The annual Charity Fair 2025, traditionally organized by the Association of Ukrainian Diplomats’ Spouses with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, took place in Kyiv on Saturday.
According to a correspondent from Interfax-Ukraine, this year’s event was attended by representatives of diplomatic missions from 29 countries, who presented their national traditions and culture. Ukrainian artists, traditional craftsmen, craft producers, designers, and public organizations also joined the joint charity initiative.
The event was personally attended by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga and his wife Tetyana Sibiga, who is a co-founder of the Association of Spouses of Ukrainian Diplomats.
As noted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all funds raised will be used for charitable purposes, in particular: the purchase of chemical warmers for military personnel as part of the “Warm the Defender” project; support for internally displaced children; assistance to children and people with disabilities; support for the elderly; assistance to animal shelters; other joint projects of the Association of Spouses of Ukrainian Diplomats, the Club of Spouses of Ambassadors in Kyiv, and the IWCK.
Guests had the opportunity to purchase holiday gifts or create them together with their children at themed master classes.
Each ticket purchase counts as a charitable contribution to the total Charity Fair 2025 collection.
CHARITY, Charity Fair 2025, Christmas fair, KYIV, Spouses of Ukrainian Diplomats
Kyiv enterprises, with the support of the Department of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development of the Kyiv City State Administration, represented the capital of Ukraine at the MATELEC 2025 international exhibition of electrical engineering and electronics, which took place from November 18 to 20, 2025, in Madrid.
Ten Kyiv companies presented their developments at the “Made in Kyiv” stand:
On November 18, the grand opening of the Made in Kyiv collective stand took place, bringing together leading companies from the capital and serving as a platform for demonstrating innovative solutions in the fields of electronics, energy, automation, and modern manufacturing.
The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of government and diplomatic institutions, including Oksana Skrypets, Minister-Counselor of the Embassy of Ukraine in Spain, Rada Ivanova, representative of the Madrid Chamber of Commerce, Volodymyr Kostikov, Director of the Department of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development of the Kyiv City State Administration, and his deputy Anatoliy Bahan.
From the very first day of the exhibition, Kyiv-based companies began active negotiations with European partners, demonstrating the high technological level of their products and solutions. At the exhibition stand, companies presented their solutions and devices for measurement and control, software products for process management, telemetry and communication equipment, lighting and power supply systems.
Ukrainian-Spanish Business Forum: New Vectors of Partnership
On November 19, as part of Kyiv’s participation in MATELEC 2025, the Ukrainian-Spanish Business Forum was held, which became an important event for the development of bilateral economic cooperation. The forum brought together representatives of industry, energy, automation, and high technology from Ukraine and Spain, becoming an effective platform for B2B communications.
Among the participants and speakers at the forum were representatives of the Embassy of Ukraine in Spain, SERCOBE, the Ukrainian-Spanish Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club Madrid, CEIM, and the Madrid Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
During the event, Deputy Director of the Department Anatoliy Bahan presented the catalog “Best Exporter of the Year 2025,” and a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Department of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development of the Kyiv City State Administration and Rotary Club Madrid International Passport, opening up new opportunities for international cooperation.
As a result of the forum, more than 70 individual business meetings were held, and the prospects for joint projects, distribution, and production cooperation were discussed.
“This forum was not just an event for us, but an important signal that Kyiv enterprises remain competitive in the European market. The dynamics of the negotiations and the sincere interest of Spanish partners in our engineering solutions are impressive. We see a real demand from Spanish businesses for cooperation with Kyiv, and this is the best evidence of the effectiveness of our work,” said Department Director Volodymyr Kostikov.
Overall, Spanish and European companies highly appreciated the innovation, engineering culture, and product quality of Kyiv enterprises, and Kyiv’s participation in the MATELEC 2025 exhibition was a striking example of effective international presence, demonstrating the capital’s investment attractiveness and the consistent development of the export potential of Kyiv businesses.
“We are not only presenting our capabilities — we are building trust, forming partnerships, and opening the way to new markets for our enterprises. Participation in MATELEC 2025 confirms that Kyiv’s industry has powerful potential and is capable of competing at the European level,” summed up Volodymyr Kostikov.
Interfax-Ukraine is a media partner of the event.
Developer Standard One has announced the launch of a new investment and residential project in Kyiv, an apartment building on the left bank of the Dnipro River called S1 Poznyaki, with 756 apartments, according to the company’s press service.
“S1 Poznyaki is our new and largest project to date. We are expanding our network of apartment buildings and entering a new scale in Kyiv,” said Standard One Commercial Director Nadiya Rybakova, whose words are quoted in the press release.
She noted that the project is based on the build-to-rent model, which has been operating for many years in the first building of the network, S1 VDNG. The building is designed with a focus on liquidity. Most of the apartments are compact studios, which are in high demand on the rental market.
The projected profitability of the project is 8-12% per annum in dollars, and the capitalization potential during the 2-3 years of construction is up to 40% in currency.
The S1 Poznyaki complex is located in the Poznyaki microdistrict of the Darnytskyi district of Kyiv. The building has 24 floors: the first two floors will have 7,000 square meters of commercial space, and floors 3 to 24 will have 756 apartments for rent. About 80% of the apartments are one-room apartments, mainly studios with an area of 35 square meters.
The apartments are being built with white box renovations and will be ready for furnishing and rental after the keys are handed over. All operational obligations are assumed by the internal income property management company S1 Property, such as cleaning, repairs, installation of equipment, search for tenants, signing of contracts, monitoring of the condition of the apartments, and administration. Everything works through a single service.
The building will have a generator to provide electricity if necessary and its own roof boiler room to provide water and heat. During a blackout, in particular, the building will remain completely autonomous for two days. Guest parking for 360 cars is provided. The complex is equipped with a shelter and an access control and video surveillance system, as well as physical security.
The nearest metro station, Poznyaki, is a 2-3 minute walk away, and nearby is Lake Sribny Kol with walking areas, a park, a promenade, and sports grounds. Within a few minutes’ radius are schools, kindergartens, supermarkets, cafes, and all the necessary infrastructure for a comfortable life.
The lobby, with an area of about 500 square meters, features a coworking space, lounge areas, and its own cinema space. Several community spaces have been created, and there is a gym, as well as spaces for fitness, Pilates, yoga, and TRX. A laundry room is available for everyday needs.
Commercial premises are allocated for a supermarket, coffee shop, pizzeria, pharmacy, dental clinic, and office space.
Standard One (S1) is a full-cycle development company that has been developing the build-to-rent real estate segment in Kyiv since 2016. Its portfolio includes the completed S1 VDNG project and the new S1 Obolon, S1 Terminal, S1 Nyvky, and S1 Poznyaki buildings.
A new educational center, the Higher School of Lobbying, a structural subdivision of the National Association of Lobbyists of Ukraine, has opened in the capital. The project’s mission is to form a professional community of lobbyists in the country in accordance with EU, US, and UK standards. The premiere took place at the Hyatt Regency Kyiv, bringing together over 100 participants, including about 50 members of parliament, diplomats, representatives of international business, and academia.
A special feature of the launch is the participation of practicing lobbyists from the US and the UK, who will conduct classes together with Ukrainian experts. The program is designed as a practical track for working in the EU and US markets.
Project director Oleksiy Shevchuk said: “Lobbying is about transparent rules, competition of ideas, and investment. We are launching a school that provides tools for legal influence and open dialogue with the authorities. Our graduates must be equally confident in defending their clients’ positions in Kyiv, Brussels, and Washington, relying on facts, ethics, and compliance.”
The professional principles of the new school are:
1) Legality and transparency — working only within the public legal field, with a clear mandate and client disclosure
2) Ethics — prevention of conflicts of interest, internal compliance, and codes of conduct
3) Expertise — analytics, data, impact assessment, proposals for regulation
4) Equal access — inclusion of business, NGOs, and regions in dialogue with the state
5) Measurability — goals, KPIs, and reporting on advocacy results
Recruitment for the first cohort has begun. International mentors, workshops on preparing position papers for EU and US institutions, and analysis of real-life cases of interaction with regulators have been announced. The organizers emphasize that the school is results-oriented — graduates should bring new partnerships, investments, and sustainable changes to the rules of the game to the economy.
Historical background: how lobbying developed in the US and Europe
US. The American model is the most institutionalized. In the 19th century, the term “lobbyist” came into use to describe individuals who communicated with congressmen behind the scenes.
The modern system is based on mandatory registration of lobbyists, reporting on clients, budgets, and topics of influence, public registries, and compliance.
Principles: transparency of contacts with officials, disclosure of expenses, restrictions on gifts and travel funding, disciplinary responsibility for covert activities.
Europe. In the EU, lobbying is formalized as the participation of interested parties in policy-making. The European Commission and European Parliament have a Common Transparency Register, which requires disclosure of information about organizations and consultants, their goals and resources, and meetings with high-ranking officials are published online.
National regimes vary, but common standards include public registers, codes of ethics, tracking of influence on regulation, and impact assessments for new legislation.
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/news/projects/1119422.html
The 54th Molodist Kyiv International Film Festival has kicked off in the Ukrainian capital. A total of 158 films from 59 countries are being screened in the festival’s international, national, and alternative competitions, as well as in its non-competitive program.
The traditional Festival of Festivals program at the Molodist International Film Festival brings together the most outstanding films of the year—winners from Cannes, Locarno, Venice, Berlinale, SUNNY BUNNY, and Sundance. The repertoire of the “Festival of Festivals” includes, in particular, the winner of the Sundance Film Festival’s international feature film competition, “The Fruit of the Prickly Pear” (director Rohan Parashuram Kanavade, India), as well as works by Sho Miyake (Japan) “Journey and Everyday Life” (grand prize at Locarno) and Vytautas Katkus (Lithuania) “The Guest” (prize for directing at Karlovy Vary).
Fans of the classics of the “Romanian New Wave” Radu Jude will be able to see two of his new films at once – “Continental ’25” (Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the Berlinale) and “Dracula” (world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival in August this year).
In addition, Molodist will host the world premiere of If We Never Meet Again by directors Noaz Deshe, Bo Willimon, and Peter Verzilov, who is fighting against Russian aggressors on the side of Ukraine as part of the Russian Volunteer Corps.
A selection of contemporary Ukrainian films will be presented in the competitive and non-competitive sections. The international competition (feature films) will feature the world premieres of two Ukrainian films: Our House on Fire by Olesia Biletska and The Tired by Yuriy Dunay. The national competition includes 17 short films. The non-competitive section “Special Events” will feature a screening of the film ‘Yasa’ by cult Ukrainian director Serhiy Masloboychikov. The program also includes a new film by Ukrainian animation director Mykyta Lyskov, “Kyiv Cake.”
The festival, which will run until November 2, will be held at the Zhovten cinema and the House of Cinema.
The history of the festival began in 1970 with a two-day screening of short films made by students of the cinematography department of the Kyiv State Institute. Soon, the festival transformed into a large review of films from all over the country, as well as from Georgia and Armenia. Since 1975, not only student works but also feature-length films have been admitted to the competition. In the 1990s, the festival became international. The Molodist Festival has the status of an international specialized event dedicated to debut films, according to the registration of the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). The general director of the festival is Andriy Khalpakchi.
Source: https://www.molodist.com/ua
Deputies of the Kyiv City Council have approved the allocation of UAH 548 million for the uninterrupted operation and energy independence of water supply and sewage systems in the capital, as well as for increasing the energy independence of these infrastructure facilities.
As reported on the website of the Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA) on Friday, the relevant changes have been made to the economic and social development program of Kyiv for 2024-26.
The Department of Economy and Investments of the KMDA notes that due to constant hostile shelling, the power grids on which the supply and disposal of water in residential buildings, hospitals, schools, kindergartens, and other infrastructure facilities depend are being damaged. Therefore, the funds will be allocated to prevent emergencies, restore and maintain the stable operation of urban water networks.
