Ukraine calendar: What will happen this week
Editor's note: This article is a shortened on-site version of KI Insights' public newsletter, The Week Ahead, covering events from September 15-21. Sign up here to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events delivered directly to your inbox every week.
Today, September 12, the UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting over violations of Poland’s airspace by Russian drones. Also today, Russia and Belarus are launching their Zapad-2025 military exercises, which will run through September 16. Poland is closing its border with Belarus for the duration of the drills and imposing a three-month flight restriction along its borders with Belarus and Ukraine. Lithuania is also strengthening security along its borders with Russia and Belarus.
The EU Council is expected to make a rollover decision on the bloc’s sanctions against Russia on September 15. The upcoming 19th sanctions package, currently under preparation, is expected to target Russia’s banking and energy sectors. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has suggested accelerating the EU’s phaseout of Russian fossil fuels. President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for tougher measures following Russia’s recent drone incursion into Polish airspace.
This week, it was also reported that former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and his son Oleksandr lost their case in the EU’s General Court, meaning sanctions against them will remain in place. However, the court annulled the EU Council’s decision to sanction former Russian businessman Dmitry Pumpyanskiy, ruling that he did not hold any leadership positions in Russia at the time the measures were adopted.
The Ukrainian government is expected to soon submit its Government Action Program, presented in August, to Parliament for approval. The draft has not yet been published on the Verkhovna Rada website. The final version outlines 12 priorities and 129 operational goals for ministries in 2025. The program is seen as an effort to boost the popularity of the new government following the July reshuffle.
The 69th International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference will take place on September 15–19. The agenda includes nuclear safety in Ukraine in the context of Russia’s ongoing aggression. The IAEA mission, which continues to operate at Ukrainian nuclear power plants, reported again this week that its staff heard drones and gunfire at several facilities during a recent Russian strike. On the sidelines of the Conference, Ukraine will host a side event on the safety of the Chornobyl NPP on September 17.
Plenary sessions of the Verkhovna Rada are scheduled for next week. For the first time since 2022, the sessions will again be broadcast. Lawmakers are expected to consider the following draft laws:
- 13202-1 — Amendments to certain laws on the organizational framework for support in the agricultural sector (second reading)
- 13302 — Establishment of a Specialized District Administrative Court and a Specialized Administrative Court of Appeal (second reading)
- 13266 — Establishment of a Military Ombudsman (second reading)
- 0332 — Ratification of the Agreement on a Century-Long Partnership between Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The ratification of the agreement has been expected since late August and may be linked to upcoming high-level visits from the United Kingdom.
Events and Milestones:
Next week:
- 15–17 September, Bucharest, Romania. Offline event: Europe and NATO Conference 2025. A high-level forum on public–private partnerships to support defense and stability projects across Europe, with a focus on Ukraine, Romania, and Eastern Europe. Register here.
- 16–17 September, Lviv. Offline event: Brave1 Defense Tech Valley 2025. Europe’s leading dual-use tech investment summit returns on a larger scale, bringing together 5,000+ investors, startups, military, and industry leaders to explore battlefield-proven defense innovations. Connect with global decision-makers and see how Ukraine’s smart, scalable systems are shaping the future of defense. More details & tickets here.
- 17 September, Online/Offline. International Conference "Digital Horizons: Smart Banking" (Ukrainian language). A key gathering of banks, financial institutions, technology partners, and clients to explore how digital innovations are transforming the financial industry. Register here.
- 17–18 September, Riga, Latvia. Offline event: Reinventing Media Business – International Ander Forum. A two-day boutique forum for media professionals, focused on revenue models, AI adoption, and press resilience. Forum Director: Zakhar Protsiuk, COO at the Kyiv Independent. More details & tickets here.
- 18 September, 16:00–17:30 Kyiv time, Online (Zoom). Has the Ukrainian Economy Hit a Ceiling? Monthly economic review by the Centre for Economic Strategy (CES), focusing on growth slowdown and potential new drivers. Key speakers include CES experts, the National Bank of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Economy. Simultaneous English translation provided. Register here.
Further ahead:
- 23 September, Bucharest. Offline event: Black Sea Oil Trade-2025 International Conference. This event gathers 350+ participants from 25+ countries to explore the future of oilseed and veg oil trade across the Black Sea, Danube, and Eastern Europe. The agenda will address trade policy shifts, logistics, processing investments, and market trends shaping the 2025–26 season. Register here.
- 25–28 September, Lviv, Ukraine. Offline event: IT Arena 2025. Ukraine’s largest tech event returns for its twelfth edition, bringing together leading tech experts, startup founders, investors, and entrepreneurs. More details & tickets here.
- 26 September, Kyiv. Offline event: Forbes Agro. A full-day forum dedicated to technologies, innovations, and development strategies in Ukraine’s key agricultural sector. The event will bring together agribusiness leaders, policymakers, and investors to explore the future of sustainable farming, export potential, and technological transformation. More details & tickets here.
- 29–30 September, Warsaw, Poland. Offline event: Warsaw Security Forum. One of Europe’s largest international security events, bringing together heads of state, ministers, military commanders, policymakers, and experts to coordinate strategies and strengthen deterrence across the Euro-Atlantic area. More derails here.
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