China’s Power China has expressed interest in investing in projects to develop renewable energy sources and modernize the energy grid in Serbia. This was announced by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić following a meeting with company representatives, according to Serbian Economist, citing his Instagram post and a note by eKapija.
According to Vučić, the talks “explored opportunities for new projects in Serbia, especially in the field of renewable energy and power grid modernization,” with “company representatives expressing great interest in further investments in clean and low-carbon energy, as well as in upgrading existing infrastructure.” The meeting took place in Beijing as part of a series of contacts between the Serbian delegation and major Chinese corporations.
Power China is already involved in infrastructure projects in Serbia (in particular, in work on the first line of the Belgrade metro and the National Stadium). Earlier, in January 2024, the authorities announced agreements with China for €2 billion in investments in wind and solar power stations and hydrogen production — the largest package for the republic’s green energy sector at that time.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs
Oil prices are rising on Monday morning as traders assess OPEC+’s decision and Washington’s new statements on sanctions against Russia amid Russia’s continued full-scale military aggression against Ukraine.
The price of November Brent futures on the London ICE Futures exchange rose by $0.83 (1.27%) to $66.33 per barrel as of 7:15 a.m. On Friday, the contract fell by $1.49 (2.22%) to $65.50 per barrel.
WTI crude oil futures for October delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) rose by $0.77 (1.24%) to $62.64 per barrel. At the end of the previous session, the price of these contracts fell by $1.61 (2.54%) to $61.87 per barrel.
Over the past week, Brent and WTI futures fell in price by more than 3% on fears of an oversupply in the market if OPEC+ countries increase production.
Ministers from eight OPEC+ countries participating in voluntary oil production cuts approved an increase in production by 137,000 bpd in October at a meeting on September 7. The decision was made in view of the stable outlook for the global economy and favorable market conditions, reflected in low oil inventories, according to a statement from the alliance.
This will be the first tranche of a partial return to the market of voluntary restrictions of 1.65 million bpd, which were to remain in effect until the end of 2026. Now, the plan is to get rid of them by August.
Meanwhile, the production increase agreed upon over the weekend turned out to be less significant than previous ones.
“The moderate increase in OPEC+ production has brought relief to the market,” wrote Fujitomi Securities analyst Toshitaka Tazawa, adding that the increase in production had already been factored into prices, and now there is a technical rebound.
“Expectations of a supply reduction due to possible new US sanctions against Russia are also providing support,” the expert noted.
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he was ready to impose a second phase of restrictive measures against Russia. Trump considers the additional tariffs imposed on India to be the first phase of anti-Russian measures. Washington justified these measures by saying that Delhi buys oil from Russia.
The Strategic Investment Council has approved the Unified Project Portfolio of Public Investments (UPP) for 2026, comprising 149 initiatives with an estimated total cost of UAH 11.4 trillion.
According to information on the Ministry of Finance website, of all the approved projects, 75 initiatives are based on existing ones (continuing from 2025) with an estimated cost of about UAH 1 trillion.
The remaining 74 projects are new (submitted for the first time), with an estimated cost of about UAH 10.4 trillion.
The Ministry of Finance emphasized that these amounts are the total estimated cost of the initiatives, not the financing plan for 2026 alone. The EPP itself provides grounds for initiatives to claim full or partial financing from the state budget in 2026 and subsequent budget periods.
In terms of sectors, 40 projects (26 programs and 14 projects) will be implemented in the field of municipal infrastructure and services (Ministry of Development), 39 (6 programs and 33 projects) in the field of transport (Ministry of Development). Twenty-five projects will be implemented in the energy sector, 22 (11 programs and the same number of projects) in healthcare (Ministry of Health), and 10 initiatives (8 programs and 2 projects) will be developed in the field of education and science (Ministry of Education and Science).
In addition, four programs will relate to housing (Ministry of Development), 2 programs and 2 projects will be developed for the social sphere (Ministry of Social Policy), 2 programs will be initiated in the field of the environment (Ministry of Economy), one program will be implemented in the field of public services and digitalization (Ministry of Digital Transformation), one project in public finance (Ministry of Finance), and another project in legal activities and judicial proceedings (Ministry of Justice).
Tax, fee, and mandatory payment revenues to the general and special funds of the Ukrainian state budget for the first eight months of 2025 amounted to UAH 2.40 trillion, while cash expenditures amounted to UAH 3.23 trillion, which is approximately 24.2% and 23.7% higher than the corresponding figures for the first eight months of 2024.
According to operational data from the State Treasury Service, published by the Ministry of Finance on its website, general fund revenues increased by 20.4% to UAH 1.71 trillion, while expenditures increased by 19.4% to UAH 2.50 trillion.
At the same time, in August this year, state budget revenues decreased by 30.1% compared to August last year, to UAH 314.2 billion, including the general fund – by 37.3%, to UAH 242.9 billion. This is due to significantly lower grant revenues – UAH 44 billion in August 2025 compared to UAH 228.1 billion in August 2024.
It is noted that after raising the military tax from 1.5% to 5% and introducing a condition for reserving a salary of UAH 20,000 this year, personal income tax and military tax moved from fourth to second place in terms of revenues for the first eight months of this year – UAH 230.9 billion compared to UAH 134.5 billion last year.
In addition, the main revenues were provided by: VAT on goods imported into the customs territory of Ukraine – UAH 340.4 billion (UAH 302.1 billion for the first eight months of 2024), corporate income tax – UAH 211.6 billion (UAH 195.3 billion), VAT on goods produced in Ukraine – UAH 206.5 billion for reimbursement of UAH 116.1 billion (UAH 175.0 billion for reimbursement of UAH 95.8 billion), excise tax – UAH 186.3 billion (UAH 129.6 billion).
In addition, dividends and part of the net profit of state-owned companies amounted to UAH 64.2 billion (UAH 66.5 billion), import and export duties – UAH 34.7 billion (UAH 31.6 billion), rent payments for the use of subsoil resources – UAH 27.4 billion (UAH 32.7 billion).
The Ministry of Finance added that another UAH 84.2 billion (UAH 38.6 billion) was added to the budget from the National Bank’s profits, and grants amounted to UAH 254.9 billion (UAH 268.3 billion).
Revenues from the single social contribution to pension and social insurance funds in January-August 2025 increased by 22.3% to UAH 423.5 billion, including in August by 21.0% to UAH 54.1 billion.
The Ministry of Finance also reported that as part of the financing of the general fund of the state budget, state borrowings to it in January-August 2025 amounted to UAH 1.24 trillion, or 106.1% of the plan, including UAH 345.5 billion received on the domestic market from the placement of government bonds (UAH 318.4 billion for the first eight months of 2024), including UAH 78.0 billion in foreign currency – $1.24 billion and EUR 557.7 million. At the same time, UAH 152.5 billion was raised through the issuance of military government bonds.
According to the release, about $21.4 billion or UAH 889.8 billion came from external sources, including about $13.3 billion under the ERA, with the total volume of this mechanism reaching $50 billion.
In addition, Ukraine received another EUR6.14 billion from the EU as part of the Ukraine Facility preferential long-term loan, $0.96 billion from the IMF, and $0.26 billion from the World Bank for the projects “Transforming Health through Reform and Investment in Efficiency” (THRIVE), “Creating Resilient Infrastructure in Vulnerable Environments in Ukraine” (DRIVE), and “Modernization of the Social Support System for the Population of Ukraine.”
Payments on the repayment of public debt for January-August 2025 amounted to UAH 404.0 billion, or 94.8% of the plan, and payments on servicing amounted to UAH 233.3 billion, or 82.3% of the plan.
As reported, the 2025 state budget was approved with revenues of UAH 2 trillion 327.1 billion, including the general fund – UAH 2 trillion 133.3 billion (excluding grants and international assistance), and expenditures of UAH 3 trillion 929.1 billion, including the general fund – UAH 3 trillion 591.6 billion. At the end of July, the Verkhovna Rada, at the government’s proposal, increased this year’s budget expenditures by UAH 400.5 billion and revenues by UAH 147.5 billion.
In 2024, the state budget received UAH 3 trillion 120.5 billion in revenues, which is UAH 448 billion, or 16.8%, more than the 2023 state budget. The general fund’s revenue growth amounted to UAH 513.9 billion, or 30.9%, to UAH 2 trillion 177 billion, in particular, international financial assistance in the form of grants amounted to UAH 453.6 billion compared to UAH 433.9 billion in 2023.
State budget expenditures in 2024 increased by UAH 464.5 billion, or 11.6%, compared to 2023, to UAH 4 trillion 479.3 billion, in particular, under the general fund – by 15%, or UAH 454.5 billion – to UAH 3 trillion 488.8 billion.
In August, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) fined PJSC Bank Vostok (Dnipro) a total of UAH 16 million for violating anti-money laundering legislation, according to information on the regulator’s website. Fines of UAH 15 million and UAH 1 million were imposed for violating the requirements of the AML/CFT law in terms of the bank’s improper performance of its obligation to apply a risk-based approach in its activities and its improper performance of its obligation to conduct proper verification of customers with whom it has high-risk business relationships.
In addition, the bank was given two written warnings for violating the requirements of the AML/CFT law in terms of improper performance of its obligation, taking into account the requirements of the law, to develop and implement internal documents on AML/CFT issues, as well as for the absence in internal documents on financial monitoring procedures sufficient to ensure effective risk management, and for errors in information (statistical reporting) on currency transactions.
According to information on its website, Ukrainian commercial bank Vostok is owned by Vostok Capital, whose shareholders are Vladimir Kostelman (owner of Fozzy Group), Vadim Morokhovsky, and Liya Morokhovskaya.
In August, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) fined PJSC Bank Vostok (Dnipro) for violating the law on combating the laundering of illegally obtained funds for a total amount of UAH 16 million, according to information on the regulator’s website.
Fines of UAH 15 million and UAH 1 million were imposed for violations of the AML/CFT law in terms of the bank’s failure to properly implement a risk-based approach in its activities and to properly verify customers with whom it has high-risk business relationships.
In addition, the bank was given two written warnings for violating the requirements of the AML/CFT law in terms of improper performance of its duty, taking into account the requirements of the legislation, to develop and implement internal documents on AML/CFT issues, as well as in terms of the absence in internal documents on financial monitoring procedures sufficient to ensure effective risk management, and for errors in information (statistical reporting) on currency transactions.
According to information on its website, Ukrainian commercial bank Vostok is owned by Vostok Capital, whose shareholders are Vladimir Kostelman (owner of Fozzy Group), Vadim Morokhovsky, and Lia Morokhovskaya.
