be for the households for the next two months and replaced the CEO of the country's largest state-owned company, Naftogaz of Ukraine, while the Verkhovna Rada appointed Herman Halushchenko Minister of Energy – these are the key economic news of the outgoing week.

On the eve of the 35th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, UNIAN correspondents visited Chornobyl, talked with those who were there, at the fourth power unit, in the first hours after the explosion, as well as with displaced locals. Chornobyl victims recall what the spring of 1986 was like, tell how the radiation level has been decreasing over the years, adding they are upset about the growing indifference.

The Cabinet extended the quarantine until June 30, private entrepreneurs and employees started applying for state aid, while the State Statistics Service announced an increase in industrial production – these are the main economic developments in the outgoing week.