According to Bloomberg, U.S. administration officials are analyzing what a potential spike in oil prices to $200 per barrel would mean for the American economy. The publication’s source links this analysis to an assessment of extreme scenarios for the conflict in the Middle East.
Thus, the claim that the White House is testing its readiness for a $200-per-barrel oil scenario is generally confirmed by the Bloomberg report. However, this currently refers specifically to an internal stress scenario and an assessment of its consequences, rather than a publicly announced forecast or the U.S. administration’s official baseline scenario.
The sharp volatility in the oil market amid the war in the Persian Gulf region provided additional context for this assessment. Reuters reported that on March 24, Brent closed at $102.22 per barrel and WTI at $90.32, after which prices rose again on March 25: Brent climbed to $104.30 and WTI to $92.25.
The key risk for the market is linked to the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of global oil and LNG supplies pass. Reuters noted that disruptions in this corridor have already become the largest disruption to oil supplies, and further escalation in the Middle East remains the main factor that could push prices significantly higher than current levels.
At the same time, more cautious assessments are being voiced within the administration itself. As Reuters reported on March 12, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright called oil at $200 per barrel an unlikely scenario, though he acknowledged that authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
Amid rising prices, Washington has already deployed crisis-response tools. Reuters reported that the U.S. released 45.2 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to companies under a loan program, and earlier the administration also considered other measures to curb prices, including actions in the oil futures market and possible restrictions on fuel exports.
In other words, the information that the U.S. is preparing for an extreme scenario with oil at $200 per barrel is based on a Bloomberg report and fits into the broader context of steps Washington has already taken to mitigate energy risks. However, there is currently no official confirmation that this specific price level is considered the White House’s baseline expectation.
PJSC “Electrometallurgical Plant ”Dniprospetsstal” (Zaporizhzhia) reported a net loss for 2025, as it did in 2024; the amount of the loss has not been disclosed.
According to the company’s announcement in the NSSMC’s information disclosure system regarding the remote general meeting of shareholders to be held on April 29, the agenda includes 11 items. In particular, the meeting is scheduled to review the reports of the company’s supervisory board and auditor for 2025, approve the results of financial and operational activities for the past year, and determine the procedure for covering losses.
In addition, the agenda includes reviewing the management board’s report on the consequences of the reduction in the company’s equity, reviewing and approving measures to be taken to improve the financial condition, and appointing an audit firm to conduct the mandatory audit of the financial statements. A decision is to be made on amending the company’s charter and approving agreements concluded by the company with Oschadbank JSC and OTP Bank JSC during 2025.
The draft resolutions, copies of which are available at the Interfax-Ukraine agency, propose to approve the results of the company’s financial and economic activities for 2025. Due to the absence of net profit, no dividends shall be declared and no contributions to the reserve fund shall be made. Losses shall be covered by profits from future periods.
In accordance with the recommendations of the company’s supervisory board audit committee, it is proposed to appoint Crow Erfolg Ukraine LLC as the audit firm to conduct the mandatory audit of the company’s financial statements for 2026.
As reported, Dniprospetsstal reduced its net loss by 25.3% in the first nine months of 2025 compared to the same period last year—to UAH 246.728 million; net revenue for this period increased by 0.8%—to UAH 4.245881 billion. Uncovered losses as of the end of September 2025 amounted to UAH 6.079011 billion. During the period, the plant reduced steel production by 40% compared to the same period last year—to 164,491 thousand tons from 272,622 thousand tons.
According to the annual report, based on the results of 2024, the plant reduced its net loss by 38.7% compared to 2023 — to UAH 582.427 million from UAH 950.510 million (the consolidated loss in 2024 amounted to UAH 588.606 million compared to UAH 950.664 million the previous year). At the same time, net revenue increased by 26.5%, to UAH 5.686039 billion from UAH 4.496158 billion. The accumulated loss as of the end of 2024 amounted to UAH 6.011880 billion.
In 2024, the plant produced 95,000 tons of steel (an increase of 20.8% compared to the previous year) and manufactured 71,400 tons of rolled steel (an increase of 30.8%).
The report noted that the majority of the group’s fixed assets (approximately 80%) are pledged as collateral. The group has a significant share of overdue loans and payments on accrued interest and is partially in breach of the financial covenants set forth in the loan agreements. As of the date of signing the report, the process of restructuring the loan agreements has not been completed. Some of the group’s real estate and land plots are also under seizure.
As of December 31, 2024, the Group’s net assets had a negative value of UAH 3,180,739 million (as of December 31, 2023, they amounted to UAH 2,537,876 million) and constitute less than 50% of the registered share capital. In addition, net assets in 2024 decreased by more than 25% compared to December 31, 2023.
These matters, events, or conditions, together with other matters, indicate that there is significant uncertainty that may cast significant doubt on the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, the report states.
The company temporarily suspended its own production from February to May 2022. At the end of May 2022, the company resumed production activities.
“Dniprospetsstal” is Ukraine’s sole producer of long products and forgings made from special steel grades: stainless, tool, high-speed, bearing, structural, as well as heat-resistant nickel-based alloys.
According to the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC) data for the fourth quarter of 2025, its shares are held by Wenox Holdings Ltd. – 47.1128%, Boundryco Ltd. – 11.0131%, Gazaro Ltd. – 16.5197%, Crascoda Holdings – 6.6826%, and Middleprime Limited – 9.7901% (all based in Cyprus).
It was previously reported that in May 2008, the international investment and consulting group EastOne sold its approximately 30% stake in Dniprospetsstal, which had previously been held under the group’s mandate. Meanwhile, the plant’s new shareholders are linked to VS Energy International, whose beneficiaries include several Russian entrepreneurs.
The authorized capital of the private joint-stock company is UAH 49.720 million.
Nova Poshta, Ukraine’s leading express delivery service and a member of the NOVA Group, plans to open approximately 300 branches within residential complexes in 2026, the company’s Director of Customer Service, Maksym Melezhik, told Interfax-Ukraine.
“We plan to open about 300 more such branches. We are already testing 25 such locations within the (Kyiv) residential complexes ‘New England,’ Respublika, and Parkland. We see that the format is becoming popular: there is stable demand and good sales,” Melezhik explained.
As an example, he cited the “New England” residential complex, where a second branch had to be opened because the first one could not keep up with demand.
According to him, the new formats are more convenient for customers, and launching new branches takes only 2–4 weeks.
“Our strategic goal is to get even closer to our customers. In terms of numbers, today 87% of users have a Nova Poshta service point within a 5-minute reach. Opening another 10,000 branches will enable 95% of customers to have a 2-minute reach,” explained Nova Poshta’s Director of Customer Service.
Nova Poshta is also already testing a new space for parcel lockers in the Great residential complex in the capital and plans to increase the number of such mini-logistics centers to 100 by 2026, Melezhik added.
He noted that the self-service option is also expanding: 25 such branches are planned to open this year.
“Currently, this service is available at two branches—the 26th and 256th in Kyiv. Today, one in four parcels is received by the customer without the involvement of an operator,” Melezhik clarified.
The appearance of the parcel lockers will also be updated depending on their location. It will now be possible to receive a reminder about a delivered parcel even without a mobile app. To this end, SMS notifications will be introduced, the company’s customer service director announced.
“In addition, we are currently testing a new format of parcel lockers with screens. This feature is better suited for large parcel lockers with numerous compartments—the screen will highlight the compartment the customer needs for sending or receiving. Therefore, this is more of a pilot implementation than a system-wide one,” added Melezhik.
Overall, “Nova Poshta” plans to expand its network of service points from 51,500 to 60,000 by 2026, including up to 40,000 parcel lockers, Melezhik shared during the Nova Summit in Kyiv. He clarified that 430 Nova Poshta branches and 2,300 employees are operating in frontline territories.
Nova Poshta currently has 51,852 service points in Ukraine, including 15,913 branches of various formats and 35,939 parcel lockers.
In 2025, the company increased its revenue by 21% compared to 2024—to more than 54 billion UAH, and its profit amounted to 2.6 billion UAH compared to 2.5 billion UAH a year earlier. The number of parcels and shipments delivered in 2025 grew by 7.4%—from 486 million to 522 million—including international shipments, which increased by 52.6%, from 19 million to 29 million.
According to Serbian Economist, Hungarian oil and gas company MOL has received approval from U.S. authorities to continue negotiations on the acquisition of a controlling stake in Serbian NIS until May 22, 2026. This was reported by Reuters, citing a statement from MOL.
The negotiations concern the purchase of shares held by Russian shareholders—Gazprom Neft and Gazprom, which own 44.9% and 11.3% of NIS, respectively. Initially, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) set a deadline of March 24 for finalizing the Russian companies’ exit from NIS’s capital, but this deadline has now been extended to May 22.
In January, MOL signed a binding agreement with the Russian shareholders to purchase their stakes in NIS, and the Emirati company ADNOC is set to acquire a minority stake as part of this deal. The Serbian government retains a 29.9% stake in the company.
For Serbia, the issue of changing NIS’s ownership is of strategic importance, as the company remains the country’s largest fuel supplier and the operator of the only oil refinery in Pančevo. Last week, the U.S. also extended the sanctions waiver for NIS itself until April 17 so that the company could continue importing crude oil.
https://t.me/relocationrs/2499
Latvia and relevant Ukrainian business and defense associations are deepening their cooperation in the defense industry sector. This was announced during the Latvian-Ukrainian Defense Forum 2026, which took place on March 23 in Kyiv at the premises of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The event culminated in the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Latvian Ministry of Defense and a number of Ukrainian organizations, which provides for long-term cooperation, technology exchange, and state support for Ukrainian companies planning to enter or expand their operations in the Latvian market.
The forum was attended by government officials, diplomats, business representatives, and industry associations from both countries. The event was opened by Gennadiy Chizhikov, President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Andris Spruds, Minister of Defense of Latvia; Serhiy Boev, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine; and Andrejs Pildegovičs, Ambassador of Latvia to Ukraine. As the organizers noted, the forum was aimed not only at providing political confirmation of support for Ukraine but also at establishing practical mechanisms for cooperation between manufacturers, investors, and government institutions of the two countries.
On the Ukrainian side, the Ukrainian Council of Arms Manufacturers, the National Association of Defense Industries of Ukraine, the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, and “Technological Forces of Ukraine” joined the agreements. According to the Latvian side, the document is intended to serve as a tool for building a joint defense industry ecosystem that will combine the combat experience of Ukrainian manufacturers with Latvia’s technological and institutional potential. The Latvian Ministry of Defense emphasized that the memorandum provides for targeted state support for Ukrainian companies planning to launch or expand their operations in Latvia.
“The combat experience of the Ukrainian defense industry and Latvia’s technological potential are a powerful combination for joint development. The memorandum is not merely declarative but practical in nature and is intended to serve as a platform for creating innovative solutions that will strengthen the security of both countries and the capabilities of their armed forces,” noted Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds.
The Latvian Ministry of Defense also emphasized that the country aims to become a stable base for Ukrainian companies in Europe, while simultaneously developing its own industrial potential.
Gennadiy Chizhikov, President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, for his part, emphasized that deepening cooperation in the defense sector “strengthens our countries and industries.”
“The implementation of the agreements will take place with the participation of the Latvian Investment and Development Agency, as well as the Latvian Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Defense. This involves, in particular, promoting Ukrainian business in the Latvian market and supporting the development of a broader defense industry ecosystem,” he added.
The practical part of the forum included a bilateral business session and a panel discussion featuring Oleksandr Kamyshin, Advisor to the President of Ukraine on Strategic Issues; Vadym Yunyk, co-founder of Baltic Forces Hub; Ihor Fedirko, CEO of the Ukrainian Defense Industry Council; representatives of the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, Latvian business organizations, LIAA, DAIF Latvia, the Latvian Embassy in Ukraine, and private companies in the defense and technology sectors. This composition of participants indicates that the parties are striving to translate political support into concrete production, investment, and cooperation decisions.
Further confirmation of the practical nature of the visit came from the fact that the Latvian Investment and Development Agency had announced as early as the beginning of March a trade mission of Latvian defense and security companies to Kyiv for March 23–25, coinciding with the working visit of the Latvian Minister of Defense. The program included direct contacts with representatives of the Ukrainian defense sector and B2B meetings with potential partners. The forum in Kyiv thus became part of a broader effort to institutionalize Latvian-Ukrainian cooperation in the defense industry against the backdrop of the war and the growing role of this sector in the economies of European countries.
The event was organized by the Latvian Ministry of Defense, the Latvian Investment and Development Agency, and the Latvian Embassy in Ukraine, while the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry served as a co-organizer, and the Ukraine Facility Platform acted as a partner for the forum. Given the content of the signed agreements, this is no longer merely a matter of Latvia’s political solidarity with Ukraine, but an attempt to establish a sustainable bilateral cooperation mechanism.
Interfax-Ukraine is the forum’s media partner.
