Ukraine will be fully integrated into the EU energy market in 2027, even if we are not yet formally a member of the Union, said Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Taras Kachka, according to a correspondent from Interfax-Ukraine.
“There is currently a large bill in parliament—several hundred pages on the final integration of Ukraine’s energy market with the EU. It is ready for its second reading, and I think we will be able to adopt it in February,” he said at the Ukrainian Breakfast in Davos on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on Thursday, organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.
According to Kachka, the document consists of hundreds of pages of technical assessments that experts have been working on for years.
“It is thanks to this work that in 2027 we will be fully integrated into the EU energy market, even if we are not yet formally a member of the Union,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.
As reported, on July 22, the Verkhovna Rada adopted draft law No. 12087-d “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Implementation of European Law on Energy Market Integration, Improving Security of Supply and Competitiveness in the Energy Sector.” According to the Ministry of Energy, the relevant legislative proposal was developed on the basis of nine EU energy legislation acts and aims to create the necessary legislative framework for the full integration of Ukraine’s electricity market into the single European market on the principle of reciprocity.
The document provides, in particular, for the integration of the short-term (spot) electricity markets of Ukraine and the EU (market coupling) and balancing markets, which means increasing market liquidity, simplifying the conditions for trading electricity with the EU, making effective use of the transmission capacity of interconnections between countries, increasing the flexibility of the energy system, and providing access to EU reserves.
The draft law also provides for additional mechanisms to protect consumer rights and strengthen their role in the market by increasing the transparency of supply conditions and introducing tools for comparing suppliers’ offers, as well as creating conditions for consumers to participate in other market segments, in particular the ancillary services market.
The ministry noted that the adoption of the document as a whole will ensure the synchronization of electricity markets in early 2027.
In Ukraine in 2025, 168,778 births and 485,296 deaths were registered, so there were about three deaths per newborn, according to an analysis by OpenDataBot based on data from the Ministry of Justice.
Compared to 2024, the country’s death rate fell by 2%, while the birth rate fell by 4.5%. At the same time, the decline in birth rate is slowing down after a sharp drop in 2022, but there are about 1.6 times fewer children being born compared to 2021.
In terms of regions, birth rate growth was recorded in Lviv region (+1.5%, or 230 more children) and Volyn region (+0.6%, or +44 children), while the most noticeable drop, except for the territories of active hostilities, was observed in the frontline regions – in Kherson region (-16%) and Zaporizhzhya region (-11%), as well as a 9% decrease in the number of births in Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Chernivtsi regions.
The most children were traditionally born in Kyiv – 19,410 (11.5% of the total number), followed by Lviv region – 15,872 and Dnipropetrovsk region – 12,754. Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (52,559), Kyiv (36,296) and Kharkiv Oblast (34,670) lead in the number of deaths.
deceased persons, MINISTRY OF JUSTICE, newborns, UKRAINE, Опендатабот
Demand for orders on the Glovo courier delivery service rose by 7.7% with the start of massive power outages in December, while on the Bolt Food online service it rose by about 6% compared to last year, the companies said in comments to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
“In general, during periods of power outages, we see an increase in demand for delivery,” said Vyacheslav Levchenko, general manager of Bolt Food in Ukraine.
Glovo added that it is seeing a gradual increase in the average check, which has grown by 1.7% since last month and by 19.4% compared to the same period in 2025.
Bolt Food reported that the average check has increased by approximately UAH 60 compared to last year.
At the same time, according to Glovo, the share of orders from restaurants decreased by three percentage points (pp) compared to the period before the massive power outages and by 6 pp compared to last year, Instead, Ukrainians began to order more often from grocery stores, whose share increased by 2 p.p. compared to the period before the blackouts and by 5 p.p. year-on-year, Glovo commented.
Bolt Food noted that a significant share of demand is generated by large chain establishments and well-known brands, including McDonald’s, KFC, BUFET, Eurasia, Lviv Croissants, Domino’s Pizza, and others.
“This choice is due to their wide representation, brand recognition, and stable service quality,” the company added in a comment to the agency’s request.
In addition, Ukrainians have recently been increasingly choosing hot and hearty dishes, with soups, burgers, pizza, and shawarma being the most popular, Bolt Food noted.
In addition, the choice of dishes is also changing, with demand for burgers falling by 10-15%. However, orders for soups, set meals, and main dishes (such as wok noodles or poke) have increased approximately threefold. As for the pizza and sushi category, the situation has remained almost unchanged, but there has been a 1-2% increase, Glovo said.
“People have started to order hot and nutritious meals through Glovo much more often — meals that can replace a full lunch, which is not always possible to prepare at home right now,” the company emphasized.
Glovo also recorded an increase in demand for pet products by more than 50% and for meat products by more than 48%.
As for the demand for essential goods, the indicator grew by more than 36%, medicines — by 25%, and the share of demand for alcohol increased by 6%. At the same time, the demand for flowers and frozen goods decreased by an average of 10-15%.
It is noted that Kyiv and Odesa show dynamics identical to the national ones. In Lviv, Dnipro, and Vinnytsia, there is also a stable interest in ordering dinners and lunches, and the demand for these dishes has doubled.
At the same time, in Kharkiv, demand for “fast” meals such as shawarma, pizza, tacos, and chicken dishes, on the contrary, increased by 30-35%, while ready-made complex lunches in the city began to be ordered less frequently, Glovo added.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan stated that the scenario of unification between Romania and the Republic of Moldova can only be discussed if the majority of Moldovan citizens want it, noting that “we are not there yet.”
According to Romanian media reports, Dan made the statement in response to questions from journalists upon his arrival at an informal meeting of the European Council.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu, in turn, during her first major press conference in 2026, called a possible union with Romania one of the options for guaranteeing peace and belonging “to the free world,” while emphasizing the priority of the course towards EU accession and pointing out the current lack of sustained public support for the idea of unification.
On January 20, 2026, the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) was officially opened at the National Convention Center in Hanoi. Held every five years, this is an important political event for the country, ushering in a new era of national development.
This congress brought together more than 1,500 delegates to discuss strategic issues for the country in the fields of politics, diplomacy, and economics.
The congress was attended by 111 ambassadors, chargés d’affaires of various countries, as well as heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations in Vietnam.
The opening session of the Congress was chaired by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on behalf of the Presidium. After that, Vietnamese President General Luong Quang delivered an opening speech to the Congress, in which he presented the main theses and tasks of the country’s development vision and emphasized the beginning of a new page in Vietnam’s domestic and foreign policy.
In his speech, the President stressed that Vietnam prioritizes economic development, building on the achievements of 40 years of reform and creating a solid foundation for the country’s further development in a new era, pursuing an independent, self-reliant, multilateral, and diversified foreign policy, harmoniously managing relations with partners, especially with major powers, neighboring countries, and important partners.
Therefore, one of the central topics discussed and decided at this congress was the focus on the goal of high economic growth over the next five years.
• The Vietnamese economy is currently in a boom phase with GDP growth rates of 7.09% in 2024 compared to the previous year and an estimated 8.02% in 2025.
• Vietnam aims to achieve annual economic growth of at least 10% over the next five years, while maintaining macroeconomic stability and controlling inflation.
• Unlike many countries, where strategic documents are often dependent on political cycles, Vietnam declares an approach focused on consistency, institutional continuity, and development in clearly defined stages.
Secretary General of the CPC Central Committee, Chairman of the Document Subcommittee Mr. To Lam presented the 13th Central Committee’s report on the documents of the 14th Party Congress.
In his speech, he reaffirmed the strategic vision, spirit of innovation, and need for decisive action for a new stage of national development. “The 14th National Party Congress marks an important event, opening a new chapter in the country’s development under new conditions, situations, and goals; it is a congress of strategic autonomy, independence, self-reliance, national pride, aspirations for progress, and unwavering faith in the path chosen by the Party, President Ho Chi Minh, and our people,” said the General Secretary.
To achieve the country’s development goals in the near term, emphasis is placed on key guiding principles that are considered a strategic “launch pad” for realizing the goal of transforming Vietnam into a developed country with a high income level by 2045, namely:
1. Strategic decisions on economic development and domestic policy, with an emphasis on technology, innovation, and digital transformation (Active introduction of digital technologies into all areas of life and governance, identifying them as a new driver of growth, linked to artificial intelligence (AI), digital government, and digital society).
The prioritization of science, technology, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence is in line with global trends.
At the same time, Vietnam declares its desire to combine technological modernization with the development of its own human resources and internal competencies. This approach is characteristic of countries seeking to transition from the role of production sites to participants in higher-level technological and innovation chains.
2. Institutional reforms and strengthening of public administration
Significant emphasis is placed on improving institutional architecture: optimising the administrative system, decentralisation and developing the legal environment.
In a comparative context, this brings Vietnam closer to development models where institutional capacity is seen as a key driver of sustainable growth, rather than just a supporting element of a market economy.
3. Energy transformation is seen not as an environmental policy, but as an economic prerequisite for maintaining export competitiveness.
The Joint Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and aggressive development of renewable energy should ensure compliance with the decarbonization requirements of global supply chains.
4. Anti-corruption campaign (“Blazing Furnace”) and management balance
The anti-corruption campaign will be shifted from political mobilization to an institutional format.
The key challenge remains overcoming the so-called “fear of signing” — bureaucratic paralysis that slows down the implementation of infrastructure and investment projects. The focus is expected to be on the digitalization of control and a clearer division of responsibilities.
5. Comprehensively develop the cultural and social spheres, improve people’s living standards, and ensure social security.
6. Confirm the course of independence and multi-vector foreign policy.
The confirmation of a multi-vector foreign policy indicates Vietnam’s intention to maintain strategic autonomy in the face of growing global competition.
Vietnam’s declared strategic course combines:
• long-term state planning;
• ambitious economic growth targets;
• institutional and administrative reforms;
• selective technological modernization;
• the pursuit of foreign policy balance.
Taken together, this forms a pragmatic development model that differs from both liberalized market approaches and rigidly centralized economic systems, reflecting an attempt to adapt to conditions of global uncertainty.
Astarta, Ukraine’s largest sugar producer, reduced its sales volume by 27.4% in October-December 2025 compared to the same period in 2025, and its revenue by 19% due to a significant decline in wheat and sugar sales, which was not offset by revenue growth in the corn, sunflower, and soybean oil segments.
According to data published by the holding on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, in October-December 2025, the company sold a total of UAH 5.16 billion worth of its main products, compared to UAH 6.37 billion in the first half of 2024.
In particular, sugar sales in the fourth quarter of last year decreased by 20% in physical terms compared to the same period in 2024, to 85,265 thousand tons, while the average selling price decreased by 12%, to UAH 19,537 per ton.
Astarta’s wheat sales in the fourth quarter decreased by 81% to 29,683 thousand tons, and the average price decreased by 15% to UAH 8.58 thousand/ton.
Corn sales in the fourth quarter increased by 46% to 48,886 thousand tons amid a 1% decrease in price to UAH 9,328 per ton.
In addition, Astarta increased sales of sunflower seeds in October-December by 30% to 26,793 thousand tons, while the selling price rose by 18% to UAH 24.82 thousand/ton.
Rapeseed sales for the reporting period decreased by 2% to 17.74 thousand tons, while the cost of production increased by 11% to UAH 23.22 thousand/ton.
Soybean sales in the fourth quarter of 2025 decreased by 97% compared to the same period in 2024 to 23 tons, while the price of the product increased by 44% to UAH 39,126 per ton.
Sales of soybean oil in the fourth quarter increased by 20% to 15.619 thousand tons, and the price of the product also increased by 17% to UAH 48.083 thousand/ton. Sales of soybean meal increased by 42% to 60,875 thousand tons, while prices for it fell by 8% to UAH 15,716 per ton.
The agricultural holding’s milk sales in October-December 2025 increased by 10% to 31,017 thousand tons, while the price of the product decreased by 14% to UAH 19.25 thousand/ton.
Overall, Astarta showed mixed dynamics in October-December: a significant drop in sales of wheat (-81%) and sugar (-20%) was partially offset by an increase in sales of corn (+46%) and soybean products. Despite the overall decline in prices for grains and sugar, the soybean and oil segment showed growth in average sales prices (by 44% and 17%, respectively), which allowed the agricultural holding to balance its cash inflows.
Sales and average selling prices of Astarta’s key products in Q4 2025.
Data: Astarta
