Chris Powers

"Without a free and democratic Belarus, there will be no security, neither for Ukraine nor for European countries," Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said.

Spain imported 138,000 metric tonnes of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in October despite having phased out imports from Moscow in September, according to a Nov. 12 report by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha thanked South Korea for its support for Ukrainian sovereignty, before saying "I am convinced that further steps lie ahead of us towards the full normalization of bilateral relations."

"Providing this support is an indivisible responsibility shared by us all," Merz said.

It will come on top of a separate pledge of 45 billion euros that the bloc is set to provide Ukraine in 2027 as part of the 90 billion euro ($100.7 billion) loan put together in April 2026.

A senior EU official has confirmed to the Kyiv Independent that the EU, NATO, and the national security advisers of Germany, France, and the U.K. will take part in the talks.

The talks in Abu Dhabi are expected to take place in a trilateral format, with Ukrainian, Russian, and U.S. officials in attendance.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said the amendments to the current rules are being prepared "on a tight schedule," following a meeting between the Finnish government and President Alexander Stubb.

"This could also be a bargaining message to Moscow: offer a better price or lose more market share," Isaac Levi, an energy policy analyst with the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), told the Kyiv Independent.

The EU announced the launch of a task force dedicated to cryptocurrency sanctions, an area where it has been progressively rolling out more restrictions.

Finland's Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said European countries should commit at least 0.25% of GDP in support of Ukraine, which Kyiv has identified as the right percentage to keep it financially afloat.

"I take note of your request to discuss this matter further at the forthcoming informal European Council meeting in Dublin, and I will make time for this discussion," wrote European Council President Antonio Costa.

The EU's Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis described the payment as "an investment in Ukraine’s recovery, security and prosperity, and in its future as a member of the European Union."

The EU is championing Ukraine's future membership louder than ever, but its Nov. 4 annual report on the state of Kyiv's integration process makes clear that the country must get serious about the rule of law. In this year's annual reports on the progress of EU candidate countries towards membership, Ukraine was singled out by the European Commission as a "frontrunner," along with Moldova, Montenegro, and Albania, leapfrogging long-time candidates such as Serbia. "Ukraine has shown steadfast co

Ukraine and Moldova are both expected to make strides toward EU membership next year, even as Chisinau outpaces Kyiv on reforms, according to accession roadmaps published by the European Commission on Nov. 4. The news comes as the EU presents its long-anticipated verdict on the accession efforts of its four most advanced candidates: Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro, and Albania. So far, EU countries have agreed to advance Kyiv's and Chisinau's bids in tandem since they applied for membership in 20