The Verkhovna Rada has recognized the results of education received by Ukrainian citizens abroad, MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak (Voice faction) said on Telegram. According to him, the relevant law No. 12375 was generally supported by 282 MPs at the plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada on Wednesday.
The MPs amended Article 6 of the law “On Complete General Secondary Education”.
The law formalizes the right of Ukrainian citizens to recognize the results of their formal and/or non-formal education in educational entities located abroad (except for the state recognized by the Verkhovna Rada as an aggressor or occupying state).
Pro-Russian presidential candidate Călin Georgescu was detained on Wednesday.
“Călin Georgescu was going to submit his new candidacy for the presidency. About 30 minutes ago, the system stopped him on the road and took him to a hearing at the prosecutor’s office! Where is democracy, where are the partners who are supposed to defend democracy?” – reads a message from his communications team posted on Georgescu’s personal Facebook page on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, he reported massive searches of his supporters, calling the current government a “communist-bolshevik system,” and called on everyone to gather for a protest on Victory Square in Bucharest on Saturday, March 1.
As reported, Georgescu became the leader of the first round of elections held in the country on November 24, with 22.94% of voters supporting him. The second place with 19.18% of the vote went to the leader of the liberal progressive party “Union for the Salvation of Romania” Elena Lasconi. However, one of the presidential candidates, Cristian Terges, who is supported by the Romanian National Conservative Party, claimed election fraud. The Romanian Constitutional Court unanimously decided to recount all valid and invalid ballots, and on December 6, unanimously decided to cancel the results of the first round of the presidential election two days before the second round. The election was canceled against the backdrop of declassified information from the intelligence services indicating Russian interference in the election.
Later, the ruling coalition in Romania decided on the date of the new presidential elections, which will be held on May 4 and May 18.
Georgescu called Ukraine a “fictitious state” and said that its territories would be divided by neighboring countries. According to him, if elected, he will not allow the continuation of Ukrainian grain exports through Romania and further military aid to Kyiv. He also claimed that Bucharest is not obliged to comply with NATO’s defense spending commitments and questioned the effectiveness of the use of EU funds that have contributed to economic growth and infrastructure development in Romania. Earlier, the Experts Club and Active Group released a video analysis of the most important elections in the world in 2025, for more details, see the video review – https://youtu.be/u1NMbFCCRx0?si=-rc6YHH7EA1pnr7w
Representatives of VEON, the parent company of Kyivstar, the largest Ukrainian mobile operator, who visited Ukraine, confirmed their intention to invest $1 billion in the country in 2023-2027 and to indirectly list Kyivstar on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange (USA).
“Ogi Fabela, Chairman of the Board and Founder of VEON, and Kaan Terzioglu, CEO of VEON, met with the Kyivstar team to commemorate the third anniversary of the war and reaffirm the company’s commitment to invest in the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine… The delegation emphasized the importance of immediate investment in the country’s recovery and stressed the plans to invest $1 billion in Ukraine over 2023-2027,” the press service of Kyivstar reported. “We are very pleased to announce that the government of Ukraine has decided to invest $1 billion in Ukraine.
According to the press service, representatives of VEON’s top management, together with Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov, took part in a special meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) held in Kyiv on February 24. During the meetings with government representatives, including Mykhailo Fedorov, Vice Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology and Minister of Digital Transformation, and Oleksiy Chernyshov, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of National Unity, the participants were informed about the work to support the country’s critical communications and digital services sector. The parties discussed the progress of Kyivstar’s indirect listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC.
Fedorov said after the meeting that he discussed possible joint AI projects and the implementation of innovative solutions in the mobile communications sector with Fabela, Terzioglu, and Komarov.
“I met with VEON top management and Kyivstar CEO… In the midst of the war, the company takes a proactive stance and does everything possible to keep Ukrainians connected. Our team is now actively working on the development of artificial intelligence in Ukraine. At a meeting with Auggie Fabella, co-founder and chairman of VEON, VEON CEO Kaan Terzioglu and Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov focused on possible joint projects with artificial intelligence and the introduction of innovative solutions in the field of mobile communications,” he wrote on Facebook.
In addition, the minister announced the launch of new major projects by Kyivstar, in particular, to provide connectivity to the country’s main highways.
“VEON is deeply committed to Ukraine’s future and the important role that the private sector and international investment must play in rebuilding the country. We are honored to be in Ukraine at this historically important time and to discuss our investment plans that will contribute to the development of Ukraine’s future,” the VEON press service quoted Fabela as saying following his visit to Ukraine.
He emphasized that VEON, together with Kyivstar, will continue to support Ukraine by investing in its digital infrastructure, expanding investment opportunities for the Ukrainian economy and introducing game-changing technologies. In particular, it will continue to develop Starlink’s Direct to Cell satellite communications service.
VEON, headquartered in Dubai, provides digital services to nearly 160 million customers, operating in six countries with more than 7% of the world’s population. VEON’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
Real GDP percentage changes over previous period in 2014-2024
Source: Open4Business.com.ua
The total exports of grains and oilseeds from Ukraine in July-January of 2024/25 marketing year (MY) (July 2024-June 2025) are estimated at $11 billion, up 13.4% compared to $9.7 billion in the same period last year, the Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) reported on Facebook.
According to the report, corn exports are leading in the group of grains, which in July-January of 2024/25 MY is estimated at $2.412 bln against $2.098 bln in the same period of the previous MY, wheat – $2.084 bln ($1.488 bln), barley – $350 mln ($212 mln).
At the same time, in the oilseeds segment, the shipments of soybeans and rapeseed increased to $909 mln ($718 mln) and $1.452 bln ($1.145 bln), respectively, while the exports of sunflower seeds decreased to $22 mln ($57 mln).
In the current season, Ukraine reduced exports of sunflower oil to $2.701 billion ($2.777 billion) and sunflower meal to $682 million ($774 million). Shipments of other vegetable oils decreased to $393 million ($438 million).
The total supply of office space in Kiev increased by 34 thousand square meters, or 4%, to 2.26 million square meters in 2024, the press service of CBRE Ukraine told Interfax-Ukraine. According to the latest research of Kyiv office real estate market by CBRE Ukraine, business centers Tw12ve (16 thousand sq. m.), Heritage (13.3 thousand sq. m.) and Stoic (4 5 thousand sq. m.) were commissioned in 2024.
The rate of commissioning of new office space last year was the lowest since 2017. Among the key factors limiting developer activity, CBRE Ukraine highlighted security risks and uncertainty, rising construction costs, limited access to financing and a shortage of skilled labor.
At the same time, rental market activity increased: the volume of annual gross absorption amounted to about 129 thousand sqm (+42% y/y).
“It is noteworthy that the volume of absorption in 2024 corresponds to the level of 2020 and remains only 4% lower than in 2021, reflecting almost a return to pre-war market conditions,” said Anna Silvestrova, Senior Director of Office Real Estate and Tenant Relations at CBRE Ukraine.
The structure of gross absorption was dominated by small transactions of 200-500 sqm, while large transactions of over 4-5 thousand sqm were sporadic, although several significant transactions supported the market. The structure by business sector was dominated by IT and telecom companies with a 25% share (-26% YoY), followed by the public sector (government or non-profit organizations) with a 15% share (-8% YoY).
Moves continued to lead by deal type with 38% (-20pc y/y), rising to 25% (+15pc y/y) of exit deals.
“While in the pre-war period relocations were mainly driven by lease expirations or staff expansions/downsizing, current market conditions have led to a structural shift, allowing companies that were previously non-users of professional office space to move into Class A and B properties. This trend has attracted new tenants to areas previously dominated by large corporate companies, emphasizing the growing availability of quality office space,” says Silvestrova.
The average vacancy rate on the office real estate market decreased by 2.7 p.p. since the beginning of the year to 22% y/y. This was the first significant year-on-year increase in occupancy since pre-war 2021 (when vacancy was at 14.1%).
The bulk of vacancy was concentrated in new developments, some of which are almost entirely vacant, as well as in lower quality buildings typically located outside the DDR. Notably, Class B vacancy fell significantly to 22.1% (-5pc YTD), mainly due to tenants moving out of non-professional properties. At the same time, vacancy in Class A office space remained stable at 22.7% at the end of the year.
The effective prime rate remained stable at $19/sqm/month. Asking rental rates in Class A and B facilities fluctuated within $16-22/sq.m/month and $8-15/sq.m/month respectively.
The gap between declared and effective rates in the best properties continues to narrow, indicating that landlords have shifted to a more realistic approach to pricing. The market has predominantly returned to standard 3-5 year leases with more flexible terms, including early exit options. However, in some cases there is still a practice of locking in favorable lease terms until the end of martial law or for a term mutually agreed upon by the parties.
“We expect that rental activity should maintain positive momentum in 2025, contributing to further growth in office occupancy. Tenants will continue to focus on quality office buildings with safety shelters in sought-after locations, while properties that do not meet these requirements will continue to face occupancy issues,” says Silvestrova.
In the absence of significant security or economic shocks, she says, the market is poised for a gradual but steady recovery, especially with the widely anticipated end of hostilities in 2025.
Headquartered in Dallas (USA), CBRE is the world’s largest commercial real estate consulting and investment company with revenues of $35.8 billion in 2024. CBRE Group Inc. shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
CBRE’s Ukrainian office was opened in January 2008 and is part of the company’s affiliate network. In 2023, the Ukrainian office expanded its presence in Moldova under the CBRE Moldova brand.
