The future US Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, said that he aims to find a solution to end Russia’s war against Ukraine within the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency.
“I think the biggest mistake that President Biden made is that he never engaged in conversations with Putin. I mean, he hasn’t talked to him in over two years. He needs to talk to him. That’s one of the great things that the president (Trump) is doing – he’s talking to both adversaries and allies,” Kellogg said on FOX News.
According to the general, Trump “really knows that you have to talk to people to get things done, and that’s what he’s going to do.”
“We will create the conditions for the president, and eventually he will be in a position to talk to President Putin and also to President Zelensky. And I think they will come to an acceptable decision in the short term. And when I say “in the short term,” you know, I would like to set a goal on a personal level, on a professional level. I would say let’s set 100 days,” Kellogg said.
Below are current (as of the beginning of 2025) examples of prices and recommendations for choosing a country to buy real estate in. Please note that prices may vary depending on the area, quality of housing and type of construction.
Serbia
– Belgrade: from 1,800 to 2,500 euros/m² in the mass segment and from 3,000 euros/m² in premium areas (Vračar, Old Town, Waterfront).
– Novi Sad: from 1,500 to 2,000 euros/m².
Why you should pay attention:
1 Stable growth in real estate prices (+30-40% over the past three years and up to 10-15% annually).
2 Active IT industry and demand for rent from IT professionals and expats.
3 Minus: Serbia is not in the EU, and obtaining a residence permit (provided you do not live in real estate) requires additional study of the laws.
– Budva, Kotor (coast): from 2,000 to 3,000 euros/m² in modern apartments with sea views.
– Podgorica (capital): from 1,200 to 1,700 euros/m².
Why you should pay attention:
1 Tourist location and the “golden passport” program (sometimes gives benefits for investments).
2 Price growth of about +20-30% since 2020, especially in the coastal zone.
3 Cons: the market is small, and the liquidity of housing may depend on the season.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
– Sarajevo: from 1,000 to 1,400 euros/m² for new projects in good areas.
– Banja Luka: from 900 to 1,200 euros/m².
Why you should pay attention:
1 The lowest starting prices in the region, which gives the potential for growth in the future.
2 The price increase is ~10-15% in recent years, slower than in the neighboring countries, but stable.
3 Cons: non-EU country, underdeveloped mortgage for foreigners, you will have to look for the “right” local agent.
Bulgaria
– Sofia: from 1,200 to 2,000 euros/m² depending on the area (Lozenets, Center can reach up to 2,500 euros/m²).
– Varna, Bourgas (sea coast): from 1,500 to 2,500 euros/m² in new complexes.
Why you should pay attention:
1 EU membership provides more guarantees for foreign buyers.
2 Price growth in the capital and on the coast averaged +25-35% over three years.
3 Cons: Competition is high, and good properties are quickly snapped up.
– Tirana: from 1,000 to 1,500 euros/m².
– Vlora, Saranda (coast): from 1,500 to 2,000 euros/m² in houses with sea views.
Why you should pay attention:
1 In recent years, there has been a boom on the coast due to tourists and expats.
2 Price growth of +20-25% from a low start: promising for long-term investment.
3 Minus: the market is still unstable, legislation is changing, it is worth additionally checking the legal side.
Romania
– Bucharest: from 1,400 to 2,200 euros/m², premium areas may be higher.
– Cluj-Napoca: from 1,500 to 2,100 euros/m² (active IT hub).
Why you should pay attention:
1 It is an EU country, so there are more transparent rules for foreigners.
2 Price growth of +25-30% in recent years, especially in cities with a developed IT sector.
3 Minus: in the central areas of large cities, housing may already be overvalued.
To summarize, Bosnia and Albania are good for long-term investment and a relatively low entry threshold. The price per m² is still significantly lower than in the rest of Europe, and the potential upside could be significant if the countries move towards EU membership.
If stability and the EU are also important, look at Bulgaria and Romania. Their markets are already “warmed up”, but the protection of foreign investors is higher. Plus, there are programs for obtaining a residence permit/PERM.
Serbia is a good compromise between low housing costs (outside of Belgrade) and growth dynamics. Especially promising are cities with a strong IT cluster, where there is a demand for rent.
Montenegrin real estate by the sea remains quite expensive, but the country offers flexible conditions for investors and the opportunity to combine the purchase of housing with a residence permit.
Important: Always check the legal details of the transaction and the conditions for obtaining a residence permit, and engage specialized lawyers and realtors.
The prices in the review are approximate and depend on the specific project and neighborhood.
Despite the seasonal decline in global market activity during the holiday season, Ukrainian soybean exporters are maintaining their positions, according to the analytical cooperative Pusk, created within the framework of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council.
“Despite the difficult economic situation in China, which may reduce soybean imports to 95-100 mln tons, the market is stable. Since August last year, prices on the stock exchange have remained stable, and short-term drops are quickly compensated for. This suggests that the exchange market is currently ignoring global challenges. Of course, high global stocks create uncertainties, but the trend toward price recovery continues. Ukrainian soybean exporters can use this period to strengthen their positions,” the analysts said.
They noted that historically, January, February and March show the upward trend of soybean prices. In this regard, they predict an increase in soybean prices in Ukraine by the end of January.
“We are already seeing an increase in prices: in the domestic market, they have risen by 200-300 UAH/ton, and in foreign currency terms, by $3-5/ton. We can predict that conditional prices on the CPT basis will amount to $400-410/ton in January, and in February-March they will even exceed this level. This is a favorable period for farmers who plan to sell their products,” Pusk summarized.
IT specialists of one of the largest grain market operators in Ukraine, JV Nibulon LLC, together with the IT-Enterprise team, have completed the restart and digitalization of the quantitative and qualitative accounting of the elevator network, the grain trader’s press service reported on its Facebook page.
According to the report, the project to optimize quantitative and qualitative accounting included improvement of business processes for grain accounting, additional processes for logistics management and costing.
“The establishment of a new efficient version of the quantitative and qualitative accounting business process made it possible to automatically track the movement of grain, its key indicators, and the funds spent on processing and transportation from the moment it arrives at the elevator to the shipment to the end consumer. This allows us to calculate the exact cost price and, accordingly, the profitability. And most importantly, we understand what impact can be made at each stage to improve financial and service performance,” said Nibulon’s IT Director Mykola Riasko.
The ultimate goal of the project is to switch to a fully digital elevator model, the principle of which is based on managing and coordinating all processes with digital systems. This concept is gradually being scaled up to all 23 Nibulon elevator complexes.
“If we describe the results of the quantitative and qualitative accounting digitalization project in three theses, firstly, it is the simplification and automation of business processes, and the acceleration of their passage. Secondly, it is the accuracy of accounting, which ensures the clarity and relevance of the company’s financial position. Thirdly, it is more customer-oriented, as the process of providing services has become better and faster,” emphasized Ryasko.
Nibulon added that the digitalization project also contributed to the unification of accounting processes at all branches of the company and improved integration with equipment and third-party systems, which ensured effective management of business processes.
JV Nibulon LLC was established in 1991. Prior to the Russian military invasion, the grain trader had 27 transshipment terminals and crop reception complexes, capacity for simultaneous storage of 2.25 million tons of agricultural products, a fleet of 83 vessels (including 23 tugs), and owned the Mykolaiv Shipyard.
“Before the war, Nibulon cultivated 82 thousand hectares of land in 12 regions of Ukraine and exported agricultural products to more than 70 countries. In 2021, the grain trader exported the highest ever volume of 5.64 million tons of agricultural products, reaching record volumes of supplies to foreign markets in August – 0.7 million tons, in the fourth quarter – 1.88 million tons, and in the second half of the year – 3.71 million tons.
Nibulon’s losses due to Russia’s full-scale military invasion in 2022 exceeded $416 million.
Currently, the grain trader is operating at 32% of capacity, has created a special unit to clear agricultural land of mines, and was forced to move its headquarters from Mykolaiv to Kyiv.
The German company Knauf will build a plant for the production of drywall and dry building mixtures in Borshchiv (Ternopil region), with investments in the project amounting to EUR 150 million, said Dmytro Kysylevskyi, deputy chairman of the parliamentary committee on economic development.
According to him, the design capacity of the new plant will be 30 million square meters of drywall and 320 thousand tons of dry mixes.
“This will be the second Knauf plant in Ukraine. The first one is located in Kyiv and is currently operating at full capacity – about 25 million square meters of drywall and 200 thousand tons of dry mixes. This is enough to meet the domestic demand of the Ukrainian market, but after the war, the demand will increase significantly. That is why the new plant in Borshchiv is an investment with faith in victory,” Kysylevsky wrote on his Facebook page.
Previously, Knauf also owned a plant in Soledar (Donetsk region), which was destroyed by the occupiers. The company took its employees out and employed them at the Kyiv plant, which employs 425 people in total, the MP said.
Kysylevsky noted that Knauf has officially announced that it has stopped investing and is leaving the Russian market. At the same time, in 2023, the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) included Knauf in the now canceled list of international sponsors of war because of its continued operations in Russia.
“According to my information, they have finally left Russia. And all international companies that have not yet done so should do the same. The best way to improve your reputation after a long withdrawal from Russia is to build factories in Ukraine,” the MP emphasized.
Knauf is a leading global manufacturer of gypsum and building materials.
According to Opendatabot, by the end of 2023, Knauf’s Kyiv plant (Knauf Gypsum Kyiv LLC) increased its net revenue by 65% to UAH 3.53 billion, and its net profit by 2.6 times to UAH 1 billion.
Since the beginning of 2024-2025 marketing year and as of January 8, Ukraine exported 22.442 mln tonnes of grains and pulses, 705 thsd tonnes of which were shipped this month, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported, citing the data of the State Customs Service of Ukraine.
According to the report, as of the same date last year, the total shipments amounted to 19.422 mln tons, including 1.03 mln tons in January.
In terms of crops, since the beginning of the current season, 9.977 million tons of wheat have been exported (209 thousand tons in January), 1.976 million tons of barley (8 thousand tons), 10.8 thousand tons of rye (0) and 10.162 million tons of corn (487 thousand tons).
The total export of Ukrainian flour since the beginning of the season as of January 8 is estimated at 38.1 thsd tonnes (0.5 thsd tonnes in January), including 35 thsd tonnes of wheat (0.5 thsd tonnes).
