The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the country’s security services announced a targeted strike against the leadership of the Hamas movement in the Qatari capital, Doha. The statement notes that the figures who were eliminated had coordinated the organization’s activities for many years and were responsible for the attack on October 7, 2023. The Qatari Foreign Ministry confirmed the strike and called it a “cowardly attack,” stressing that the attack took place in residential areas and poses a threat to the safety of the country’s citizens.
The incident could be a turning point in regional dynamics:
Israel-Qatar relations. Doha has traditionally acted as a mediator between Israel and Hamas and has played a key role in humanitarian negotiations. A direct strike on Qatari territory could freeze these channels and lead to increased tensions.
The position of the US. Qatar is a strategic ally of Washington, and one of the largest American military bases in the Middle East (Al Udeid) is located on its territory. The US reaction will be decisive: the balance between supporting Israel and maintaining relations with Doha will require a delicate diplomatic line from the White House.
Regional escalation. The Qatari Foreign Ministry has already condemned the strike. Analysts do not rule out the consolidation of a number of Arab countries against Israel in the diplomatic arena, which could complicate US plans to create new security alliances in the region.
Economic aspect: the oil market
Qatar is the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a major player in the oil market. Any deterioration in security in the country or the risk of Qatar being drawn into direct conflict is immediately perceived by the market as a signal of potential supply disruptions.
Price reaction. Traditionally, escalation in the Middle East leads to higher oil prices due to the risk premium. Even in the absence of physical disruptions, traders factor the likelihood of the conflict spreading into the price.
Long-term prospects. If Qatar’s diplomatic isolation intensifies, it could change LNG supply routes to Europe and Asia, strengthening the position of other suppliers (such as the US or Australia).
Israel’s strike against Hamas leaders in Qatar opens a new level of confrontation that could have far-reaching consequences. In addition to the military and political components, the incident could affect global energy, increasing volatility in oil and gas markets. In the short term, oil prices can be expected to rise due to the “risk premium,” and in the medium term, diplomatic and trade alliances in the region could be restructured.
Ukrainian sunflower meal lost ground to Argentine sunflower meal on the European market for the first time in a long time, while rapeseed meal supplies reached a record low for five seasons, according to the information and analytical agency APK-Inform.
The agency cited data from the European Commission, according to which in July-August (2025-2026 MY for the EU) the European Union imported 118,000 tons of Argentine sunflower meal, accounting for 49% of total imports of this product, while the share of Ukrainian meal was 40%, or 96,000 tons.
According to Ukrainian statistics, in July, exports of Ukrainian sunflower meal to the EU halved, amounting to just over 50 thousand tons, and in August, according to preliminary estimates by APK-Inform, the smallest volume of this product since October 2021 was exported to the EU—only about 20-25 thousand tons.
Analysts recalled that in the 2024/25 season, Ukrainian sunflower meal accounted for 62% of total imports of this product, while Argentine sunflower meal accounted for 29%.
“The reduction in supplies in July-August this year is due to a decrease in sunflower processing by Ukrainian factories in the summer and, accordingly, a lower supply of meal. At the same time, the seasonally high supply of rapeseed meal on the European market became an additional limiting factor,” the experts explained.
Currently, analysts emphasized, Ukrainian rapeseed meal supplies to the EU are at their lowest level in more than five seasons (excluding 22/23 MY), which is due to the shift in rapeseed harvesting dates in Ukraine, low sales of oilseeds by farmers, and very low processing in July.
According to the European Commission, in the first two months of the 2025/26 season, the EU purchased only 1.6 thousand tons of rapeseed meal from Ukraine, or 1.3% of total imports. Currently, Canadian rapeseed meal dominates EU imports with a share of 84%. Last season, during the same period, the EU imported mainly Ukrainian products, which accounted for 82% of imports, according to APK-Inform.
In January-August 2025, Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises increased pig iron production by 8% compared to the same period last year, to 5.109 million tons.
According to Ukrmetallurgprom, pig iron output in August amounted to 747,500 tons, compared to 621,100 tons in July.
For comparison, in 2024, Ukraine produced 7.090 million tons of pig iron (+18.1%), in 2023 – 6.003 million tons (-6.1%), in 2022 – 6.391 million tons (-69.8% compared to pre-war 2021).
Ukrainian metallurgical companies reduced their total rolled steel production by 1.4% in January-August 2025 compared to the same period last year, from 4.318 million tons to 4.256 million tons.
According to the Ukrmetallurgprom association, 633,200 tons of rolled steel were produced in August, compared to 552,000 tons in July.
As reported, Ukraine increased rolled steel production by 15.8% in 2024, to 6.222 million tons. In 2023, this figure increased by 0.4% to 5.372 million tons, and in 2022, it decreased by 72% compared to 2021.
From September 4 to 6, Riga hosted the leading food industry exhibition Riga FOOD 2025, where the capital was represented by the MADE IN KYIV collective stand. Over three days, 10 food and packaging manufacturers from the capital presented their products on an area of 36 m².
The grand opening of the stand was attended by Anatoliy Kutsevol, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Latvia, Maris Sprindžuks, Vice Mayor of Riga, Hanna Starostenko, Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration, and Anatoliy Bahan, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development of the Kyiv City State Administration.
The three days of the collective stand’s operation were intense and productive: the stand was visited by a large number of guests, product presentations were held, and lively negotiations and discussions on new prospects for cooperation took place.
Also, on September 5, the exhibition hosted a Business Forum on Ukrainian-Latvian Cooperation, organized by the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Trade House Ukraina.
The atmosphere of the event confirmed the high level of interest in Ukrainian business and facilitated effective dialogue for the development of partnerships.
“The results of Kyiv’s participation in Riga FOOD 2025 confirm that the capital’s businesses have great export potential and are able to compete in international markets. We see a high level of interest in the products of Kyiv companies and are confident that the contacts established here will grow into lasting partnerships,” said Anatoliy Bagan, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development of the Kyiv City State Administration.
The organizers of the Made in Kyiv collective stand are the Department of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development of the Kyiv City State Administration.
Interfax-Ukraine is an information partner.
Launching a financial inclusion bank remains a priority goal and task for the national communications operator JSC Ukrposhta, said its CEO Ihor Smelyansky.
“As the classic said: the goals are clear, the tasks are set – let’s get to work, friends!” he wrote following the results of Ukrposhta’s assessment at the Universal Postal Congress in Dubai, where, according to him, the company lagged far behind other countries in terms of business model compliance – only 21 out of 100 points, although this is more than 9.9 points last year.
“This is because we have not yet launched a financial inclusion bank, and that is why we are lagging behind 87 postal services around the world that have already done so. These are not my words — these are the conclusions of the UPU (Universal Postal Union) experts. At the congress, India Post showed that its bank already has 121 million customers. The Italian Post Office owns up to 80% of all deposits in the country,” Smelyansky said.
As reported, in August, the National Bank announced that Ukrposhta lacked the capital to create a bank.
According to the CEO of Ukrposhta, at the congress in Dubai, the company received the Rising Star Award for the first time for the fastest progress in the Postal Development Index (2IPD).
He specified that the reliability indicator rose from 82.6 to 91 points thanks to the timely delivery indicator of 90%, which has grown to 98% in recent months, and the launch of 24 automated sorting centers.
Smelyansky added that Ukrposhta’s delivery geography indicator jumped from 31.6 to 87.9 points thanks to 100% coverage of Ukraine, including frontline territories, and 192 countries for export, while the business model stability indicator rose from 78.1 to 85.4 points due to the development of mobile infrastructure, satellite communications, and diversification of the vehicle fleet.
As previously reported, in the first half of 2025, Ukrposhta increased its revenue by 5.4% compared to the same period last year, to UAH 6 billion 505.0 million, reducing its net loss by 27.2% to UAH 311.8 million. However, the company ended the first half of this year with a negative capital of UAH 101.6 million compared to UAH 210.2 million at the beginning of the year.
