Ukraine today is, in many ways, following the path that Israel has taken over the 78 years of its existence, said the Israeli ambassador to Ukraine during a ceremony marking Israel’s Independence Day.
“There are few countries in the world that understand each other better than Israel and Ukraine. In recent years, air raid sirens have often sounded simultaneously in Israel and Ukraine,” the ambassador said, addressing representatives of the Ukrainian government, the diplomatic corps, and Israel’s partners in Ukraine.
According to him, Ukraine’s successes in developing defense technologies “cannot fail to impress.”
The diplomat noted that the past year has been difficult for both countries, particularly for bilateral relations.
“The relationship between our countries is very close and often resembles a family bond. As in any family, difficulties sometimes arise, and we occasionally need the help of a ‘family therapist,’” he said.
The ambassador emphasized that in diplomacy, as in medicine, the principle of “do no harm” is crucial. According to him, during his nearly five years of service in Ukraine, he has strived to adhere to this principle.
In his speech, the diplomat also mentioned Golda Meir, who was born in Kyiv, and quoted one of her famous phrases: “Pessimism is a luxury that Jews can never afford.”
“Today, this applies equally to both Israelis and Ukrainians. I admire the resilience of our peoples, their ability to remain optimistic despite everything,” the ambassador noted.
He expressed confidence that, despite wars and terror, Israel and Ukraine will remain free and independent.
The diplomat also announced that his term in Ukraine is coming to an end in the near future.
“To say that this term has been special is an understatement. And yet, I regret only one thing: that peace has not come before the end of my work in Ukraine. I appeal to those on whom this depends: you still have three months. Now is the time to intensify these efforts,” he said.
The ambassador thanked the staff of the Israeli Embassy in Ukraine for their work in preserving and developing Israeli-Ukrainian relations, as well as partners and organizations that support cooperation between the two countries, including Nativ, Keren Kayemet LeIsrael, Keren HaYesod, Keren HaYedidut, the Joint, and Sohnut.
He also expressed his gratitude to the participants in the organization of the gala evening, including Honorary Consuls Oleg Vishnyakov and Andriy Rykota, Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Israel Ofer Kerzner, President of the Benish Group Haim Benesh, President of the Ukrainian Mineral Waters Corporation Hanna Kotlyarevska, and MTB Bank.
Israel celebrates Independence Day as the country’s main national holiday. In 2026, Israel will mark the 78th anniversary of the declaration of independence.
Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and the State of Israel were established on December 26, 1991, shortly after Ukraine’s declaration of independence. The Embassy of Ukraine in Tel Aviv began operations in October 1992, and the Embassy of Israel in Kyiv was opened in 1993. Since then, the countries have been developing political dialogue, humanitarian, cultural, and economic cooperation, as well as maintaining active ties between Ukrainian and Israeli societies.
Vodafone Ukraine (VFU), Ukraine’s second-largest mobile operator, is rolling out 5G for international roaming, which is currently available in 15 countries: Slovenia, Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Switzerland, France, Malta, Croatia, Luxembourg, Germany, Slovakia, Montenegro, Cyprus, and New Zealand.
According to a press release published by the mobile operator on Thursday, access to 5G while roaming is provided under the same conditions as for 4G—within the subscriber’s plan.
It is noted that in European Union countries, the “Roam like at home” principle applies to most plans, allowing users to use minutes, SMS, and a portion of their data allowance without additional charges.
In 2025, Vodafone Ukraine increased its revenue by 14% compared to the previous year—to 27.8 billion UAH, while its net profit grew by 18%—to 4.18 billion UAH.
As reported with reference to data from the regulator, the National Commission for the State Regulation of Communications (NCC), the top three leaders in revenue from telecommunications services in Ukraine for 2025 were, by a significant margin, mobile operators: Kyivstar PJSC – UAH 44.16 billion, “Vodafone-Ukraine” – UAH 25.59 billion, and LLC “lifecell” (TM lifecell) from the DVL Group – UAH 15.74 billion. Compared to 2024 figures, Kyivstar’s revenue grew by 20.3%, Vodafone Ukraine’s by 13.1%, and lifecell’s by 19.1%.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed during talks in Beijing to expand cooperation in trade and agriculture, and also discussed the situation in the Middle East, Ukraine, and on the Korean Peninsula, according to CCTV.
The meeting took place on May 14 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing during Trump’s state visit to China. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Xinhua News Agency, the leaders of the two countries discussed the bilateral agenda and exchanged views on key international and regional issues, including the situation in the Middle East, the crisis in Ukraine, and the Korean Peninsula.
Xi Jinping stated that China and the U.S. should build “constructive and strategically stable relations,” and also emphasized the importance of a cautious approach to the Taiwan issue, calling it the most critical aspect of Sino-American relations. According to Xi, mishandling this issue could lead to a sharp deterioration in bilateral relations.
According to the official Chinese account of the talks, Trump expressed his readiness to work with Xi to strengthen communication and cooperation, resolve differences, and develop U.S.-China relations. He also introduced the Chinese leader to representatives of American business who had traveled to China with him.
The talks took place against the backdrop of efforts to maintain the trade truce between the U.S. and China, reached in October 2025. Topics discussed included U.S. companies’ access to the Chinese market, Chinese investment in the U.S., trade, energy, and agricultural supplies.
For Ukraine, the very fact that the Ukrainian issue was discussed at the level of U.S. and Chinese leaders is significant. Beijing retains influence over Moscow and remains one of the key external players whose stance shapes the diplomatic context surrounding the war. However, the published reports do not indicate that the parties reached any specific agreements specifically regarding Ukraine.
The situation in the Middle East was a separate topic of discussion. Against the backdrop of tensions surrounding Iran and risks to energy supplies, the U.S. is interested in China playing a more active role in mitigating risks to global trade and energy routes. Washington is also seeking economic outcomes from the meeting, including trade and investment agreements.
State-owned Oschadbank and the UPG gas station chain have signed a cooperation agreement that provides for business loans on special terms for the purchase of motor fuel, according to Yuriy Voychak, director of Oschadbank’s sales department.
“We were the first among all Ukrainian banks to sign a cooperation agreement that allows all UPG customers who need it to purchase fuel using credit funds. Loan terms: 0.01% per annum, for up to 12 months, unsecured. The loan amount is up to 20 million UAH,“ Voychak said during the Energy Finance forum organized by Oschadbank in Kyiv on Wednesday.
”This means that farmers or other UPG clients can apply for financing. We have liquidity, we have sufficient funds, the interest rate is minimal, and the loan is provided without collateral—the procedure is as simple as possible,” the bank representative explained.
He noted that the bank and the network are expecting loan applications from businesses. Voychak clarified that the agreement between the bank and UPG was signed about a month ago.
In a comment to Energoreforma, he noted that the bank is negotiating with other networks to conclude similar agreements.
“WOG and OKKO have started approaching us. We are in negotiations,” said Voychak.
According to him, such an agreement creates a three-way benefit: the client has fuel, the bank has a client to lend to, and the gas station network increases its fuel sales.
UPG network owner Volodymyr Petrenko told Energoreforma that, according to his information, approximately 60 million UAH worth of fuel has already been sold under the loan agreement.
“After the rise in fuel prices, roughly twice as much money is needed to purchase it. Thanks to the loan, we can avoid using working capital for this. Our goal is to give consumers the opportunity to purchase the fuel we import from the U.S. and appreciate its high quality,” said Petrenko.
As reported, UPG (Ukrainian Petrol Group) is a Ukrainian group of companies specializing in the trade of petroleum products. UPG ranks among the top three largest operators in Ukraine by number of stations. The group has its own logistics infrastructure and conducts direct fuel supplies from leading refineries in Europe and the U.S. The founder of UPG is Volodymyr Petrenko.
Earlier, Oschadbank noted in its press release regarding a new business program with UPG—which allows entrepreneurs to purchase fuel for seasonal work or ongoing operations without straining working capital—that its main advantage is a preferential interest rate of 0.01% per annum for the first four months of the loan.
BUSINESS, FUEL, LENDING, OSCHADBANK, UPG
Silpo-Food LLC, which operates the Silpo chain and is part of the Fozzy Group, intends to acquire a number of assets, including real estate and equipment, belonging to the Eurotek Group, which recently announced the closure of its supermarket chains.
The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine will review Silpo-Food’s relevant statements regarding the acquisition of control over these assets at a meeting on Thursday, according to the agency’s agenda posted on its website.
As previously reported, the Eurotek Group, which operates the Fresh, Arsen, Soyuz, and Kvartal grocery chains in Ukraine, is closing its supermarket chains in Lviv and Chernihiv. The group later confirmed the chains’ exit from the market.
According to information on the Eurotek website, the group of companies also includes a real estate development and management company, as well as Alliance Market, which operates supermarket chains.
According to data from the YouControl analytical system, the owner of Alliance Market LLC is Mykhailo Veselskyi (100%).
Based on 2025 results, Alliance Market LLC increased its net loss by 27.5% compared to the previous year, to 72.9 million UAH. Net revenue grew by 21.2%, to 3 billion UAH.
Silpo-Food LLC, which operates the Silpo chain, was established in early August 2016. According to information on the website, the chain operates 310 supermarkets in 60 cities across Ukraine and four Le Silpo delicatessens: in Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Odesa.
According to YouControl, the LLC’s founder is PJSC “Retail Capital” (100%, Kyiv), a closed-end, non-diversified venture corporate investment fund. The ultimate beneficiary is Volodymyr Kostelman.
Silpo-Food’s revenue for 2025 increased by 13.9% compared to 2024—to 106 billion UAH, with net profit amounting to 1.1 billion UAH versus 154 million UAH in the previous year.
The company is part of the Fozzy Group, a retail and industrial group with over 825 retail outlets across the country. The company operates retail chains of various formats: Silpo supermarkets, Fozzy wholesale hypermarkets, Fora neighborhood stores, Thrash! discounters, Bila Romashka pharmacy supermarkets, and E-ZOO pet stores.
Centravis Production Ukraine (Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast), a subsidiary of Centravis Ltd., reported an increase in production and financial performance for January–March of this year compared to the same period last year.
According to a press release on Thursday, the company’s production volume rose by nearly 6%—from 3,210 tons in the first quarter of 2025 to 3,400 tons in the first quarter of 2026.
Export volume grew even more—by 10%, from UAH 1.24 billion to UAH 1.37 billion.
The company also increased tax payments to budgets at various levels. In the first three months of 2026, Centravis paid UAH 170.6 million in taxes, which is 19% more than in the same period last year.
“I believe we achieved a good result in the first quarter, especially given the harsh winter and the persistently difficult security situation in Nikopol. We are very grateful to our team and the Ukrainian Armed Forces for this. We will continue to do what we do best—develop production and strengthen our position in the global market,” said Yuriy Atanasov, CEO of Centravis.
In 2025, the company produced 13,770 tons of products. Nearly the entire volume is exported to foreign markets. The company’s main markets remain Europe, the U.S., and the Middle East.
Centravis’s production facilities are located in Nikopol and Uzhhorod. The company also has sales offices in the U.S., Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, and the United Arab Emirates.
As previously reported, the company planned to increase production to 15,000 tons in 2025.
Centravis was founded in 2000 and is among the top ten largest manufacturers of seamless stainless steel pipes in the world. Its main production facilities are located in Nikopol (Dnipropetrovsk region). In 2023, the company opened a branch in Uzhhorod.
Centravis Ltd. was established on the basis of CJSC “Nikopol Stainless Steel Pipe Plant” and the service and trading companies LLC “Production and Commercial Enterprise ”YUVIS.” Its shareholders are members of the Atanasov family. Centravis Ltd. owns 100% of the shares in Centravis Production Ukraine PJSC.
