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Explainer: Why Russia's frozen assets are Europe's hot topic once again
Europe

Explainer: Why Russia's frozen assets are Europe's hot topic once again

BRUSSELS, Belgium — Months after the idea was thought to have been laid to rest, some EU capitals are reviving the push to use 200 billion euros ($233 billion) in Russian assets, frozen in the bloc since 2022, to support Ukraine. The bloc's 27 countries are straining under the financial burden of bankrolling Ukraine, essentially on their own, while Kyiv is facing a massive budget hole amid Russia's unabating aggression. Meanwhile, the Russian threat has been forcing Europe to divert funds from
'We will sow' — Odesa farmers defiant in face of relentless Russian assaults

'We will sow' — Odesa farmers defiant in face of relentless Russian assaults

ODESA OBLAST — Volodymyr Varbanets sinks his hands into a mound of wheat, letting the golden kernels slip between his fingers. This year brought an unusually good harvest, the best since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, he says. Behind him, hundreds of metric tons of wheat, barley, lentils, and peas fill the farm's warehouses. "But we cannot sell it," he sighs. For more than 20 years, Varbanets has worked this land, sowing and harvesting crops across 206 hectares. At 76, he stil
State of Ukraine's politics – KI Insights monthly briefing

State of Ukraine's politics – KI Insights monthly briefing

Ukraine is currently undergoing a deep political crisis, fuelled by seemingly endless corruption investigations into the country's top leadership, the emergence of radical nationalist forces, and a rising popular backlash to both mobilization and government policy overall. Our upcoming briefing will focus on the following questions: * What is the real state of the "elections debate" started by ex-Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov? * What can we learn from the emergence of right-wing parties,
Ukraine war latest: Drone and missile alerts sound in Kyiv amid temporary attack pause on capitals

Ukraine war latest: Drone and missile alerts sound in Kyiv amid temporary attack pause on capitals

Key developments on Sept. 7: * Russian drones fly toward Kyiv amid temporary attack pause on capitals * Russia has enough resources to wage war through 2028, Ukraine's military intelligence says * Ukraine claims strikes on railway bridge and Russian aircraft in Russian-occupied Crimea * Kyiv shortens curfew to 1-5 am * Pro-Ukrainian partisans sabotaged communication tower ahead of oil refinery strike, Atesh group claims * Ukrainian drone blitz hits 3 Russian oil refineries, Zelensky confi
The drone war is becoming a race to adapt, rather than perfect
Opinion

The drone war is becoming a race to adapt, rather than perfect

You don't need to have followed the Ukraine war closely to recognize the central role that drones have played in the conflict. As I write, the Russian e-commerce giant Ozon is reeling following a third day of long-range drone strikes— an indication not only of the significance of drones, but also of how the drone war has evolved. At the start of the war, such an attack was impossible; now, as of summer 2026, drones shape almost every act as part of wider systems. But readers of this publicatio
Exclusive: Trump envoys find Putin still unwilling to compromise on Ukraine

Exclusive: Trump envoys find Putin still unwilling to compromise on Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin remains committed to escalating his war against Ukraine despite a new U.S. push to revive peace talks, people familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent following U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys' visits to Moscow and Kyiv. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner brought revised peace proposals to both capitals, but Moscow appears unwilling to make meaningful concessions, the people said. The envoys "genuinely want" to make progress toward a ceasefire befor
Kyiv shortens curfew to 1-5 am

Kyiv shortens curfew to 1-5 am

The changes will take effect at midnight on Sept. 10, and the public transportation schedule in Kyiv will also be extended by an hour, according to Klitschko.