Slovakia and a number of EU countries bordering Ukraine are advocating the creation of a special fund to compensate their farmers for losses caused by the growth in imports of Ukrainian agricultural products. This was announced by Slovak Minister of Agriculture Richard Takáč (Smer-SD) following a meeting of the EU Council on Agriculture in Brussels, according to the TASR news agency.
According to him, the European Commission had previously talked about a 25% increase in quotas for Ukrainian goods, but in reality the figures are much higher — “for honey and sugar, the increase is 400-500%.”
“One problem is quantity, another is product quality and safety. European farmers are required to comply with strict rules on fertilizers, pesticides, and EU standards, while in Ukraine such standards are often absent,” Takáč emphasized.
The minister noted that it was Ukraine’s neighboring countries, which experience the main influx of products, that approached the European Commission with this initiative, while Western European countries often benefit from cheaper imports and do not feel the pressure.
Takach suggested that Slovakia would not be able to “achieve 100% success” in the negotiations, but he is counting on a compromise solution.
“In the new EU financial plan and within the framework of the common agricultural policy, I see an opportunity to create a fund specifically for countries bordering Ukraine. This fund should compensate our farmers and processors for their losses,” he said, adding that Slovakia will seek support through the government and the prime minister.
According to him, agreements on this have already been reached with his Polish counterpart. The issue of increased quotas for Ukrainian agricultural products will also be discussed during the upcoming joint meeting of the governments of Ukraine and Slovakia.
Since 2022, the EU has provided Ukraine with unprecedented access to the common market to support the economy in wartime. However, a number of Eastern European countries — Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and Bulgaria — have repeatedly complained about the growing pressure on their producers of grain, sugar, and other crops.
Ukraine’s economy may grow by about 4% in 2025, but the outlook remains fragile and depends entirely on external factors. This is stated in the latest report of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Regional Economic Prospects: Under Pressure.
According to the document, the main source of support for the Ukrainian economy is international financial aid, which is used to cover budget expenditures, social payments and defense. An additional driver of growth is the export of agricultural products through the EU “solidarity corridors” and alternative routes along the Danube and overland, which partially compensates for restrictions on maritime transportation.
There has also been a gradual recovery of infrastructure, including roads, bridges and the power grid, which is supporting economic activity.
However, the EBRD warns of high risks. Among them are a protracted war, high levels of public debt and inflation, as well as the vulnerability of export flows, which could be sharply reduced if sea routes are blocked.
According to the bank’s experts, digitalization of public services, agro-technology and development of renewable energy remain promising areas for Ukraine. However, this requires sustainable peace or conflict freezing, deeper integration with the EU market, as well as progress in judicial and anti-corruption reforms.
At the end of 2024, Ukraine’s GDP was estimated at around $160 bln. More than 60% of exports were agro-products (grain, oilseeds and processed products). The metallurgy, IT and energy sectors also retain potential for recovery.
The EBRD emphasizes that the Ukrainian economy is “under pressure”, but with continued international support and access to external markets, it can grow rapidly, laying the foundations for post-war transformation.
The Sukha Balka mine (Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region), part of Alexander Yaroslavsky’s DCH group, has prepared two new blocks for iron ore extraction at the Yuvileina mine.
According to a report in the DCH Steel corporate newspaper on Thursday, block 34-40 of the Golovnyi deposit at a depth of 1,420 meters was commissioned in early September. It contains 124,700 tons of raw materials with an average iron content of 60.15%. These volumes will be sufficient for three months of operation.
“The block was commissioned on schedule, and the preparatory work was carried out efficiently in compliance with technological standards,” said Mykola Puntus, chief engineer of the Yuvileina mine.
The next production task for the Yubileinaya miners is to prepare production unit 65-69 from the Shurfa deposit at a depth of 1,340 meters with ore reserves of 34,000 tons. The average iron content in the deposit is 59.29%. Preparatory work was organized with the help of self-propelled equipment.
The new unit is scheduled to be commissioned by the end of September.
The Sukha Balka mine is one of the leading enterprises in the mining industry in Ukraine. It extracts iron ore using underground methods. The mine includes the Yubileinaya and Frunze mines.
The DCH Group acquired the mine from the Evraz Group in May 2017.
Digitalization is becoming a key driver of private medicine development in Ukraine, with online appointment, electronic medical histories, telemedicine consultations and automatic reminders forming a “new culture of care”, Oxford Medical claims.
“Today’s patient wants to get a consultation quickly and conveniently. Online appointment in two clicks, test results in an app, personalized treatment plans – this is the standard without which private medicine no longer exists,” said Angelina Moroz, medical director of the Kiev branch.
The company also introduces personalized support: administrators and managers act as guides for patients, and doctors remain involved at all stages – from diagnosis to postoperative follow-up.
Oxford Medical – a network of clinics, founded in 2005, covers dozens of cities in Ukraine. Hundreds of specialists work in the staff. The company relies on digitalization, telemedicine and integration with the NHS, developing standards of quality service and focusing on the needs of patients.
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The private medicine market in Ukraine continues to show growth despite the war and economic challenges. According to experts, the private sector is increasingly competing with state institutions, forming new standards of quality and service.
“We see that Ukrainians have started to invest more in health. If in the 2000s private medicine was perceived as an addition to state hospitals, now it is a full-fledged alternative”, – said the director of Oxford Medical network Tetyana Sidorova.
According to Pro-Consulting, before the war, the share of private medicine was about 10-15%. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and then military conditions accelerated the transformation. The development of telemedicine, the expansion of networks in bedroom communities and the emergence of highly specialized areas were key factors in strengthening the market position.
Oxford Medical is the largest network of multidisciplinary medical centers in Ukraine, founded in 2005. The network unites dozens of branches in different regions, providing a full range of medical services: from outpatient appointments and laboratory diagnostics to surgery, dentistry and inpatient care.
