The international transportation and logistics group A.P. Moller—Maersk has temporarily suspended maritime container shipping through the terminal of Chornomorsk Fish Port LLC in the Odesa region.
The decision was made amid a deteriorating security situation and intensified Russian attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure. However, this does not mean a complete suspension of Maersk’s operations in Ukraine.
“Due to the current situation affecting our operations, the feeder operator is unable to continue providing services to Ukraine via the Black Sea Fishing Port,” Maersk’s Ukrainian division reported.
The service has been suspended until further notice. The company did not explicitly cite the Russian attacks as the reason for this decision; however, the announcement came after a series of strikes on ports and civilian vessels in the Odesa region.
The vessel MEDKON MIRA V.629S, which was scheduled to deliver imported containers to Chornomorsk, will be redirected to the Romanian port of Constanta for unloading.
It is also planned to reroute shipments destined for Chornomorsk that are already in Port Said, Egypt, or en route there, to Constanta. Customers for whom unloading in Romania is not suitable are advised to submit a request to change the destination.
“Chornomorsk Fish Port” is not a term referring to a fishing harbor in the everyday sense, but rather the official name of a separate enterprise and a multifunctional cargo terminal in the village of Burlachya Balka near Chornomorsk.
The company was previously known as “Illichivsk Sea Fishing Port,” and in 2018 it adopted its current legal name—LLC “Black Sea Fishing Port.”
Despite its historical name, the enterprise operates a full-fledged container terminal. It has deep-water berths, Liebherr container handlers, mobile cranes, storage yards, and truck and rail weighing facilities.
The Black Sea Fishing Port is an independent operator and should not be confused with the state-owned seaport of Chornomorsk. The main deep-water port of Chornomorsk and other ports in the Greater Odesa region continue to operate, according to Ukrainian authorities.
The company has suspended only maritime shipments through this specific terminal. Maersk continues to offer cargo delivery to Ukraine via land and multimodal routes, including through Romania and Poland.
Rerouting containers through Constanța may increase transit times and shipping costs. After unloading in Romania, cargo will need to be transported to Ukraine by road or rail.
For Ukrainian importers, this means additional costs for land logistics, changes to documentation, and a possible delay in receiving goods.
At the same time, this decision enhances Constanta’s role as a regional transshipment hub for Ukrainian cargo.
Prior to Maersk, Kernel, a major Ukrainian producer and exporter of agricultural products, had suspended operations at one of its facilities in Chornomorsk following a series of attacks.
However, Ukrainian authorities have not imposed a general ban on ships calling at ports in the Greater Odesa area. Decisions to change routes are made by individual carriers and shipowners with the safety of crews, vessels, and cargo in mind.
A.P. Moller — Maersk is a Danish transportation and logistics group founded in 1904. The company provides maritime container shipping services and manages port terminals, warehouses, and land-based logistics infrastructure.
Maersk operates in approximately 130 countries, serves over 100,000 customers, and has a fleet of more than 700 container ships and a network of 67 terminals in 42 countries. The group employs more than 100,000 people. Thanks to its scale, Maersk is one of the key players in global container trade, and changes to its routes can significantly affect the timing, cost, and availability of international shipments.
According to Fixygen, Telegram founder Pavel Durov announced the launch of Gram Wallet, a built-in non-custodial crypto wallet, which is planned to be integrated directly into the messenger app.
According to Durov, the service is set to launch in the summer of 2026. Users will be able to make instant cryptocurrency transfers within Telegram without having to install a separate app or switch to a third-party service.
The non-custodial model ensures that access to digital assets and keys remains with the user, rather than with a centralized operator. This distinguishes the new product from the custodial Crypto Wallet service, which is already available on Telegram and enables the purchase, sale, and transfer of cryptocurrencies through an operator-managed infrastructure.
The technical specifications of the new wallet have not yet been fully disclosed. In particular, it is unknown which cryptocurrencies will be supported in the initial phase, in which countries the service will become available, and how network fees will be paid when transferring assets to an external blockchain.
The main advantage of Gram Wallet could be its direct integration with Telegram’s audience of over a billion users. Users will not need to create a separate account on a cryptocurrency service, learn a new interface, or search for a compatible wallet on their own.
Transfers of digital assets could potentially be linked to regular messaging, payments for digital goods, purchases in mini-apps, creator rewards, and peer-to-peer transactions.
For Telegram, the launch of the wallet marks a further shift from a traditional messenger toward a super-app model that combines communication, digital services, commerce, and payments.
The messenger already features mini-apps, paid subscriptions, digital gifts, the Stars system, and services for creators. Having a built-in wallet can shorten the path between selecting a product or service and making a payment.
This is particularly important for mini-app developers. The fewer extra steps a user needs to take to make a payment, the higher the likelihood of a purchase, subscription, or service payment.
The built-in wallet could increase interest in Telegram from games, marketplaces, educational platforms, booking services, financial apps, and digital content creators.
Even if only a relatively small portion of the audience begins using the new service, Telegram is poised to gain one of the largest cryptocurrency wallet user bases in the world.
The TON blockchain and its associated cryptocurrency ecosystem stand to benefit the most from the launch. Telegram previously selected TON as the primary infrastructure for blockchain features, tokenization, and the integration of digital assets into mini-apps.
Growth in the number of wallet users could increase the number of active addresses, transactions, and applications on the TON network. At the same time, the practical use of the network’s native token for paying fees, digital goods, and services could grow.
The Fragment trading platform, collectible gifts, digital usernames, anonymous numbers, and other products related to the Telegram and TON infrastructure could receive an additional boost.
Formally, TON is developing as an independent blockchain ecosystem. Telegram abandoned its initial proprietary cryptocurrency project following a conflict with U.S. regulators in 2020. However, TON’s tight integration with the messenger effectively grants the blockchain access to Telegram’s audience.
For Telegram itself, the crypto wallet could become a tool for retaining users within the app. The more transactions users can perform without leaving the messenger, the higher the audience engagement and the platform’s appeal to businesses.
In the long term, Telegram will be able to generate additional revenue from commissions on partner services, mini-app advertising, the sale of digital goods, and the expansion of its in-app economy.
At the same time, the mass rollout of a non-custodial wallet creates additional risks. Users are solely responsible for safeguarding their keys and confirming transactions. Losing access or transferring funds to scammers usually makes it impossible to recover assets.
Telegram will need to strengthen its defenses against phishing, counterfeit tokens, fraudulent investment projects, and scam mini-apps.
Regulation may pose a separate challenge. Requirements for cryptocurrency wallets, customer identification, and cross-border transfers vary by country. Therefore, certain features may be rolled out gradually or may not be available in some jurisdictions.
The statement about commission-free transfers requires further clarification. Internal transactions between Telegram users may not incur a separate fee, but withdrawing assets to external networks is usually subject to a blockchain fee.
Overall, the launch of the Gram Wallet could be one of the most important milestones in Telegram’s development. The messaging app will be able to bring together its audience, payments, and mini-apps within a single environment, while TON will significantly expand the practical use of its blockchain infrastructure.
The project’s success will depend on the simplicity of the interface, security, the geographic scope of the launch, and Telegram’s ability to comply with the requirements of national regulators.
Iraq has estimated the total value of contracts and agreements concluded with American energy companies during Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s July visit to the United States at approximately $200 billion.
Iraqi Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudair announced this on July 21. According to him, the projects are expected to increase the country’s production capacity, expand associated gas processing and bring American technologies into the oil and gas industry. The minister estimated Iraq’s current production capacity at 4.8 million barrels of oil per day.
The announced package includes seven key arrangements related to field development, oil and gas asset management, energy infrastructure modernisation and the search for new export routes.
At the same time, the $200 billion estimate does not yet mean that the entire amount has already been formalised as binding capital investment. The package includes contracts, framework agreements, memoranda and preliminary arrangements. The final volume of investment will depend on the results of technical studies, commercial negotiations, the agreement of financing terms and the receipt of regulatory approvals.
Chevron expands its presence in Iraq
The American company Chevron has become one of the central participants in the new energy cooperation.
The company is negotiating its participation in the operation of the West Qurna-2 field, one of Iraq’s largest oil assets, as well as the development of the Nasiriyah field. The parties previously signed preliminary documents concerning Nasiriyah, the Balad field and several exploration blocks in Dhi Qar Province.
During a meeting with Chevron’s management, the Iraqi prime minister called on the company to accelerate investment in oil and gas production and the construction of oil refineries, petrochemical plants, pipelines and storage facilities.
The Iraqi side stated that it was prepared to allocate land plots and expedite administrative approvals for major energy projects. Chevron, in turn, expressed interest in fields in the south of the country and in developing infrastructure for the storage and export of raw materials.
The agreements concerning West Qurna-2 and Nasiriyah remain predominantly preliminary. Before final contracts are concluded, Chevron must examine the projects’ geological, technical and commercial data.
Halliburton to manage the Bin Umar and Sindbad fields
The American oilfield services company Halliburton has received a contract from the state-owned Basra Oil Company for the comprehensive management of the development of the Bin Umar and Sindbad oil and gas fields in southern Iraq.
The contract provides for integrated field management services, as well as support for the design, procurement and construction of the necessary infrastructure.
The involvement of Halliburton is expected to help Iraq increase oil and gas recovery from existing assets, introduce modern reservoir management methods and reduce technological losses.
Another agreement has been concluded with the American company HKN Energy for the development of the Himrin field in the north of the country. The Iraqi government approved the project as part of a broader programme to attract American companies to the oil and gas and electric power sectors.
Iraq seeks alternative oil export routes
One of Baghdad’s strategic objectives is to reduce its dependence on routes through the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
Recent regional crises have demonstrated the vulnerability of Iraq, most of whose oil exports pass through southern terminals. Shipping restrictions and export disruptions have a direct impact on production, budget revenues and the state’s ability to finance infrastructure projects.
Iraq is considering expanding supplies through the Turkish port of Ceyhan and creating a route to the Mediterranean Sea through Syria. The Iraqi and Syrian sides previously discussed transporting oil to the port of Baniyas, including the possibility of restoring existing infrastructure or constructing a new pipeline system.
Chevron is also exploring the possibility of participating in export pipeline and storage projects. If implemented, they would connect the oil fields of southern and northern Iraq with alternative maritime terminals and reduce the country’s dependence on the Strait of Hormuz.
However, such projects will require interstate agreements, large-scale investment and security guarantees. The restoration of pipelines through Syria is complicated by the condition of the infrastructure and the need to ensure the protection of the route along its entire length.
Baghdad turns towards American capital
The current arrangements reflect a broader shift in Iraq’s energy policy towards the United States.
In recent years, Chinese companies have secured a significant share of the country’s new oil and gas projects. Major assets have also been managed by Russian and European operators.
Ali al-Zaidi’s government has announced its intention to give priority to reputable American companies in the energy, telecommunications and technology sectors. To facilitate their entry into the market, the authorities have begun reviewing certain administrative requirements and strengthening the security of oil facilities.
For Iraq, such cooperation is expected to provide access to investment, technologies, oilfield services equipment and political support from Washington. For American companies, the country is attractive because of its large oil reserves, underdeveloped gas sector and need to modernise its infrastructure.
Production growth constrained by OPEC+ agreements
Iraq intends to increase its oil production capacity, but actual production volumes depend on more than investment alone.
The country participates in OPEC+ agreements and is required to comply with the established restrictions. In July, the group’s countries again reaffirmed their commitment to the current arrangements, including the need to compensate for previously exceeding production quotas.
The Iraqi Ministry of Oil previously announced plans to increase production capacity to more than 6 million barrels per day by 2028–2029. Achieving this goal will require the development of new fields, the rehabilitation of existing assets, the expansion of export infrastructure and agreement on a higher quota within OPEC+.
The development of the gas industry remains a separate priority. Iraq is seeking to expand the processing of associated gas, which continues to be flared at fields, and reduce the electric power sector’s dependence on imported fuel.
The authorities plan to increase the utilisation of produced gas to the highest possible level and virtually eliminate its flaring by the end of the decade.
Implementation of agreements will take several years
The package of projects with American companies could become one of the largest investment shifts in the history of Iraq’s oil and gas industry.
However, a significant share of the arrangements remains at a preliminary stage. To proceed to full implementation, the parties must determine the commercial terms, allocation of risks, investment payback periods and security guarantees.
OPEC+ quotas, bureaucratic procedures, the condition of pipeline infrastructure and regional instability remain additional constraints.
If even part of the announced projects is implemented, Iraq will be able to increase oil and gas production, expand processing, reduce its dependence on a single export route and strengthen its position as one of the largest energy producers in the Middle East.
ENERGY, INVESTMENT, IRAQ, OIL, USA
Ukraine and Spain plan to accelerate the implementation of joint investment and trade projects in the fields of infrastructure, energy, transportation, industry, agricultural processing, defense technologies, and digitalization through the newly established Ukrainian-Spanish Business Council.
The first joint meeting of the Ukrainian and Spanish members of the council took place in Kyiv as part of the Ukrainian-Spanish Business Forum. More than 100 companies from both countries participated in the events, including 47 representatives of Spanish businesses.
Kyiv also hosted the fifth meeting of the Ukrainian-Spanish Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic and Industrial Cooperation. The commission was co-chaired by Oleksiy Sobolev, Acting Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine, and Carlos Cuervo, First Vice President of the Government and Minister of Economy, Trade, and Entrepreneurship of Spain.
The parties discussed the transition from general dialogue to the development of specific projects, the involvement of Spanish companies in Ukraine’s reconstruction, the localization of production, and technology transfer.
“Ukraine is open to partnerships right now. An investor who comes today will have the opportunity to join the reconstruction effort and become part of Ukraine’s future European market,” said Hennadiy Chizhikov, President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
In the transportation sector, the parties discussed the development of air, rail, and road transport, the creation of multimodal routes, and the application of Spanish expertise in high-speed rail construction.
In the energy sector, the main areas identified are solar and wind power generation, energy storage systems, energy efficiency, and the development of decentralized power generation. In industry and the defense and technology sectors, the parties intend to transition from conventional product supply to joint production, localization, and the creation of joint ventures.
In the agro-industrial sector, discussions focused on investments in food processing, storage, and logistics, as well as the production of finished goods for export to countries in the Mediterranean, North Africa, and Latin America. Specific areas of cooperation identified include water resource management, healthcare, tourism, science, and innovation.
The Spanish business delegation included, among others, representatives from the infrastructure company ACCIONA, the aerospace corporation Airbus, the technology and defense companies Indra, Grupo Oesía, Escribano, and Integrasys, the satellite operator Hispasat, and the railway company RENFE.
The Ukrainian side was represented by about 20 companies and associations operating in transportation, logistics, aviation, agriculture, the food industry, energy, mechanical engineering, construction, digital technologies, and professional services.
The Ukrainian-Spanish Business Council is intended to serve as a permanent mechanism for direct interaction between companies, chambers of commerce and industry, and the governments of the two countries. Its work will include identifying partners, compiling a portfolio of investment projects, establishing sector-specific working groups, and monitoring the implementation of agreements.
The Ukrainian side of the council is headed by Mykhailo Bno-Ayriyan, a representative of MHP. Its members include MHP, Metinvest, Nova Poshta, SkyUp Airlines, Epicentr Agro, DSV Logistics, Zammler Ukraine, WhiteBIT, Farmak, and other Ukrainian companies and industry organizations.
The next practical step in this cooperation will be a business mission by Ukrainian companies to Valencia on September 28–29, 2026.
The visit will take place as part of the EUROCHAMBRES 2026 Congress, during which a Ukrainian-Spanish business forum and one-on-one meetings between Ukrainian companies and potential Spanish partners are also planned.
According to 2025 figures, trade between Ukraine and Spain totaled nearly $2.8 billion, of which approximately $1.73 billion was accounted for by Ukrainian exports. Spain remains one of the largest European buyers of Ukrainian agri-food products.
According to calculations by the Experts Club information and analytical center, published on July 16, Ukraine exported $1.09 billion worth of goods to Spain in January–June 2026. Imports of Spanish products totaled about $512 million, and total bilateral trade amounted to approximately $1.60 billion.
Ukraine’s trade surplus with Spain reached $578.1 million, the largest among all 50 of the country’s leading trading partners.
Thus, Spain is a particularly advantageous major trading partner for Ukraine: Ukrainian exports to this market are more than double the value of imports of Spanish goods.
Residents of Ukraine’s capital purchased 11,484 thousand new passenger cars from January through June of this year, and this regional market for new passenger cars remains by far the largest, according to a report by “Ukravtoprom” on its Telegram channel.
As previously reported, according to the association’s data, nearly 33,000 passenger cars were sold in Ukraine during the first half of the year, meaning Kyiv’s share accounts for 35% of total sales.
The Kyiv region ranked second in sales volume with 3,276 units, followed by the Dnipropetrovsk region with 2,273 units, the Kharkiv region with 1,852 units, and the Lviv region with 1,810 units.
In total, these regional markets accounted for 63% of new passenger car sales in Ukraine.
The best-selling model in these markets during the first half of the year was the Renault Duster compact crossover.
As reported, according to data from “Ukravtoprom,” sales of new passenger cars in January–June of this year rose by 0.5% compared to the same period in 2025, with vehicles equipped with traditional engines (gasoline and diesel) accounting for nearly 62% compared to 56.5% last year, while the share of electric vehicles fell to 8.3% from 18.9%.
According to the results for 2025, the top five regions by sales were Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Odesa Oblast, and Lviv Oblast, followed by Kharkiv Oblast.
At the same time, Lviv Oblast recorded the highest number of registrations of used passenger cars imported from abroad last year.
The indirect cost of housing construction in Ukraine in the second quarter of 2026 rose by 2.21% compared to the previous quarter and by 7.21% compared to the same period last year, according to the indicators of indirect housing construction costs in Ukraine’s regions approved on July 16 by the Ministry of Community Development.
The relevant document establishes indirect indicators of housing construction costs, calculated as of July 1, 2026. According to the document, the average figure in Ukraine is 27,200 UAH/sq. m, whereas at the beginning of the year it was 25,700 UAH/sq. m, compared to 23,800 UAH per square meter as of January 1, 2025, and 21,200 UAH per square meter in 2024.
According to the ministry’s data, the indirect cost of constructing 1 square meter of housing in Kyiv as of July 1, 2026, rose to 31,800 UAH; in the Kyiv region—to 27,100 UAH; in the Lviv region—to 27,000 UAH; in the Zakarpattia region—to 23,600 UAH, in the Ivano-Frankivsk region—to 24,400 UAH, in the Odesa region—to 26,000 UAH, and in the Dnipropetrovsk region—to 26,300 UAH. High figures were also recorded in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions—28,600 UAH/sq. m and 28,500 UAH/sq. m, respectively.
Region Name Cost per 1 sq. m of total apartment area in a building (including VAT), UAH Region Name Cost per 1 sq. m of total apartment area in a building (including VAT), UAH
Ukraine 27,211 Mykolaiv 27,171
Vinnytsia 26,239 Odesa 26,069
Volyn 26,157 Poltava 24,195
Dnipropetrovsk 26,382 Rivne 26,727
Donetsk 28,582 Sumy 25,528
Zhytomyr 23,919 Ternopil 25,506
Transcarpathian 23,622 Kharkiv 28,601
Zaporizhzhia 26,354 Kherson 24,758
Ivano-Frankivsk 24,469 Khmelnytskyi 26,188
Kyiv 27,177 Cherkasy 26,802
Kirovohrad 23,127 Chernivtsi 25,188
Luhansk 26,103 Chernihiv 27,244
Lviv 27,063 Kyiv 31,802
Data: Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine
It is noted that the figures do not include territories temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation or parts of territories where hostilities are (were) taking place, in accordance with the current list of such territories.
In accordance with the law, these figures are used to determine the volume of state investments in housing construction for citizens in need of improved living conditions, as well as to determine the amounts of preferential housing loans.
