
Ukraine holds key rate at 15% as inflation risks persist after Middle East energy shock
The bank said that inflation slowed in May to 8.2%, after a bump from 7.4% in January to 8.6% in April, partly driven by the war in the Middle East.

The bank said that inflation slowed in May to 8.2%, after a bump from 7.4% in January to 8.6% in April, partly driven by the war in the Middle East.
"The U.S. responded positively to Poland's proposal to establish a permanent U.S. military base in Poland," Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said June 18 after meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The EU should engage more in diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, according to draft conclusions of the June 18-19 European Council summit seen by the Kyiv Independent. The EU leaders' meeting follows weeks of media-driven speculation over who should represent Europe in any future peace talks. During that time, the E3 countries (France, Germany, and the U.K.) put out their own feelers to their Russian counterparts, as did the team of European Council President A

You can listen to the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music.

Key developments on June 18: * Ukraine launches largest drone attack on Moscow since start of Russia's full-scale invasion, hits oil refinery * European Council explores opening communication channels with Kremlin * Kyiv denies Russian claim that Ukrainian drone struck bus carrying Belarusian children's football team * Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands announce new military aid, F-16s for Ukraine ahead of NATO defense ministers' meeting * Kyiv repatriates 522 bodies that Moscow claims

June 19 marks two years since Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un signed a mutual defense treaty in Pyongyang, bringing Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, or North Korea) into their closest alignment since the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the two years since, DPRK troops have fought alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine. North Korean missiles have struck Ukrainian cities, and millions of exported artillery shells have helped fuel Russia's war machine. In re

"Bulgaria will ask Patriarch Kirill to be removed from the sanction package," Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said.

The Kyiv Independent’s Business Desk covers the biggest news in business, economics, and tech from Ukraine, as well as global developments that shape the economy of the region.

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said that Belarus poses no military threat to Ukraine and apologized to President Volodymyr Zelensky for previous harsh remarks, according to an interview with Al Arabiya.