In the “Medium- and Long-Term Market” section of the UEB, trading continued for July, August, and November 2026. In total, eight companies placed bids to buy or sell natural gas: Ukrnafta, GPK Naftogaz Trading, MTM Concern, the Ukrainian Gas Transmission System Operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, and others. In total, 11,530 thousand cubic meters of natural gas—July 2026 volumes in the GTS and UGS facilities—were sold in this section.
On the UEB’s short-term natural gas market, participants submitted bids on the intraday market and the “day-ahead” market. A total of 86 trades were concluded, with a combined volume of 1,622 thousand cubic meters.
Last week, the European market once again began to price in a risk premium, though without returning to June’s peaks. The M+1 gas contract briefly reached its highest level since the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran, with the Winter 26 and Summer 27 contracts following a similar trajectory. Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, while having improved somewhat, remains significantly below pre-war levels: in the six months leading up to the war, an average of just under 90 tankers passed through the strait each month. Following last weekend’s strikes, LNG transit was close to zero. Gas storage in Europe remains one of the most closely monitored fundamental factors. As of July 2, the current storage fill rate stood at 49.2%, compared to a five-year average of approximately 62%.
Natural gas imports from Europe ranged from 0.8 to 1.6 million cubic meters per day.
Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania are promoting the construction of the “Black Sea–Aegean Sea” multimodal transport corridor, which is intended to connect the ports, railways, highways, and logistics hubs of the three countries with access to the Ukrainian and Moldovan borders.
The project will become part of the EU’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The European Commission notes that the broader “Baltic Sea–Black Sea–Aegean Sea” corridor spans 11 EU countries, as well as Ukraine and Moldova, connecting the Baltic, Black, and Aegean Seas.
The new section between Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania will consist of three main branches. The western branch is planned to run along the route Athens–Thessaloniki–Promachonas–Kulata–Sofia–Vidin/Calafat–Craiova–Bucharest. The central branch will connect Thessaloniki and Alexandroupolis with the Bulgarian cities of Svilengrad and Ruse, then continue through Giurgiu and Bucharest to
Siret on the Romanian border with Ukraine, as well as to Ungheni on the border with Moldova. The Eastern Branch will connect Alexandroupolis with the Bulgarian ports of Burgas and Varna, and then on to Constanța in Romania.
To coordinate the project, the three countries are establishing the Black Sea–Aegean Sea Corridor Platform (BACP). The European Commission reported that Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania signed a memorandum on the development of transport infrastructure on December 3, 2025, in Brussels. The document provides for coordination at the political and technical levels, the exchange of data on national investment plans, and the joint promotion of priority TEN-T projects.
European Commissioner for Transport Apostolos Tzitzikostas called the project a step toward strengthening the strategic north-south corridor in Southeast Europe. According to him, closer cooperation between Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania should strengthen ties for citizens and businesses, as well as enhance Europe’s security, competitiveness, and resilience in the Aegean, Black Sea, and Danube regions.
The project’s significance for the region goes beyond mere transportation modernization. The corridor could provide Ukraine with an additional southern logistics route to ports in the Aegean Sea, Bulgaria, and Romania, as well as strengthen the role of Constanța, Burgas, Varna, Alexandroupoli, and Thessaloniki as hubs for trade, agricultural exports, industrial cargo, and container transport.
For the Balkans, this also represents an opportunity to reduce dependence on overburdened or vulnerable routes. Since the outbreak of full-scale war against Ukraine, the importance of alternative routes via the Danube, the Black Sea, Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece has risen sharply. The central branch to Siret could effectively become an extension of Ukrainian logistics routes to southern Europe.
The project is also important for the military and crisis mobility of the EU and NATO, but its civilian economic value is no less significant. This involves faster transport between the three seas, better connections between ports and railways, reduced logistics costs, and the creation of a sustainable infrastructure for trade between Ukraine, Moldova, the Balkans, Central Europe, and the Mediterranean.
For Ukraine, this represents a potential new route to the Mediterranean; for Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece, it means strengthening their roles as transit countries; and for the entire region, it is a step toward more sustainable logistics between the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, the Danube, and the Aegean Sea.
Aegean Sea, BACP, BLACK SEA, BULGARIA, GREECE, INFRASTRUCTURE, LOGISTICS, ROMANIA, TEN-T, UKRAINE
According to Serbian Economist, Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, has arrived in Belgrade, where he will participate in the Conference of Speakers of Parliaments of European Union Candidate Countries on July 7.
He was met at Nikola Tesla Airport by Ana Brnabić, Speaker of the National Assembly of Serbia. “Welcome to Serbia, dear friend,” Brnabić wrote, greeting the Ukrainian speaker.
On July 7–8, Belgrade is hosting a conference of speakers of the parliaments of EU candidate countries.
Stefanchuk’s visit is significant for Ukrainian-Serbian relations for several reasons. First, it represents a high-level parliamentary engagement against the backdrop of both countries’ European integration. Ukraine and Serbia are formally moving toward EU membership.
Second, Belgrade has been striving in recent months to adopt a more proactive parliamentary approach in its relations with Kyiv. In November 2025, Ana Brnabić visited Ukraine and met with Stefanchuk in Kyiv. At that time, the parties discussed interparliamentary cooperation, European integration, energy and humanitarian aid, and Brnabić stated that Serbia supports Ukraine’s European path.
For Serbia, the Ukrainian speaker’s visit is an opportunity to show Brussels that Belgrade is engaged in the pan-European parliamentary agenda and maintains channels of dialogue with Kyiv. For Ukraine, it is a chance to strengthen engagement with the Serbian political class not only through the government but also through parliament, expert circles, and the European integration agenda.
The practical substance of the meeting may extend beyond protocol: Ukraine and Serbia may discuss joint projects, the alignment of legislation with the EU, Ukraine’s recovery, humanitarian projects, energy, education, business contacts, and the role of parliaments in supporting bilateral dialogue.
The revival of economic dialogue between the two countries provided an additional backdrop to the visit. In May, a Serbian-Ukrainian business forum was held in Belgrade with the participation of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
https://t.me/relocationrs/3172
As of Sunday evening, a buildup of vehicles heading to Ukraine is observed on the Ukrainian-Polish border, the Western Regional Directorate of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reports.
Thus, at the Hrushev checkpoint, a queue of 30 cars and 6 buses has formed for entry into Ukraine; at the Krakivets checkpoint – 70 cars and 11 buses; at Shehyni – 45 cars and 15 buses; and at Nyzhankovychi – 20 cars.
“At present, the Ugryniv, Rava-Ruska and Smilnytsia checkpoints are not overloaded for entry into Ukraine,” the State Border Guard Service noted.
A buildup of passenger cars leaving Ukraine was recorded only at the Hrushev checkpoint – 30 cars; there is no buildup of passenger cars at the other checkpoints.
At the same time, in bus traffic leaving Ukraine, a buildup is recorded at the Krakivets checkpoint – 4 buses, at the Smilnytsia checkpoint – 8 buses, and at the Nyzhankovychi checkpoint – 1 bus.
“To avoid long waits in front of the checkpoint, we recommend choosing less congested checkpoints, as well as crossing the border early in the morning or late in the evening,” the border guards urged.
The Embassy of Ukraine in the Hellenic Republic called on Ukrainian citizens who are in Greece or are planning trips around the country to take into account the increased risk of wildfires during the summer season. High temperatures, dry weather and strong winds may contribute to the rapid spread of fire throughout the country, the embassy reported.
Ukrainian citizens are advised to regularly check official announcements by the Greek authorities, in particular the daily Fire Risk Forecast Map published by the Greek Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection. The official website of Greece’s civil protection authorities also publishes up-to-date fire danger maps and information about the 112 emergency system.
The embassy emphasizes that wildfires can cause significant logistical difficulties for tourists and local residents, including road closures, power outages, disruption of transport infrastructure and deterioration of air quality. In areas near fire outbreaks, the Greek authorities may announce the evacuation of the population.
Ukrainian citizens are advised to comply with all instructions of the Greek authorities, follow official civil protection announcements, carry identity documents with them and think through an action plan in advance in case of an emergency. On a mobile phone, it is advisable to make sure that receiving emergency alerts from the 112 system is enabled.
If a fire is detected, it is necessary to call the Greek Fire Service at 199, and for emergency assistance — the single European number 112. In the event of possible changes to transport connections, citizens are advised to clarify information with tour operators, airlines or Athens International Airport at +30 210 353 0000.
In the event of a threat to life or health, Ukrainian citizens may contact the hotline of the Embassy of Ukraine in Greece in Athens: +30 693 276 5606, available via Signal, WhatsApp, Viber and Telegram. The hotline of the Consulate of Ukraine in Thessaloniki is also operating: +30 693 407 7385, the consulate’s email address is gc_grs@mfa.gov.ua. The 24-hour hotline of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine: +38 044 238 15 88.
In Greece, wildfires are one of the main seasonal risks during the summer period, especially in conditions of heat, drought and strong winds. For Ukrainian tourists and temporarily displaced persons, this means the need to plan routes more carefully, check the situation in the region where they are staying and respond promptly to messages from local services.
According to Experts.news, the Ukrainian passport ranked 65th in the Global Passport Index 2026, which evaluates citizenship based on three key areas: enhanced mobility, investment potential, and quality of life, according to the Global Passport Report 2026 by Global Citizen Solutions.
The report was published on the Global Citizen Solutions website with an update date of July 1, 2026. The study notes that the ranking covers 197 countries and territories and is calculated based on 14 indicators.
According to the index, Ukraine ranked 65th in the overall ranking, 63rd in terms of enhanced mobility, 79th in terms of the investment index, and 82nd in terms of quality of life. According to Global Citizen Solutions, a Ukrainian passport provides visa-free access to 89 countries; however, Ukrainian citizens need a visa to enter approximately 31 destinations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, and a number of countries in Africa and Latin America.
Sweden topped the Global Passport Index 2026 with a score of 96.05 out of 100. It is followed by Switzerland, Finland, and Germany, while Denmark and the Netherlands share fifth place in the interactive table.
The bottom five countries in the ranking were Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia, and Afghanistan. Afghanistan remained in last place with a score of 23.10 points. The gap between the ranking leader, Sweden, and Afghanistan was 72.95 points.
The Global Passport Index differs from traditional passport rankings in that it is not limited to counting visa-free destinations. The index takes into account the quality of available destinations, the investment climate of the country of citizenship, and living conditions. This is particularly important for Ukraine, as the value of a passport under this approach is determined not only by travel opportunities but also by the perception of the country as a place for business, living, and long-term planning.
In practice, Ukraine’s result reflects a dual situation. On the one hand, the Ukrainian passport maintains relatively high mobility thanks to the visa-free regime with the EU and a number of other destinations. On the other hand, the investment and quality components of the ranking remain below the level of EU countries, which lowers the country’s overall position in the comprehensive citizenship index.
CITIZENSHIP, Global Passport Index, mobility, PASSPORT, UKRAINE
