The European Commission is considering tightening the conditions for Russian citizens to obtain Schengen tourist visas. At present, short-term visas continue to be issued to Russians in 17 Schengen countries, including Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain, and France.
Among the measures under consideration are:
– increasing the processing time for visa applications from the current 10 to 15 days, with the possibility of extending it to 45 days,
– introducing stricter controls on document compliance and strengthening measures against abuse.
As part of the preparation of a new, 19th package of sanctions against Russia, a clause on a complete ban on the issuance of Schengen tourist visas is being discussed — the proposed option may be included in the package, which is expected to be presented on September 12.
The main impetus for this initiative is the sharp increase in the number of tourist trips by Russians to Schengen countries in the summer months of 2025, which raises concerns about the possible use of tourist trips to prepare malicious actions within the EU.
In 2024, Russians submitted about 606,600 applications for Schengen visas and received about 552,600 visas, an increase of 16-21% compared to the previous year.
Russia ranked fifth in the world in terms of the number of Schengen visas obtained, behind only China, Turkey, India, and Morocco.
According to data from the Cypriot Ministry of Internal Affairs presented to parliament, as well as reports from Cypriot media, foreign buyers purchased more than 37,000 properties on the island between 2021 and 2024.
Top 10 buyer countries (2021–2024)
The statistics show some regional characteristics, for example, in Paphos, the British traditionally lead (~4,500 properties), in Limassol, the Russians lead (~2,500), followed by the British and Israelis. In Larnaca, the British, Lebanese, and Israelis are active, while in Nicosia, a significant portion of transactions are carried out by Greeks and British.
Since 2021, foreigners have purchased more than 37,000 properties, while Cypriot citizens have purchased more than 200,000. Transactions involving foreigners are concentrated in Limassol and Paphos (about 60% of all transactions).
The main trends in the Cyprus residential real estate market are:
Experts predict further growth in interest from citizens of Israel, Lebanon, and Ukraine, as well as a possible revival of Chinese investors as currency restrictions ease.
Oversized cargo transportation company TAD plans to invest €20 million next year in expanding its fleet of wind turbine transport equipment in Ukraine due to increased demand for such services, according to the company’s founder and CEO Vitaliy Melnyk.
“I believe in Ukraine’s wind potential. There are a lot of requests for the transportation of wind equipment, and activity has been very high, especially in the last year or two. We are growing. Next year, we plan to invest EUR 20 million in expanding our fleet of equipment specifically designed for transporting large wind turbines,” he said during the Ukrainian Wind Energy Forum 2025 organized by the Ukrainian Wind Energy Association, which is being held in Lviv on Tuesday.
As Melnik explained, many wind projects were halted with the start of the war precisely because foreign partners refused to install and deliver turbines to Ukraine due to military risks. Therefore, such services began to actively develop within the country.
In January-July 2025, DTEK Networks distribution system operators (DSOs) performed more than 57,000 repairs in 0.4 kV distribution networks without power outages, accounting for more than 60% of all work on this type of network.
“Since the beginning of 2025, DTEK Networks DSO specialists have carried out over 57,000 repairs using modern methods without disconnecting customers. This is 30% more than in the same period last year. We invest in training our energy specialists and modern equipment so that our customers receive quality service,” DTEK Networks reported, citing the company’s CEO Alina Bondarenko.
According to her, this technology is especially critical in the fall and winter, when the number of accidents can increase due to enemy actions and weather conditions.
“However, this technology will allow families to not notice how energy workers are repairing the networks,” Bondarenko added.
As explained by the company, the technology for working on power equipment and power lines without disconnecting customers is used in leading European countries, and from 2021 it will be gradually introduced in DTEK Networks.
According to the company, of the 57,400 repairs carried out from January to August this year on 0.4 kV networks (overhead power lines and metering cabinets) without power outages, 24,000 were carried out in the Odesa region, 23,800 repairs in the Dnipropetrovsk region, 6,900 in the Kyiv region, and 2,500 in the capital.
The training of power engineers to perform work without power outages lasts up to three months. It takes place at special training grounds. For safe work, DTEK Networks provides employees with protective clothing and special equipment: rubber gloves, helmets, dielectric mats, and other means.
In 2025, 448 employees mastered the technology of working on distribution networks, and in total, more than 1,700 DTEK Networks specialists can work using this method.
The company is gradually expanding the list of works that can be performed without disconnecting customers and plans to scale this approach in the future.
DTEK Networks develops its business in electricity distribution and power grid operation in Kyiv, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Odesa regions. The operating holding’s distribution system operators serve 5.1 million households and 150,000 businesses.
The main goal of reforming the Repair and Production division at Ukrzaliznytsia JSC is to optimize the business, increase its efficiency, and make it profitable, said Yevhen Shramko, member of the company’s board and head of the division, in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
According to him, the transformation involves consolidating assets, attracting international partners, and implementing projects based on excess capacity through leasing, public-private partnerships, or repurposing.
“Where there is potential, we will strengthen it; where necessary, we will remove the excess. We must find the optimal scale and ensure long-term efficiency,” Shramko emphasized.
In 2024, Ukraine supplied 85,800 tons of honey to foreign markets and ranked third in the world in terms of export volume, according to the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UAC). According to the association, the top 5 global exporters by volume in 2024 were as follows: China — 169,600 tons; India — 94,800 tons; Ukraine — 85,800 tons; Argentina — 78,100 tons; Vietnam — 48.2 thousand tons.
The European Commission (Trade Data Monitor, preliminary data for January–June 2024) also lists China, India, Ukraine, and Argentina among the leading honey exporters by tonnage.
Top 20 exporters by value of shipments in 2024 (HS 0409)
(in brackets — share in world exports; methodology — FOB value)
1) China — $264.9 million (11.5%);
2) New Zealand — $250.7 million (10.9%);
3) India — $182.6 million (7.9%);
4) Argentina — $170.3 million (7.4%); 5
5) Ukraine — $166.9 million (7.2%);
6) Germany — $110.3 million;
7) Spain — $103.2 million;
8) Brazil — $100.6 million;
9) Hungary — $85.3 million;
10) Belgium — $79.7 million;
11) Vietnam — $68.5 million;
12) Mexico — $47.5 million;
13) Canada — $45.2 million;
14) Australia — $45.0 million;
15) Romania — $40.6 million;
16) Bulgaria — $38.0 million;
17) Poland — $37.6 million;
18) Turkey – $32.6 million;
19) Netherlands – $31.3 million;
20) Greece – $28.6 million.
Rankings by value and volume differ (for example, New Zealand ranks high in terms of value due to expensive varieties, but is not among the top countries in terms of tonnage). Data on value — according to World’s Top Exports (based on UN/ITC Trade Map) for 2024; data on volume of the top 5 — according to UACB/Trade Data Monitor.
Where Ukraine sells
The largest buyers of Ukrainian honey in 2024: Germany — 18.9 thousand tons; USA — 12.1 thousand tons; Poland — 9.7 thousand tons; France — 9.6 thousand tons; Belgium — 7.1 thousand tons. Deliveries were also made to Turkey, Great Britain, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, Qatar, Jordan, etc. (UACB).
From 2025, the EU will again apply quotas on duty-free imports of Ukrainian honey. UACB notes that the new volumes are higher than before and support competitiveness, but do not cover the entire export potential of the industry.
