The number of foreigners with a valid residence permit in Slovakia as of June 30, 2025, was 342,048, which is 14,676 more than a year earlier (+4.5%).
According to data from the Border and Foreign Police Department (UHCP) of the Slovak Ministry of the Interior, 287,014 of this number were third-country nationals and 55,034 were EU citizens.
Ukrainian citizens remain the largest group of foreigners in the country, with 201,116 people (about 59% of the total number of foreigners with valid residence permits).
The largest diasporas also include citizens of Serbia (16,240), the Czech Republic (12,441), Vietnam (11,179), Hungary (9,759), Russia (8,850), Romania (6,411), Poland (5,994), India (5,732), and Georgia (4,676).
According to annual statistics from the Ukrainian Flour Millers Union and data from the Experts Club analytical center, in 2025 Ukraine exported 64.9 thousand tons of wheat flour to 25 countries worth $22.62 million. The average export price was about $348 per ton.
Exports remained highly concentrated: the five largest destinations accounted for almost 80% of the volume. The key markets were Moldova (19.4 thousand tons, about 30% of total exports), the Czech Republic (13.7 thousand tons, 21%), the Palestinian Territory (9.8 thousand tons, 15%), Spain (4.5 thousand tons), and Israel (4.2 thousand tons). Next in terms of volume were France (1.9 thousand tons), Poland (1.6 thousand tons), Sweden (1.6 thousand tons), Germany (1.4 thousand tons), and the United Kingdom (1.1 thousand tons).
The European segment stands out separately: deliveries to EU countries in 2025 amounted to 28.5 thousand tons (about 44% of the total volume) worth $10.74 million (47%). At the same time, the average export price to the EU was significantly higher – about $377 per tonne compared to $326 per tonne for non-European destinations.
The price range by destination was significant – from approximately $286 per tonne (Palestinian territories) to $538 per tonne (Georgia, small batches). Among the large markets, the highest price was recorded for deliveries to Poland – about $481 per ton, which may reflect higher requirements for specifications, packaging, and logistics.
The industry emphasizes that access to the European market and predictable trade rules are becoming key to export and investment planning, according to Rodion Rybchinsky, head of the Ukrainian Millers Union, commenting on the EU’s separate tariff quota for Ukrainian flour and investments by export-oriented enterprises in modernization.
The UAE has simplified the process of obtaining a “golden visa” for real estate investors: the key criterion remains the cost of the property from 2 million dirhams, while in Dubai it is possible to apply on the basis of a mortgage purchase if there is a letter from the bank and confirmation of payments, according to the description of the Dubai Land Department (DLD) service for applying for a 10-year investor residence visa.
According to the DLD’s terms and conditions, the applicant must own a property (or several properties) with a total value of at least AED 2 million, and the property may be mortgaged – a letter from the bank stating that there are no objections is required, as well as an indication of the amount paid and the outstanding balance.
The changes came into effect on February 20, 2026, and expand the pool of applicants to include buyers using mortgages and installment plans, as well as buyers of off-plan properties.
Ukraine is not mentioned in the CBRE European Investor Intentions Survey 2026 report and is not included in the list of markets that survey participants consider most attractive for cross-border investments in European real estate in 2026.
According to the report, investors associate the highest expectations for aggregate returns in 2026 with Spain, the UK, and Poland, while Italy, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, Denmark, France, and Sweden also made it into the top ten.
CBRE notes an overall increase in activity: 89% of respondents expect their purchasing activity in 2026 to remain the same or increase compared to 2025.
According to Fixygen, the crypto market spent the week in a mode of restrained correction and sideways movement. Bitcoin fell by approximately 1.9% over the period, from $68,978 to $67,700, maintaining a trading range of $65,740-70,167. Ethereum fell by approximately 2.0% over the same week, from $1,998.79 to $1,957.86, with a range of $1,907.76 to $2,037.08.
As of February 22, CoinMarketCap estimated Bitcoin’s capitalization at $1.35 trillion at a price of about $67,660, and Ethereum’s capitalization at $236.3 billion at a price of about $1,957.8. Trading volumes indicated the dominance of stablecoins in circulation: USDT traded around $42.19 billion per day, which is significantly higher than the total turnover of BTC and ETH for the same period.
The main factors of the week were continued tension around capital flows into crypto instruments and cautious risk appetite. The market discussed protracted outflows from US spot Bitcoin ETFs and deteriorating sentiment amid macroeconomic uncertainty. At the same time, by the end of the week, Bitcoin showed relative stability at around $68,000, even amid news of tariff initiatives in the US.
The news agenda also highlighted the topic of stablecoin regulation and sanctions compliance. The Financial Times wrote about the European Commission’s proposal to expand the sanctions regime and effectively ban crypto transactions related to Russia, including references to specific payment solutions and stablecoin projects. Against this backdrop, on February 16, CoinDesk took a detailed look at the case of the ruble-pegged stablecoin A7A5 and its attempts to scale up amid sanctions pressure.
According to Fixygen, the market will assess how stable demand is after a series of outflows from ETFs, how quickly risk appetite responds to trade tariff signals, and new regulatory steps in the US and EU.
Ukrainian manufacturer of passive fire protection products Kovlar Group LLC (TM Ammokote) reported an attempt to resume a smear campaign against the company and emphasized its readiness to defend its business reputation within the legal framework.
“On February 18, 2026, we received a journalist’s request, the content of which, in our opinion, indicates an attempt to repeat the discrediting campaign. We regard this as an element of unfair competition and pressure on a Ukrainian manufacturer that is involved in the supply of fire-resistant materials, including to energy infrastructure facilities,” the company said in a public statement.
Kovlar Group recalled that in August 2024, the company had already faced a large-scale information attack. At that time, according to the company, it chose the legal route of protection and appealed to the court, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine, the National Police, the Ministry of Justice, and financial monitoring authorities. “Based on the results of the inspections, we received official confirmation that the company and its management operate in accordance with Ukrainian law, are not subject to sanctions, and have no restrictions on their economic activities,” the statement said.
The company emphasized that Ammokote products are manufactured in accordance with current regulations, and that the technical and licensing documentation is valid and meets all regulatory requirements. Kovlar Group also states that it is operating as usual and fulfilling its obligations to partners and customers.
Separately, Kovlar Group appealed to editors and journalists to prepare materials more carefully, not to use unverified information, and to obtain the company’s position before publication. “We work openly and are always ready to interact with the media—providing comments, documents, and explanations in response to requests,” the statement said.
Media contacts: info@kovlargroup.com, +38 067 323 24 30.
Kovlar Group LLC is a Ukrainian manufacturer operating in the fire safety market. It produces passive fire protection products under the Ammokote trademark and provides consulting services on the organization of fire protection works for building structures and engineering systems.
Address: 10-G Starokyivska St., Kyiv, 04116
