Imports of goods to Ukraine in January-February 2026 amounted to $14.8 billion in monetary terms, while in the same period last year they amounted to $11.3 billion, which is 31% less, according to data from the press service of the State Customs Service of Ukraine (SCS).
According to a publication on the agency’s Telegram channel, in the first two months of 2026, goods worth $6.5 billion were exported from Ukraine, which is almost unchanged compared to the same period in 2025 ($6.3 billion).
“At the same time, taxable imports amounted to $5.2 billion, which is 78% of the total volume of imported goods. The tax burden per 1 kg of taxable imports in January-February 2026 was $0.54/kg,” the report says.
The largest imports to Ukraine came from China ($4 billion), Poland ($1.4 billion), and Turkey ($1.1 billion).
The largest exports from Ukraine went to Poland ($713 million), Turkey ($563 million), and Italy ($428 million).
Of the total volume of goods imported in January-February 2026, 71% of the categories were machinery, equipment, and transport – $6 billion (with customs clearance, 32.9 billion UAH, or 26% of customs payments, was paid to the budget), fuel and energy products – $2.6 billion (49.7 billion hryvnia, or 39% of customs payments, paid to the budget), chemical industry products – $2 million (15.9 billion hryvnia, or 12% of revenues, paid).
The top three most exported goods from Ukraine were food products – $4 billion, metals and metal products – $589 million, and machinery, equipment, and transport – $532 million.
“In January-February 2026, during customs clearance of exports of goods subject to export duties, UAH 318.5 million was paid to the budget,” the State Customs Service summarized.
Imports of goods to Ukraine in January-February 2026 increased by 31% in monetary terms compared to the same period last year, reaching $14.8 billion from $11.3 billion, while exports remained virtually unchanged at $6.5 billion compared to $6.3 billion a year ago, according to data published by the press service of the State Customs Service of Ukraine (SCS) on its Telegram channel.
“At the same time, taxable imports amounted to $5.2 billion, which is 78% of the total volume of imported goods. The tax burden per 1 kg of taxable imports in January-February 2026 was $0.54/kg,” the report says.
The largest imports to Ukraine came from China ($4 billion), Poland ($1.4 billion), and Turkey ($1.1 billion).
The largest exports from Ukraine went to Poland ($713 million), Turkey ($563 million), and Italy ($428 million).
Of the total volume of goods imported in January-February 2026, 71% of the categories were machinery, equipment, and transport – $6 billion (32.9 billion UAH, or 26% of customs payments, was paid to the budget during customs clearance), fuel and energy products – $2.6 billion (49.7 billion hryvnia paid to the budget, or 39% of customs payments), chemical industry products – $2 million (15.9 billion hryvnia paid, or 12% of revenues).
The top three most exported goods from Ukraine were food products – $4 billion, metals and metal products – $589 million, and machinery, equipment, and transport – $532 million.
“In January-February 2026, during customs clearance of exports of goods subject to export duties, UAH 318.5 million was paid to the budget,” the SFS summarized.
Habit checklist + daily practical exercises — clear, concise, and applicable to real life. An article for those who want to integrate English into their daily routine rather than “learn words.” Suitable for busy adults, as all exercises take 3–15 minutes.
Language proficiency grows not from isolated intensive efforts, but from regular, small efforts. Productive people turn learning into a routine: a 5-minute morning practice, a quick review at lunchtime, and evening shadowing. This leads to steady progress and minimizes “memory lapses.” Below is a checklist of key habits plus practical exercises for each day. Remember: a little every day is better than a lot once a month.
What to do: Immediately after waking up, say 3–4 sentences about your plan for the day in English.
Example (aloud):
I’m having coffee now. Today I’ll prepare a presentation and call two clients. After work, I’ll go for a short run.
Exercise: Every morning, record a 30-second voice file on your phone. After a week, listen to it and note 3 mistakes or words that are repeated.
What to do: learn 3 words/phrases, but immediately use them in sentences.
Exercise: choose 3 words (for example: prioritize, negotiations, to catch up). Write one sentence for each and say them aloud 3 times each. The next day, find them in context (news, podcast) — this will reinforce the connections.
What to do: listen to a short audio clip and repeat (shadow) at the same time. This speeds up pronunciation and intonation.
Exercise: Find a 1–2 minute video or podcast excerpt. Turn on English subtitles, listen to the first 30 seconds, then repeat after the speaker, trying to copy the rhythm and stress.
What to do: speak for 10 minutes every day on a given topic — work, hobbies, news.
Exercise: choose a topic, for example: How I plan my week. Set up the structure: intro — 2-3 points — conclusion. Record your monologue, listen to it, and correct 2-3 mistakes.
What to do: read a short blog post or news article in English, write down 3 phrases/word combinations.
Exercise: after reading, compose 2 sentences with the phrases you found and say them in a dialogue with yourself.
What to do: watch a 5–10 minute video and take notes in English (main idea, 2 useful expressions).
Exercise: after watching, write a 1-minute summary of the video in English.
What to do: do one real action in English — write a comment, buy a ticket, fill out a form.
Exercise: write a short message (3-4 sentences) to a seller on an international platform or social network.
What to do: 2–5 minutes of audio recording about what you learned today.
Exercise: at the end of the week, track your progress: what worked, what didn’t, and what to change minimally tomorrow.
What to do: every Sunday, analyze your progress and set one specific goal for the week.
Exercise: SMART goal: “Next week, I will conduct 5 morning talks and 3 shadowing sessions of 10 minutes each.”
What to do: take a card with a word/topic and speak for 1 minute. This trains you to respond quickly.
Exercise: use the topic generator on your phone or a list of 20 questions and choose at random.
Each template takes 1–2 minutes and can be incorporated into your daily routine. Exercise: choose a template and adapt it to your day. Write it down or send it to a colleague (if appropriate).
Situation: many meetings, little free time.
Recipe: 5-minute voice note in the morning + 10-minute shadowing at lunch + 2-minute recording in the evening.
Example: 7:10 — 3 sentences about the day; 1:30 p.m. — audio from a podcast on the way; 9:00 p.m. — recording about 1 achievement.
Situation: Short breaks of 10–15 minutes.
Recipe: Micro-lessons: 3 words during breakfast + 10 minutes of shadowing during a walk + practical dialogue with a child (English songs or phrases).
Example exercise: find 5 pictures and briefly describe them in English — 10 min.
Situation: need for targeted preparation.
Recipe: daily 10-min monologue on the presentation topic + feedback from a colleague/teacher once a week.
Exercise: 7-minute presentation rehearsal, recording and analysis of speech (rhythm, fillers, clarity).
● Reduce the time: instead of 15 minutes — 5 minutes.
● Return to enjoyable topics: watch an episode of your favorite show in English with subtitles.
● Introduce a “check market”: mark the days when you did the exercise — 7 days in a row = a small reward.
● Consult a live teacher: a 20-minute conversation lesson often restores enthusiasm.
Monday: 5-minute morning recording + 10 minutes of shadowing
Tuesday: 3 words + 10 minutes of reading
Wednesday: 10-minute monologue + 3-minute micro-challenge
Thursday: 10-minute video + recording mistakes
Friday: practice with a native speaker or language club 20 minutes
Saturday: 20-minute weekly review
Sunday: rest or something light (a movie in English)
● to get things done — to finish tasks
● to plan ahead — to plan in advance
● time-blocking — blocking time
● to catch up — to catch up, to complete overdue tasks
● quick review — quick review
Exercise: make 3 sentences with words from the dictionary and say them aloud.
By implementing even one or two of these habits, you are already moving forward. If you want structured support, our online English courses for adults are designed specifically for people with busy schedules: short, targeted lessons, tailored homework assignments, feedback from your teacher, and a plan that is realistic to stick to. We help you turn chaotic motivation into a systematic habit — step by step, without stress and with clear goals. Start today with one morning recording — and let us accompany you further. You will be able to speak English more confidently faster than you think.
Take an online English test before you start.
The Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine in Kyiv (CSHAU) held an extended meeting of its board, during which it summarized the institution’s activities for 2025 and identified key priorities for 2026, according to the archive’s Facebook page.
“An extended meeting of the board of the Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine in Kyiv was held, during which the results of the archive’s work in 2025 were summarized and priorities for 2026 were determined. The main results of the archive’s work are reflected in the presentation,” said the head of the Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine, Yaroslav Fayzulin.
The meeting was attended by the director and deputy directors of the archive, heads of structural units, as well as invited members of the board, in particular, Iryna Dubok, head of the archival department of the State Archival Service of Ukraine, Viktor Brekhunenko, head of the department of archival archaeography at the M.S. Hrushevsky Institute of Ukrainian Archaeography and Source Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Iryna Matyash, leading researcher at the Institute of History of Ukraine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and the head of the department of archival science and source studies at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. M.S. Hrushevsky Institute of Ukrainian Archeography and Source Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Iryna Matyash, leading researcher at the Institute of History of Ukraine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and Marina Palienko, head of the Department of Archival Studies and Special Fields of Historical Science at the Faculty of History of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
As noted, the results of the work of the Central State Archives of Ukraine in 2025 and the main priority tasks for 2026 were announced in a report by the director of the archives, Yaroslav Fayzulin.
After hearing and discussing the report, the board recognized the work of the archive over the past year as satisfactory and determined the main areas of activity for 2026, taking into account the Strategy for the Protection of Documentary Heritage as a guarantee of the preservation of national identity and statehood for the period until 2027, as well as the priorities of the State Archival Service of Ukraine.
The results of the activities of the Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine are also reflected in a presentation prepared by the archive.
As previously reported, documents on the birth of Taras Shevchenko were displayed at the Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine in Kyiv. In addition, the head of the archive, Yaroslav Fayzulin, in a comment for the “Culture” section of the Interfax-Ukraine agency, spoke about the institution’s most valuable collections and demonstrated a selection of unique documents, old prints, maps, and manuscripts that form the “treasure trove of Ukraine’s archival heritage” and present it to the world.
The “Carpathian Spring 2026” professional music festival will take place from March 15 to 29 at the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Philharmonic, according to a post on the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Philharmonic named after Iryna Malanyuk’s Facebook page, noting that the festival traditionally opens the spring music season and brings together leading performers, chamber ensembles, orchestras, and young musicians on one stage.
“Every year, with the arrival of spring, the stage of the Frankivsk Philharmonic is filled with a special atmosphere — an atmosphere of renewal, creative inspiration, and live music,” the festival organizers note.
According to the philharmonic, this year’s festival program offers listeners a journey through different musical eras and styles, from Baroque interpretations and classical chamber programs to contemporary music projects and large-scale opera productions.
Soloists from various cities in Ukraine and Europe, chamber ensembles, the philharmonic choir and symphony orchestra, as well as young performers representing the new generation of Ukrainian musicians will perform on stage. The organizers emphasize that the festival will combine both premiere performances and well-known works from the world and Ukrainian repertoire.
In particular, the program includes the premiere of the children’s ballet “The Girl with Blue Eyes,” a series of chamber concerts dedicated to Ukrainian musical masterpieces, baroque programs, and contemporary musical experiments.
The final event of the festival will be the opera production “Penelope. Seven Ways to Wait,” which will close the music forum.
Tickets for the festival events can be purchased at the box office of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Philharmonic.
The “Prykarpattia Spring” festival is traditionally considered one of the key musical events in the region, bringing together professional musicians, fans of academic music, and young performers every year.
https://interfax.com.ua/news/culture/1150500.html
The Experts Club think tank has analyzed European countries’ responses to the fuel crisis. European countries’ responses to the 2026 fuel crisis have so far been mixed. Some governments are directly intervening in the fuel market by restricting exports, introducing price caps, and releasing reserves. Others are limiting themselves to price monitoring and coordination at the EU and G7 levels, trying not to provoke a shortage with even tougher measures.
Serbia has chosen the most aggressive form of intervention. The authorities have temporarily suspended exports of oil, gasoline, and diesel until March 19, explaining that this is to protect the domestic market from shortages and price spikes. Reuters notes that Serbia had already been controlling fuel prices since February 2022, meaning that the current decision is a continuation of a more interventionist regulatory model.
Hungary has opted for a mixed scenario. On the one hand, Budapest has introduced a price cap on gasoline and diesel for cars registered in Hungary. On the other hand, the government decided to use state reserves, and the Minister of Economy, according to Hungarian media reports, also announced a reduction in excise duties and a ban on the export of some petroleum products. This is a typical example of a combined anti-crisis scheme, where the authorities simultaneously try to keep retail prices down and maintain the physical availability of fuel on the market.
Croatia has chosen a softer approach—limiting maximum retail prices for a two-week period. The government has set a maximum price of EUR1.50 per liter for Eurosuper, EUR1.55 for diesel, and EUR0.89 for “blue diesel,” and has also limited prices for liquefied gas. Zagreb has stated outright that without this measure, diesel would cost EUR 1.72 per liter and gasoline EUR 1.55. This means that Croatia is trying not to isolate the market, but to soften the final effect on households and businesses.
Slovakia and, to some extent, the Czech Republic have focused not on retail regulation but on supporting physical supplies. After the failure of supplies via Druzhba, Slovakia approved the use of 250,000 tons of oil from strategic reserves for refining, while Hungary and Slovakia began negotiations on the use of reserves back in February. The Czech Republic, in turn, announced its readiness to send small volumes of oil to Slovakia via the eastern Druzhba pipeline.
The UK has not yet introduced price caps or export bans. Treasury Secretary Rachel Reeves said the government was monitoring the situation closely and warned retailers that it would not allow “excessive profits” amid the oil shock. This approach is closer to a supervisory model: the authorities are signaling to the market that they are ready to tighten control over the behavior of sellers, but are not moving to direct price administration.
At the pan-European level, caution prevails for now. The G7 and the EU are discussing possible measures, including the use of strategic reserves, tax changes, and carbon price adjustments, but no decision on coordinated release of reserves has been made yet. France, as chair of the G7, says that “all options are on the table,” but acknowledges that there is no immediate shortage in Europe.
The European Commission, for its part, points to the structural vulnerability of Europe, which imports more than 90% of its oil and about 80% of its gas.
The main conclusion for Europe now is that countries are responding differently depending on their own vulnerability. Balkan and Central European countries, which are dependent on imports and specific supply routes, tend to act faster and more aggressively — through bans, price caps, and reserves. The large economies of Western Europe are still favoring coordination, market pressure, and preparing tools in case the situation worsens. But if the oil shock drags on, the current targeted measures could turn into a broader wave of European intervention in the fuel market.
