For the protesters waving Palestinian flags outside EU buildings in Brussels, it was the moment that everything might change.
An EU report presented to foreign ministers had found there were indications Israel had breached human rights obligations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement, ahead of Thursday’s European Union leaders’ summit.
The European Union is Israel’s biggest trading partner, and the protesters were demanding that the EU suspend its 25-year-old trade accord over Israel’s actions in Gaza.
But their hopes that EU leaders would agree to suspend the agreement with Israel were soon dashed, because despite the report deep divisions remain over the war in Gaza.
The protesters have been backed by more than 100 NGOs and charities.
In 20 months of Israeli military operations more than 55,000 Gazans have been killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Another 1.9 million people have been displaced.
Israel also imposed a total blockade on humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza at the start of March, which it partially eased after 11 weeks following pressure from US allies and warnings from global experts that half a million people were facing starvation.
Since then, the UN says more than 400 Palestinians are reported to have been killed by Israeli gunfire or shelling while trying to reach food distribution centres run by a US and Israeli-backed organisation. Another 90 have also reportedly been killed by Israeli forces while attempting to approach convoys of the UN and other aid groups.
“Every red line has been crossed in Gaza” Agnes Bertrand-Sanz from Oxfam told the BBC.
“Every rule has been breached. It really is high time that the European Union acts.”
As the report was made public, it fell to foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to explain what the European Union would do next.
The EU’s first goal would be to “change the situation” on the ground in Gaza, she said. If that did not happen, “further measures” would be discussed next month on how to suspend the association agreement.
“We will contact Israel to, you know, present our finding,” she stumbled in an uncharacteristically faltering manner. “Because that is the focus of the member states, to really, you know… be very, very sure about the feelings that we have here.”
NGOs said the EU had missed an opportunity to take action and that the response was feeble.
The Israeli foreign ministry called the review “a complete moral and methodological failure.”
For some of the EU’s critics, the episode was a vivid example of how the EU can talk a good game about being the biggest global humanitarian aid donor to Gaza, but badly struggles to present any coherent or powerful voice to match it.
As the world’s biggest market of 450 million people, the EU carries great economic weight but it is not translating into political clout.
“The fact that European countries and the UK are not doing more to put pressure on Israel and to enforce international humanitarian law, it makes it very difficult for these countries to be credible,” said Olivier De Schutter, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on human rights.
“War crimes are being committed at a very large scale In Gaza, there is debate about whether this amounts to genocide, but even if there’s no genocide there is a duty to act.”
De Schutter fears the EU’s soft power is being lost and its inaction makes it much harder for it to persuade to countries in Africa, Asia in Latin America to back Europe on condemning Russia’s war in Ukraine, for example.
Israel maintains it acts within international law and that its mission is to destroy Hamas and bring home the remaining hostages taken when Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023. About 1,200 people were killed in the attack, which triggered Israel’s offensive on Gaza.
As a union of 27 countries, the domestic political reality in Europe makes it unlikely that EU leaders will back the views of the majority of member states on Gaza.
Eleven EU countries have recognised Palestine as a state, and among them Ireland, Spain, Belgium, Slovenia and Sweden had pushed for the European Union’s agreement with Israel to be suspended.
At the heart of the EU’s foreign policy decision-making in Brussels is the fact that decisions have to be unanimous, and so just one dissenting voice can block the EU from taking action.
In this case Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic are all opposed.
Austria hopes the EU’s review will spark action, but not necessarily a suspension of the treaty with Israel.
“Everything I’ve heard in this regard will not help the people in Gaza,” said Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger. “What it would however cause is a deterioration, if not a complete breakdown of the dialogue we currently have with Israel.”
Germany’s position on Israel has often been shaped by its role in the Holocaust and World War Two.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz says the “current level of attacks on Gaza can no longer be justified by the fight against Hamas”, but he has refused to consider suspending or terminating the agreement.
Slovakia and Hungary are considered more closely aligned politically to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu than many other EU countries.
Among the key players advocating tougher measures against Netanyahu’s government is Ireland.
Its foreign affairs minister, Simon Harris, condemned the EU’s handling of the review.
“Our response in relation to Gaza has been much too slow and far too many people have been left to die as genocide has been carried out,” he said.
Israel rejects the charge of genocide and when it closed its embassy in Dublin last December it accused Ireland of antisemitism.
Europe has recently found itself sidelined by Washington on big global issues, notably Ukraine and Iran – with President Donald Trump in favour of direct talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu.
The US may not be in listening mood, but on Gaza the EU has struggled to muster a unified voice on Gaza, let alone make it heard.
The rise in energy prices as a result of the conflict in the Middle East could weaken economic growth in the eurozone and thus smooth out inflation, said Luis de Guindos, deputy head of the European Central Bank (ECB).
“The emergence of the Iranian-Israeli conflict adds some uncertainty to the dynamics of oil prices,” The Wall Street Journal quoted him as saying. It is therefore important to keep a close eye on developments in the real economy as an indicator of inflation prospects.”
According to de Guindos, the increase in duties on European exports to the United States will certainly slow down inflation in the currency bloc, including because it will weaken economic growth.
“Higher duties are expected even if bilateral negotiations are successful,” the deputy head said. The ECB cut its key policy rate in June and made it clear that it was nearing the end of its monetary easing cycle. In May, inflation in the euro area was below the 2% target.
However, de Guindos’ comments suggest that the rate may have to be cut further to keep inflation around 2%, the WSJ writes.
Source: http://relocation.com.ua/rising-energy-prices-could-weaken-economic-growth-in-europe/
At the checkpoint “Ugrinov” temporarily suspended registration of all categories of vehicles due to technical faults in the database, reported the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBSU).
“Due to technical malfunctions in the database temporarily suspended registration of all categories of vehicles at the checkpoint ”Ugrinov” in both directions. Restoration work is already underway. Take this information into account when planning a trip”, – stated in the message of the State security service in Telegram on Thursday.
The GPSU also noted that due to the summer tourist season, the load on the checkpoints of Lviv region has increased: passenger traffic has increased by 25%, and at the height of the season is expected – up to 40%.
“As of now there is an accumulation of transport at the checkpoints: ”Shehyni“, ”Krakovets“, ‘Hrushev’, ”Rava-Russkaya“, ”Ugrinov”. “Nizhankovichi” and ‘Smilnitsa’ work without queues”, – added in the state Border service.
Metinvest Mining and Metallurgical Group increased environmental spending at its enterprises by 2% year-on-year to $170 million in 2024, according to Metinvest’s presentation at the Barclays ESG Emerging Markets Corporate Day, published on the Irish Stock Exchange on Wednesday.
According to the presentation, the group increased its investments in energy efficiency projects by more than 50% in 2024 compared to 2023, spending about $17 million.
The document states that the group has benefited from the Black Sea Corridor opened in the second half of 2023: it helped to increase capacity utilization and open up effective access to remote markets, which in turn contributed to operational and financial results.
At the same time, the group’s operations at Pokrovskugol were suspended due to changing conditions on the frontline, energy supply shortages and the security situation.
The presentation notes that the global pricing environment remained volatile amid ongoing uncertainty caused by trade tensions in the United States, as well as other geopolitical and economic factors.
“Metinvest emphasized that with changes in supply chains, assets outside Ukraine have adapted to the new circumstances. Processing plants in Italy and the UK are now focusing on their local markets, with little or no Ukrainian supply. The plant in Bulgaria continues to use Ukrainian raw materials. American coking coal mines have increased their supplies to Ukrainian coke plants.
According to the presentation, Metinvest has been consistently fulfilling its environmental obligations even in times of war, prioritizing energy security management to ensure stable operation of its assets. Thus, the Group has purchased diesel generators and started installing gas piston units. It also plans to deploy solar power plants to increase energy autonomy at its production facilities in Ukraine, while critical repairs continue to keep dust and gas emissions below permissible levels.
In addition, Pivnichny GOK launched a project to thicken concentration waste to reduce the volume of sludge sent to the tailings pond.
Air emissions increased by 5% due to increased production at Northern GOK and Kametstal. Water consumption increased by 6% following the launch of an additional unit at Kametstal’s thermal power plant. The Group recycled and reused 92% of water consumed from all sources.
The volume of waste generated increased by 10%, reflecting higher capacity utilization at Northern GOK. Almost all of the waste was non-hazardous, mainly overburden and tailings from iron ore production.
The presentation states that Metinvest remains committed to the future of its green steel and continues to explore opportunities to move towards carbon neutrality, focusing on improving the quality of iron ore products at Northern GOK as its magnetite ores are well suited for pelletizing; Northern GOK is already capable of producing 2.3 million tonnes of high quality pellets per year, which are used in direct reduced iron technology. Efforts are also underway to build a new, state-of-the-art green steel plant in Italy in partnership with Danieli with a planned annual capacity of 2.7 million tons of low-carbon hot-rolled steel.
The way to decarbonize Metinvest’s Ukrainian assets will be determined after the active phase of the war is over and its impact is assessed.
As of the end of 2024, the Group’s adjusted headcount amounted to 40,535 thousand people (excluding employees with suspended employment), down 13% year-on-year. As of the end of 2024, about 6,000 employees served in the Ukrainian defense forces, which is 15% of the adjusted headcount.
“Metinvest is a vertically integrated group of steel and mining companies. Its businesses are located in Ukraine, in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro regions, as well as in the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States. The main shareholders of the holding are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%). Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
Experts Club has analyzed the brick market in Ukraine and made a number of conclusions and forecasts. The brick market in Ukraine is gradually recovering from the destruction and recession caused by the full-scale war in 2022. In 2024, there was an increase in construction activity, especially in the residential and infrastructure construction segment, which provoked an increase in demand for bricks.
At the end of 2024, the market showed an increase in capacity by 18.5%. In the first half of 2024, production reached ~249 million bricks, up 20.4% compared to the same period in 2023. The annual production volume in 2024 was estimated at 500-520 million bricks, and in 2025 – 535-555 million bricks with a forecast growth of 7%.
The largest Ukrainian producers are concentrated in the central and western regions of the country. Due to the hostilities in 2022-2023, refractory brick factories in the east, such as Bilokamianske and Zymohirske, were destroyed or decommissioned.
However, a large part of traditional brick production managed to maintain or resume operations by 2024.
Imports.
Due to the destruction of production facilities and rising demand, Ukraine is increasing its brick imports. The main supplier countries are: Poland
Imported products are mainly sent to the western and central regions and are used in high-budget construction and decoration.
Market shares: imports vs. domestic production
Based on estimates for 2025:
This makes it possible to compensate for the shortage in some regions and support construction during the reconstruction period.
Prices.
Experts Club ‘s forecasts are as follows:
Brick factories operating in the government-controlled areas
There are more than 30 brick factories operating in the government-controlled areas, including ceramic, silicate and clinker. Among the largest are:
Currently, the products of these plants cover more than 70% of domestic demand for bricks in construction.
Major brick importers to Ukraine
To compensate for the deficit and ensure high quality in some market segments (refractory, clinker, facing), Ukraine imports products from
In 2024, the Ukrainian brick market entered a phase of active recovery. Domestic production provides the bulk of the output, but the share of imports remains significant and is growing. Restoration of the destroyed infrastructure, support from the government and international funds will continue to stimulate the market, and prices will stabilize closer to 2026.
Source: https://expertsclub.eu/rynok-czegly-v-ukrayini-v-2024-2025-rokah-korotkyj-oglyad-vid-experts-club/
Ponova by OTP Bank loan marketplace for used cars took third place in the nomination “Best CX Case in Service Design” at the Ukrainian CX Excellence’2025 Customer Experience Awards. The award ceremony took place on June 20, 2025 in Kyiv.
“Ponova by OTP Bank was launched in 2022 as a response to real customer pain: chaos in the used car market, distrust of sellers, incomprehensible tools for finding and buying used cars, and a complicated car loan process. Our team relied on convenience, transparency, and technology, and we were right. This award confirms that we are on the right track, as we are changing the experience of buying and selling cars in Ukraine for the better,” said Mykyta Alfiorov, Product Owner of Ponova by OTP Bank.
This fintech product already covers 69% of the Ukrainian used car market. The network of Ponova by OTP Bank partners includes more than 550 car lots in 45 cities of Ukraine and is constantly growing. The online catalog of the marketplace includes more and more used cars of the most popular brands: Volkswagen, Skoda, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Kia, Chevrolet, Ford, BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Citroen, Renault. In addition, almost 30 thousand different cars are presented with a discount of up to -30%.A wide selection of cars by category, technical parameters, and year of manufacture allows you to find the perfect option for each buyer. Convenient filters help you quickly select a car by key criteria: brand, model, price, year, etc. The option of ordering a customized car from the USA, Europe, and other countries is available.
You can buy a car immediately by paying the full amount or on credit. For buyers who purchase a car with financing through the Ponova by OTP Bank marketplace, vehicle registration is free of charge.
A convenient Ponova bot will help the client quickly determine the personal loan amount for a car, and OTP Bank will finance it. The Bank’s specialists will consult in detail and select the optimal term and amount of monthly payments.
Details at the link. Find information on the terms of lending for used cars here.
The Ukrainian CX Excellence’2025 All-Ukrainian Customer Experience Award brought together leading Ukrainian companies that submitted more than 60 customer experience cases in 13 nominations. The industries represented include e-commerce, banks, insurance companies, logistics, energy, HoReCa, retail, gas stations, and even agriculture. The cases were evaluated in two stages: first, a written essay, and then an online defense during a two-day CX marathon. The expert council of the All-Ukrainian Customer Experience Award included 55 independent experts.
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