Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Taras Kachka will serve as Ukraine’s representative to the European Union in Brussels and, at the same time, perform the duties of Ukraine’s trade representative.
“We are still awaiting decisions on four more clusters. I believe that Taras will be able to implement this most effectively at Ukraine’s Mission to the EU in Brussels. Given Taras’s proven track record and experience in trade policy, he will combine this work with the European Union with the role of Ukraine’s trade representative within the framework of our bilateral trade agreements with key partners,” Zelenskyy wrote on his Telegram channel on Friday.
Ukraine will participate in the 55th Brussels Book Fair (Foire du Livre de Bruxelles), which will take place from March 26 to 29 in Belgium, according to the Ukrainian Book Institute (UBI).
“This will be Ukraine’s second time participating in this event; this year, it will be part of the collective booth of the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC). Ukrainian publications will be featured in the booth’s bookstore (Librairie européenne). And on Friday, March 27, there will be a discussion on the various levels of ‘translation’ of the Ukrainian experience—between the military and civilians, the post-totalitarian East and West, the languages of culture and politics—as well as on how to interpret one’s own history for an international audience,” the UIB statement reads.
It is noted that on March 27, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., a public discussion in French titled “Traduire le présent, défier le futur” will take place at the Place à l’Europe venue. Participants in the event include: veteran, writer, and translator Pavlo Matyusha; journalist and writer (Georgia), winner of the 2025 European Union Prize for Literature, Tea Topuria; Marilyn Josephson, international policy advisor to the President of the European Council and diplomat; Mykyta Moskaliuk, program and international project curator at the “Frontiera” Literary Platform (moderator).
Participants at the Brussels Book Fair include: Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski (“The Witcher”), French prose writer and playwright Philippe Besson (“Stop Your Fantasies”), Belgian writers Amélie Nothomb and Caroline Lamarche (finalist for the Goncourt Prize), and many others.
As reported, Ukraine is participating in The London Book Fair, which takes place from March 10 to 12. Twelve publishers and a literary agency are presenting their books at the national stand.
Ukraine will participate in the Leipzig Book Fair, which will take place from March 19 to 22.
In 2025, the Ukrainian national stand at the London Book Fair was represented by 14 Ukrainian publishers and literary agencies, featuring 199 titles of Ukrainian publications.
On his Facebook page, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote 12 points of expectations of the Hungarian people from Brussels, including “the union, but without Ukraine.” Here are the points listed in the post:
– we want a Europe of nations;
– We want equality before the law for all member states;
– return to the member states the illegally taken away powers;
– national sovereignty, strong veto power for national governments;
– exclude Soros agents from the European Commission and corrupt lobbyists from the European Parliament;
– the future of our grandchildren should not be mortgaged;
– not to prevent our National Guard from defending our borders. Do not accept migrants, take away illegal immigrants from us;
– “corrupt” dollars and euros should not enter EU member states;
– prohibit the “unnatural” re-education of our children;
– we want to protect the Christian heritage of Europe;
– demand peace in Europe;
– Union, but without Ukraine.
Four EU countries – Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Latvia and Estonia – propose to Brussels to ban the import of waste and scrap ferrous metals, copper and aluminum from Russia.
Such a proposal was presented at a meeting of the European Union Environment Council held on March 25, the Lithuanian Environment Ministry said.
“Lithuania proposes that the European Commission assess all possibilities at EU level and make a proposal to suspend waste imports from Russia to the EU or allow Member States to adopt unilateral restrictive measures. We believe that such imports contribute to financing Russia’s war against Ukraine and should be stopped,” Lithuania’s deputy permanent representative to the EU, Ambassador Jurga Kasputene, said at the council meeting.
According to the Environment Ministry, more than 118 million euros worth of waste and scrap ferrous metals, copper and aluminum were imported from Russia to the EU in 2022-2023. Most of these imports go through Lithuania.
According to the ministry, cross-border transportation of waste is regulated by the Basel Convention and the Waste Transportation Regulation, so individual member states cannot unilaterally ban or restrict such imports.
ALUMINUM, BRUSSELS, COPPER, FERROUS METAL, IMPORTS, RUSSIAN FEDERATION, SCRAP
On November 16, Brussels will host the Kyiv Investment Forum 2023, which this year will focus “on long-term strategies for the sustainable recovery and development of the Ukrainian capital, as well as its integration into the global economic space,” the press service of the Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA) reports.
“The forum will take place on November 16 in Brussels and will bring together city leaders, European and Ukrainian politicians, leading economists, investors and urbanists,” the KCSA said on Wednesday, citing the Department of Economics and Investments, which is organizing the event.
The forum’s main session will reportedly focus on Europe’s changing geopolitical landscape and the growing importance of megacities. Participants will examine the challenges of conflict and war, emphasize the value of sustainable development and the recovery of war-affected communities. It will include four panel discussions and two sections on challenges and problems in both wartime and post-war.
The Forum will also include a panel discussion on investments in transformation, including business ecosystems and innovation clusters.
“A separate discussion will be devoted to restoring the mental health of the population, social integration and adaptation of veterans and people affected by wars
Brussels will continue to support Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia in carrying out pro-European reforms, according to a statement issued on Friday following the EU summit.
“The European Union will continue to work closely with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia and support their reform efforts on their European path,” it said.
The statement says that the meeting also decided that Brussels will support Moldova in addressing the challenges it faces due to the events in Ukraine.
Last March, Georgia applied for EU membership, but has not yet been granted candidate status.
In February 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Ukraine’s application for EU membership. In June of the same year, the EU Council granted Ukraine candidate status.
In June 2022, Moldova was also granted candidate status.
