Articles :

Yulia Tymoshenko with her hasty Facebook comment complicated her entry into the new political season. Mikheil Saakashvili continues to show serious intentions to return to Ukraine. Vitaly Shabunin publicly tried on himself the role of "mind, dignity, and conscience" of all anti-graft activists. SBU revealed the criminal plot of the FSB against former ATO fighters, at the same time remaining impotent against the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Kyiv.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau reported on the results of corruption probes in the energy sector, the Ukrainian hryvnia continued to strengthen following GDP growth, while the Cabinet, assisted by the EU, announced a massive competition for some 900 government posts. These are the main economic news of the outgoing week.

Andriy Reva's statement has not only overshadowed the resignation of Wojciech Balczun but also created an information background for the start of a new political season. Viktor Muzhenko spoke about the peculiarities of the situation in Donbas. Mikheil Saakashvili continues to demonstrate his own worth in the European countries friendly to Ukraine. NABU showed that they keep working without days off and holidays.

Contacts between Washington and Moscow are no end of the world for Ukraine. The Russian president is trying to combine pre-election steps and the desire to find common language with Trump administration. Witold Waszczykowski confirmed Warsaw's general line for mentoring dialogue in a bilateral dialogue. U.S. Marines launched construction of the Ukrainian Navy’s operational control center. Angela Merkel is on the path to another victory in the election of the German Chancellor.

The Cabinet this week approved the resignation of Ukrzaliznytsia CEO Wojciech Balczun, gave a start to the introduction of 4G, and raised liquor prices; the National Bank unveiled t draft of new forex regulation; while inflation has accelerated - these are the key economic news of the outgoing week.

After the suspension of Ukraine's arms sales in 2014, the Ukrainian defense industry is once again increasing its export potential. The country's leadership plans to make Ukraine one of the leaders of the global arms market, while representatives of the Ukrainian defense industry are calling for liberalization of the terms of military exports.

An acclaimed Russian poet and TV host Dmitry Bykov in an interview with UNIAN compared the events in Odesa on May 2, 2014, with the Beslan tragedy, told readers why he considered Odesa a city of tragic fate, and with whom of the Ukrainian poets he would sit down to have a talk.

The flight of the head of state aboard a MiG-29 fighter jet stirred an ambiguous reaction in social networks. The prime minister focused on resuscitation of river transport. PG Yuriy Lutsenko used his chance to remind of himself during parliamentary holidays. Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili continues to promote his craving to defend his Ukrainian citizenship.

The signing by Donald Trump of the Russia Sanctions Act, which formalized the new "axis of evil," and the trip of Mike Pence to the U.S. allies have laid out Washington's foreign policy priorities. The European Union has pondered an asymmetric response to the U.S. move against Russia. Moldova announced the vice-premier of Russia persona non grata.

Vice Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, a Ukraine’s representative to the Trilateral Contact Group Iryna Gerashchenko in the second part of the interview with UNIAN has recalled how took a British Lord to the frontline village of Pisky, how limitations of immunity will cleanse the parliament of businessmen, and why visiting Donbas and doing something for Donbas are two different things.

Ukraine paid back the first $450 million on the International Monetary Fund loan under the standby program, it also launched the free trade area with Canada, and significantly increased production and imports of natural gas - these are the main economic news of the outgoing week.

Vice Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s humanitarian envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group on Donbas settlement Iryna Gerashchenko sat down with UNIAN to talk about why Russia seeks to reformat the Ukrainian side to the Minsk negotiating group, how the talks on hostage release develop, and what precious gift from Roman Sushchenko she keeps at her office, and how a "souvenir" from the ATO zone almost got her arrested at the Boryspil Airport.

Thursday morning, Ukraine’s greatest boxer Wladimir Klitschko announced his retirement. His career will go down in history of boxing and professional sports in general. UNIAN recalls the most significant milestones on the path of the Ukrainian champion.

The loss by Mikheil Saakashvili of his Ukrainian citizenship became the main political news of the past week. Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman plans to combine pleasant news for the budget with some useful things for the country. The selection of the new judges of the Supreme Court has completed. The processions of the different Orthodox patriarchies reminded of the expediency of creating an independent local Orthodox church in Ukraine.

Phone talks of the Normandy Four leaders confirmed that it would be very difficult to revive this format of negotiations. Donald Trump used Ukraine factor in the internal political struggle. The U.S. Congress came up with a new “axis of evil,” including Russia. The Moldovan authorities boosted their principled stance toward the Kremlin.

The Ministry of Economic Development has reported growth of the national economy, Prime Minister Groysman promised to restart privatization despite the fact that a new State Property Fund chief has not yet been appointed, while Russian energy giant Gazprom easily refuted in Ukrainian courts earlier imposed obligations to pay UAH 80 million worth of fines for the violation of anti-trust legislation  - these are the key economic news of the outgoing week.

Russia is prudently escalating the situation in Donbas, while trying to remain publicly beyond the conflict. Volodymyr Groysman spoke about the country’s overhaul by his government. Arseniy Yatsenyuk called for a balance in power, reminding of his own political ambitions. Yuriy Lutsenko publicly criticized his subordinates in Dnipro. Against the backdrop of the parliamentary holidays, several parties tried to show off their activity.

Both the anniversary of the MH17 crash and the jubilee of the formal end of the conflict in Transnistria saw certain follow-ups this week . Ukraine and Georgia intend to boost cooperation, having declared strategic partnership. Alexander Lukashenko's visit to Kyiv did not go without incidents. Zakharchenko’s desire to establish "Malorossiya" looks both intoxicated chatter and part of the Kremlin's plan. Poland is looking into analogies between the current protests in Warsaw and the Ukrainian Maidan.

The EU Council has approved trade preferences for Ukraine. The IMF gave Kyiv a respite for land reform. The Cabinet reported on its work in the first half of the year. The prime minister instructs to equip the Hostomel Airport to receive aircraft of low-cost carriers. These are the main economic news of the outgoing week.

Three years ago, on Thursday, July 17, came the day that changed the attitude of Europe toward Russian aggression in Ukraine, from "we are concerned but the conflict has nothing to do with us" to "we are outraged, and the guilty will be punished." Today, in 2017, the punishment already seems inevitable.