Update: Zelensky signs minority schools bill to appease Hungary, advance EU talks
The vote paves the way for the EU to formally open two more accession clusters with Ukraine and Moldova at a meeting in Luxembourg on Oct. 13.
Team
Martin Fornusek
Assistant EditorMartin Fornusek is an assistant editor at the Kyiv Independent. Until recently, Martin held the role of foreign affairs reporter specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, focusing on developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.
Articles
'We have one refinery' — Zelensky says energy ceasefire must cover power grid, not just oil, as Russia strikes energy facilities across Ukraine
Ukraine will halt its strikes against Russian refineries only if Moscow ceases its attacks against the Ukrainian power grid, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 12, signaling that a refinery-only truce makes little sense for a country with a single, badly damaged refinery.
Montenegro to expel founder of Russian war blog Rybar, citing security reasons
"Today, employees of the Police Department, together with the National Security Agency and with the support of international partners, conducted a targeted and coordinated operation aimed at preventing, detecting, and neutralizing illegal activities on the territory of Montenegro," Montenegro's police said.
South Korea to recall Ukraine envoy amid North Korean POWs dispute
"The government looks forward to the smooth resolution of all pending issues between the two countries and will continue consultations with the Ukrainian side to this end," the South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a press release.
Putin allows Italy's UniCredit banking group to reorganize, sell Russian subsidiary
UniCredit, one of the few European banks still active in Russia, announced in May that it plans to sell most of its Russian subsidiary — UniCredit Bank Russia — to a private investor from the United Arab Emirates, while retaining control over its payments arm.
NATO drafts strategy on repelling Russian attack against eastern flank
The plan is intended to clarify how NATO would respond to a potential incursion into its territory and reassure the public of the alliance's readiness, according to Bloomberg.
Pro-Russian Dodik claims party victory in Bosnian elections
"If it had not been for (U.S. President) Donald Trump's magnificent victory, we would probably be political corpses today," Milorad Dodik told his supporters, while also thanking Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Latvia votes with Russia threat looming large
Latvia will elect a new parliament this weekend, in an election dominated by security concerns over the now emboldened Russia next door and a cost-of-living crisis shaping the domestic agenda.
The Oct. 3 vote for the 100-member unicameral parliament — the Saeima — will be the second since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a war in which Latvia threw its full support behind Kyiv.
It also comes as Western officials raise alarm over Moscow's escalating hybrid threat — a particul
Estonia bans transit of Russian, Belarusian grain
"Russia attacks Ukrainian ports, blocks Ukraine's grain exports, and then looks for new routes for its own grain," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said on X. "Estonia will not provide one."
The way out of Ukraine's deadlock with Magyar
Ukrainian officials had looked for a reset with Budapest after Viktor Orban's defeat. Instead, Hungary's new prime minister, Peter Magyar, has taken a hard line of his own.
After a promising start, Budapest is yet again stalling Kyiv's EU bid until Ukraine puts into effect earlier agreements on the rights of its roughly 80,000-strong Hungarian community.
As the standoff has dragged on, Magyar has raised the stakes: he skipped the Ukraine-hosted Carpathian summit, traded barbs with Ukrainian of
Ukrainian suspect in Nord Stream sabotage requests asylum in Croatia
Croatian authorities detained scuba diver Volodymyr Zhuravliov on Aug. 19 under a European arrest warrant issued by Germany in connection with the 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream pipelines.
Estonia says Russia responsible for arson attack against defense tech company
Estonia can say "with certainty" that the attack overnight on Aug. 15 "was an act of sabotage ordered by the special services of the Russian Federation," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a statement shared with the Kyiv Independent.
How Ukraine angered South Korea — and why it matters
Ukraine just angered another partner — one sitting on an arsenal of weapons that Kyiv wants.
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Sept. 23 announcement at the U.N. General Assembly that Ukraine’s two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) were sent to South Korea was not well received in Seoul.
"It was appropriate in every aspect not to disclose, considering the many problems it may cause when disclosed, and (we) had agreed to do so," South Korean President Lee Jae Myung responded, claiming that Kyiv
EU approves major defense projects plan, with Ukraine featuring prominently
The projects aim to address the EU's shortfalls in key defense areas, namely air defense, maritime security, space, drone and counter-drone capabilities, and security along the EU's eastern flank.
French far right gains ground in Senate months before presidential election
France's National Rally (RN) party and its allies secured a record 14 seats in France's 348-seat Senate, a result RN co-leader Marine Le Pen hailed as a "historic victory."
Editors' Picks
Exclusive: 'It felt like a trap.' How Ukraine was blindsided by Trump's Putin pivot
Drones above, robots below — inside Operation Vivaldi, Ukraine’s push to recapture territory in Donetsk Oblast
In Kyiv district battered by Russian strikes, a protest to save trees turns ugly
