Ukrainians’ attitudes toward Lithuania remain among the most stable and positive of all countries covered by the sociological survey conducted in March 2026 by the research company Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center. The share of positive assessments rose to 75.1% compared to 71.7% in August 2025, indicating a further strengthening of this country’s positive image in Ukrainian society. At the same time, the level of negative attitudes remained unchanged at 3.3%.
“Completely positive” attitudes dominate the response structure—44.1% of respondents chose this option. Another 31.0% described their attitude as “mostly positive.” Thus, Lithuania ranks among the countries with the highest share of unconditional support among Ukrainians.
A neutral stance is held by 21.0% of respondents, which is a relatively low figure compared to many other countries. This indicates a fairly clear and well-established attitude among Ukrainians toward Lithuania. Negative assessments remain minimal: 2.3% of respondents chose the “mostly negative” option, and only 0.9% selected “completely negative.” Another 0.7% were undecided.
The trend between August 2025 and March 2026 demonstrates not just stability, but a gradual strengthening of positive perceptions. The increase in positive assessments is occurring without a rise in negative ones, which is quite rare in sociological research and indicates the systemic nature of this support.
A distinctive feature of attitudes toward Lithuania is also the high proportion of “fully positive” assessments, which signifies not only general goodwill but also an emotionally strong perception of this country as a close partner. This pattern of responses is characteristic of countries that Ukrainians associate with consistent political support, solidarity, and active participation in international processes related to Ukraine.
“Attitudes toward Lithuania are an example of how a stable, positive image of a country is formed in the public consciousness. Where there is consistent support, a clear position, and a tangible presence on issues important to Ukraine, public opinion responds accordingly. In the case of Lithuania, we see not situational sympathy, but long-term trust,” noted Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the research company Active Group.
Thus, the survey results indicate that Lithuania remains one of Ukraine’s most positively perceived partners. Maintaining and even strengthening this level of trust points to stable relations and a high level of public support that is not dependent on short-term factors.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on data from the State Customs Service, Lithuania ranks 16th in total trade volume with Ukraine, with a figure of $2.17 billion. At the same time, imports from Lithuania exceed exports of Ukrainian goods, resulting in a trade deficit of over $752 million.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the Experts Club analytical center’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, LITHUANIA, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
Imports of goods to Ukraine from January to March 2026 increased by 26% in monetary terms compared to the same period last year—from $18.5 billion to $23.4 billion, while exports totaled $10.1 billion compared to $9.9 billion a year ago, according to data released by the State Customs Service of Ukraine (SCSU).
“At the same time, taxable imports amounted to $16.2 billion, accounting for 69% of the total volume of imported goods. The tax burden per 1 kg of taxable imports in January–March 2026 was $0.54/kg,” the agency stated in a post on its Telegram channel on Monday.
According to the published data, the largest volumes of goods were imported into Ukraine from China ($6.3 billion), Poland ($2.2 billion), and Turkey ($1.6 billion).
The largest exports from Ukraine went to Poland ($1.1 billion), Turkey ($840 million), and Germany ($659 million).
Of the total volume of goods imported in January–March 2026, 71% consisted of machinery, equipment, and transportation—$9.5 billion (upon customs clearance of these goods, 53.9 billion UAH, or 26% of customs revenue, was paid to the budget), fuel and energy products—$3.8 billion (UAH 77.3 billion was paid, or 37% of customs revenue), and chemical industry products—$3.4 million (UAH 28.2 billion was paid during customs clearance, or 13% of customs revenue).
The top three most exported goods from Ukraine included food products—$6.3 billion, metals and metal products—$929 million, and machinery, equipment, and transportation—$848 million.
The State Customs Service added that in January–March 2026, 509.5 million UAH was paid to the budget during customs clearance of exports of goods subject to export duties.
The entry of Ukrainian wheat flour into the Chinese market is a strategically important step, but one should not expect mass shipments to begin immediately, said Rodion Rybchynskyi, director of the Ukrainian Flour Millers Association.
“Opening the market at the intergovernmental level means the establishment of a legal and technical framework, but it is not a signal for an immediate start to exports. There will be no rapid commercial shipments for the time being. Signing the protocol is only the first step, which defines production and control requirements, setting the conditions for future operations,” the association’s press service quoted him as saying on Facebook.
One of Beijing’s strictest requirements remains full product traceability. This involves monitoring the entire chain: from the specific field where the wheat was grown to the final batch of flour.
According to the association’s head, building such a control system is a systematic effort that cannot be completed in a few weeks. In addition to technical barriers, exporters face complex logistics and economic challenges.
As Rybchynskyi noted, the Chinese market remains unique due to high import duties and VAT. The situation is further complicated by security risks to Ukraine’s port infrastructure, which drive up the cost of maritime transport and make assembling large shipments a difficult task.
The “Flour Millers of Ukraine” association is confident that the very fact of the protocol’s approval is a mark of quality for the domestic control system. This confirms that the flour meets the standards of one of the world’s most demanding markets, which in the long term will enable the diversification of sales of high-value-added products.
According to Serbian Economist, the Hungarian opposition’s victory in the parliamentary elections and the upcoming change of government in Budapest have added uncertainty to the deal regarding the exit of Russian shareholders from NIS (Naftna industrija Srbije)—the company that operates Serbia’s only oil refinery in Pančevo and, according to estimates, supplies about 80% of the country’s fuel needs.
This refers to negotiations regarding the acquisition by Hungary’s MOL of a 56.15% stake in NIS, which is owned by Gazprom entities (44.9% by Gazprom Neft and 11.3% by Gazprom). In January, MOL announced the signing of a Heads of Agreement regarding this deal, as well as that it is considering the participation of ADNOC (UAE) as a minority partner.
A key factor is the deadlines set by the U.S. OFAC. In March, MOL reported that it had received an extension from OFAC on its license to negotiate until May 22, 2026. At the same time, MOL is seeking extensions of specific permits allowing it to continue operations and import raw materials during the negotiations.
The issue of price remains sensitive: the terms of the deal have not been officially disclosed. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić previously mentioned a range of up to €1 billion for the 56.15% stake, while a number of media outlets and analytical publications cited higher estimates.
Why the Hungarian elections have become a risk factor
The deal itself is corporate in nature and requires regulatory approvals, specifically from OFAC and Serbia. However, the change in government in Hungary affects the political backdrop and the pace of decision-making. The new leader, Péter Magyar, has publicly stated his intention to form a government quickly (specifically citing May 5 as the start date), meaning just a few weeks before the May 22 deadline. In this scenario, any additional government-level reviews, disputes over the transparency of terms, or simply the restructuring of interagency coordination could cause delays.
The most likely baseline scenario is that the parties will try to meet the deadline or request an additional license extension from OFAC if they are close to the final closing. Market participants have already seen extensions in this situation.
The negative scenario is a protracted negotiation process without a clear resolution. In that case, the risks for NIS become not a legal abstraction but a matter of supply stability: the U.S. sanctions regime is specifically aimed at the exit of Russian majority owners, and any disruptions with licenses complicate the logistics and financing of raw material procurement and operations.
For Belgrade, this turns the issue into one of energy security. Serbian authorities have previously signaled their interest in increasing the state’s stake in NIS, and if the situation worsens, tougher decisions regarding the ownership structure may be necessary to remove the company from under sanctions pressure and prevent a shock to the fuel market.
https://t.me/relocationrs/2628
The results of a public opinion study conducted in March 2026 by the research company Active Group in cooperation with the information and analytical center Experts Club indicate a noticeable change in Ukrainians’ attitudes toward the United States. Overall, 44.1% of respondents evaluate the country positively, while negative attitudes account for 24.7%. Compared to August 2025, a decrease in positive assessments has been recorded (from 50.3%) alongside an increase in negative ones (from 18.0%), indicating a rise in criticality in perception.
The structure of responses shows that positive attitudes are predominantly moderate in nature. The share of “completely positive” is 9.8%, while “mostly positive” accounts for 34.3%. This means that the positive perception of the United States persists, but it is less pronounced than in the case of certain European partners.
At the same time, the share of neutral assessments is significant — 28.2%, indicating ambiguity in perception and the absence of a clear position among part of the respondents. Such a level of neutrality is typically characteristic of situations where public opinion is in a state of reassessment or reacting to changes in external factors.
The negative segment is substantial and continues to grow. 21.7% of respondents chose the option “mostly negative,” while another 3.0% selected “completely negative.” This means that negative attitudes toward the United States are gradually gaining more weight in the overall structure of assessments. The share of those who were undecided also stands at 3.0%.
The dynamics of changes between 2025 and 2026 indicate a clear trend: a decrease in positivity is accompanied by an increase in negativity. Unlike the stable or positively growing assessments regarding some other countries, in the case of the United States there is a gradual shift in the balance toward a more critical perception.
From an analytical point of view, this means that attitudes toward the United States in Ukrainian society are becoming less unequivocal. A significant share of positivity remains, but it no longer dominates as confidently as before. The growth of negative assessments and the high level of neutrality form a more complex and heterogeneous picture.
“We observe that the indicators regarding the United States are changing more dynamically than in the case of many other countries. This indicates a high sensitivity of public opinion to the political context and the information environment. Under such conditions, even short-term changes can quite quickly influence the balance of assessments,” said Oleksandr Pozniy, Director of the research company Active Group.
Overall, the results of the study show that the United States remains an important, but no longer unequivocally positively perceived partner. The increase in criticality and the decline in the level of support indicate a transition toward a more balanced and differentiated attitude, which may continue to evolve depending on developments in the international situation.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on data from the State Customs Service, the United States is among the top five largest trading partners of Ukraine, with a trade volume exceeding $5.6 billion. At the same time, imports from the United States significantly exceed Ukrainian exports, forming a negative balance in bilateral trade.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center, and the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the website of the Experts Club analytical center.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, LATER, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, USA
According to Fixygen, Odessa Cognac Factory PJSC will hold its annual general meeting of shareholders on April 29, 2026, via remote participation. The agenda includes approval of the 2025 performance results, financial statements, and other management matters.
Odessa Cognac Factory is one of the oldest producers of alcoholic beverages in Ukraine, founded in the 19th century. The company is known for its brands of cognacs and wines. According to disclosures, the controlling stake is held by the international group Global Spirits, associated with Ukrainian businessman Yevhen Chernyak. The key beneficiary’s stake is estimated to be controlling (over 50%).
