Agricultural land, which has risen in price by 76% since the market opened in July 2021, could see its price increase by up to 80% in dollar terms over the next three years.
This view was expressed by Oleksandr Chornyi, co-founder of the land investment service Zeminvest, and Serhii Kramarenko, a land investment expert and author of the “Gruntovno – Land Investment Fund” project, during a panel discussion at the Invest Talk Summit 2026 conference in Kyiv, organized by the “Minfin” resource.
At the moderator’s request, Chornyi predicted that the price of one hectare of farmland in the “corn belt” of Cherkasy Oblast, with a lease agreement of up to three years, could rise from the current $3,000 +/- $200–$300 to closer to $6,000.
According to Kramarenko, he would buy this land right now “without haggling” for $3,500–$3,700 per hectare and would not sell it for less than $6,200–$6,500 in three years.
“Over the past four years since the land market opened—most of which coincided with the war—land has proven to be arguably the most promising asset in Ukraine from a financing perspective. Unlike in 2021, when no one understood how it would work, the market has crystallized and currently remains a buyer’s market. That is, there are still more people wanting to buy a quality asset than those wanting to sell it, and this trend will likely continue,” Chornyi emphasized.
The co-founder of the land investment service Zeminvest also noted that land prices are currently rising faster than rental rates, but the latter will certainly rise as well.
“If two years ago, investments in agricultural land were at 7–8%, today you can already buy at 4–5% and even at 3%, with the understanding that over the next two years, rent will gradually rise,” Chornyi believes.
In his opinion, if rent rates are currently 3-5%, they will double in 10 years—to 5-8%.
According to Serbian Economist, an exhibition marking the 32nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Serbia will open tomorrow, May 26, at the Novi Sad Cultural Center.
The exhibition will showcase the Ukrainian tradition of pysanka—the art of painting Easter eggs—which is considered an important part of Ukraine’s cultural heritage and a symbol of life, renewal, and unity.
The exhibition will begin at 3:00 PM at the Novi Sad Cultural Center, located at Katolička Porta 5.
The exhibition will be divided into three thematic sections, each of which explores distinct elements of the Ukrainian tradition of Easter egg painting.
The first section—“Ikanicha: Mariupol Pysanka”—is dedicated to the cultural heritage of the Azov region and brings together different historical periods, traditions, and creative approaches.
The second section—“Pysanka of Ukraine”—will feature pysankas from the central regions of Ukraine, primarily the Kyiv region and Podillia. These works are distinguished by a characteristic color palette and symbolic ornaments that reflect the richness of the region’s cultural heritage.
The third section—“Sorokoput”, or “Cossack Meadows”—will be dedicated to the regional pysankas of the Odesa region. At its core is the “Sorokoput” pysanka, closely associated with this region.
For Ukrainian-Serbian relations, such an exhibition holds not only cultural but also diplomatic significance. It is taking place against the backdrop of intensified contacts between Kyiv and Belgrade, including recent negotiations on resuming work on a free trade agreement and the holding of a Serbian-Ukrainian business forum in Belgrade.
Starting June 1, 2026, New Zealand is expanding the terms of the Active Investor Plus Visa program, often referred to as the New Zealand “golden visa.” Now, a portion of the required investment can be allocated to charitable donations, which should make the program more flexible and attractive to wealthy foreigners.
According to Reuters, investors in the Growth category will be able to allocate up to 20% of the minimum investment—that is, up to NZD1 million of the required NZD5 million—to charitable causes. The remainder must be invested in assets with higher growth potential. The changes take effect on June 1.
Officially, the Active Investor Plus Visa program grants foreign investors the right to live, work, and study in New Zealand indefinitely. To participate, applicants must invest a minimum of NZD5 million in the Growth category or NZD10 million in the Balanced category. According to Immigration New Zealand, 80% of applications for preliminary approval are processed in approximately 3.5 months.
The new charitable option is expected to expand the pool of potential program participants. New Zealand authorities hope that investors will not only inject capital into the economy but also support social, educational, medical, environmental, and community projects.
The rule update comes after a sharp surge in interest in the New Zealand investor visa. The Guardian reported that following the program’s reform in April 2025, the number of applications rose significantly: 308 applications were submitted over a few months, representing about 1,000 people, whereas before the changes, the program had attracted only 116 applications over two and a half years.
Investors from the U.S., China, and Hong Kong led the way in terms of the number of applicants. According to The Guardian, among the first 308 applications after the reform, there were 129 from the U.S., 45 from China, and 38 from Hong Kong. Investors from Germany, Singapore, and the U.K. also showed interest in the program.
Later, interest from American investors continued to grow. According to data from Immigration New Zealand cited by The Guardian, the new scheme has already attracted 573 applications representing 1,833 individuals. This confirms that the US has become the main source of demand for the New Zealand “golden visa.”
According to estimates by specialized consultants, demand also remains high from China and Hong Kong. GoldenVisas.com reported that investors from the U.S. lead the pack among applicants for the Active Investor Plus Visa, followed by China and Hong Kong, with the program attracting applicants from more than 30 countries in total.
For New Zealand, the program serves as a tool to attract long-term capital into the economy. Unlike some European “golden visas,” which were closely tied to real estate purchases, the New Zealand model emphasizes active investments, business, funds, securities, and now—to some extent—charity.
For investors, New Zealand is attractive due to its combination of political stability, quality of life, an English-speaking environment, a strong legal system, and the possibility of long-term residency for the family. At the same time, the high entry threshold means that the program is primarily aimed at high-net-worth applicants, entrepreneurs, and globally mobile families.
Key takeaway: New Zealand is not simply relaxing the “golden visa” rules but is attempting to modernize the program—with an emphasis on active investment and public benefit. Investors from the U.S., China, and Hong Kong remain the main drivers of demand, and the addition of charitable donations may attract even more applicants who wish to combine relocation, investment, and social contribution.
The United Kingdom and France blocked a proposal for NATO member states to allocate 0.25% of their GDP to military aid for Ukraine, according to The Telegraph.
Earlier this week, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged that his plan would not be implemented because it had not received sufficient support.
“I don’t think this proposal will be put to a vote,” he told reporters, without naming the opponents.
According to The Telegraph, the idea was blocked by the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, and Canada.
Rutte had hoped to secure approval for this proposal at the upcoming annual NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.
This week, ministers began discussing what, in the opinion of the alliance’s civilian chief, should become a concrete manifestation of support for the war-torn country.
“An alliance insider reported that at least seven member states, which spend more than 0.25% of their GDP on military aid to Ukraine, have expressed their support. However, any proposals adopted by NATO require unanimous support from all member capitals,” the report states.
According to publicly available data compiled by the Kiel Institute, the Netherlands, Poland, as well as the Nordic and Baltic countries, provide aid at a level of 0.25% of GDP or higher. The size of the UK’s military contribution—the third largest after the US and Germany—is also uncontroversial, despite the fact that it does not reach the 0.25% of GDP mark.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to allocate at least £3 billion per year—approximately 0.1% of GDP—in the near future.
Most of the criticism is directed at countries such as France, Spain, Italy, and Canada, which have repeatedly been accused of not doing their part. These countries—three of which are Europe’s third, fourth, and fifth-largest economies—lag behind many of their smaller allies in terms of aid levels.
Rutte argues that aid to Ukraine “is not distributed evenly within NATO,” and that many countries “are not spending enough to support Ukraine.”
The NATO chief, who served as the Dutch prime minister for 14 years, has long argued that Europe must take on greater responsibility for supporting Ukraine, in response to Donald Trump’s complaints about the continent “freeloading.”
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office stated: “The UK continues to work with NATO allies on all proposals to ensure the best possible support for Ukraine from the alliance.”
Representatives from France, Italy, Spain, and Canada did not respond to The Telegraph’s requests for comment.
Oslo topped the ranking of the most expensive European cities for a short getaway in 2026. According to a study by Post Office Travel Money, a travel basket consisting of 12 standard expenses for two people in the Norwegian capital costs EUR850, which is nearly three times more expensive than in the most affordable city on the list—Sarajevo.
The study took into account basic weekend expenses for tourists: drinks, dinner, airport transfers, public transportation, tickets to museums and galleries, as well as two nights in a three-star hotel. Accommodation and restaurant prices were cited as the main reasons for the high costs in these expensive cities.
Copenhagen took second place among the most expensive cities, with a tourist basket estimated at EUR777. Edinburgh came in third at EUR773.5. Next are Geneva at EUR746 and Barcelona at EUR742.
The top ten most expensive European cities for a vacation are as follows: Oslo—€850, Copenhagen—€777, Edinburgh—€773.5, Geneva—€746, Barcelona—€742, Dublin—€707, Amsterdam—€705, Cork – EUR697, Venice – EUR672, and Madrid – EUR672.
The ranking shows that high travel costs are characteristic not only of traditionally expensive Northern European cities but also of popular mass tourism destinations. Barcelona, Venice, Amsterdam, and Madrid remain in high demand, but overcrowding, high demand for hotels, and restaurant prices are making short trips there increasingly expensive.
For tourists, this means that trip planning becomes more important. In expensive cities, even a small change in hotel or restaurant prices can significantly increase the overall budget. In more affordable destinations, travelers have more freedom—they can stay longer, eat out more often, and choose entertainment spontaneously.
For Europe’s tourism industry, the conclusion is clear: the market for short city trips is increasingly splitting into two segments. The first consists of expensive global brands like Oslo, Geneva, Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Venice. The second consists of more affordable cities in Eastern and Southeastern Europe, where tourists get a similar city break experience for significantly less money.
JSC “Zaporizhzhia Reinforced Concrete Sleeper Plant” (ZRCS) will be converted into a limited liability company (LLC), the company announced in the disclosure system of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC).
The decision was adopted by the general meeting of shareholders on April 20.
ZZBS manufactures reinforced concrete products for railways, including railroad ties and switch beams.
According to NSSMC data for the first quarter of 2026, 20% of the company’s authorized capital is owned by Cyprus-registered Darinor Enterprises and Jonen Capital; stakes of more than 5%, 11.4%, and 10% are held, respectively, by Dnipro City Council deputy Zagid Krasnov and his sons Ruslan and Artem.
Other shareholders include Serhiy Taranenko, chairman of the board of the Dnipro Switch Plant (nearly 10%), Iryna Taranenko (8.9%), and two other individuals, each holding stakes of more than 7%.
The company is part of the Krasnov family’s corporate group (as is the switch manufacturer Dnipro Switch Plant).
The agenda of the general meeting of shareholders held on April 20 also included a review of the 2025 performance results; specifically, it was planned to retain the earned profit of UAH 30 million, allocating it to production development, replenishing working capital, and covering losses from previous years.
In 2025, ZZZSH increased its net revenue by 44%—to UAH 152.4 million—while net profit rose 2.4-fold.
