The European Union is interested in expanding the European railway network to Lviv, Kyiv, and Odesa while ensuring transport safety, said Magda Kopczyńska, Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport.
“In the medium term, I would like to see several European-gauge rail corridors running unimpeded from Poland all the way to Kyiv, from Prague to the southern route via Uzhhorod, and then all the way to Kyiv and Odesa,“ she said at the ”Ukraine-EU“ business summit in Brussels on Wednesday, according to a correspondent for the ”Interfax-Ukraine” agency.
Kopchynska noted that Ukraine has already very quickly built 22 km of European-gauge track from Chop to Uzhhorod, and the EU has allocated funds to Ukraine to begin construction of the line that will run to Lviv.
The European Commission representative emphasized that when planning new financial programs, the EU is increasingly encountering the principle of “dual use” of infrastructure—taking into account issues of proper functioning and safety of transport infrastructure.
“Now, based on Ukraine’s terrible experience, member states are much more aware that it is not enough to simply build something. We also need to make sure we know how to protect it,” she emphasized.
Kopchynska noted that over the past 10 years, there has been a growing recognition of the need to extend transport corridors beyond the EU’s borders, which has become the basis for expanding the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) beyond 2022 to include Ukraine, specifically Odesa.
“We tried to convince member states 10 years ago that it might be a good idea for these corridors, which are located within the EU, to extend beyond the EU’s borders. This didn’t work until February 2022,” Kopchynska stated.
She drew particular attention to the role of the so-called “Solidarity Lanes,” which the EU introduced after the start of the full-scale war, when the operation of Ukrainian Black Sea ports was effectively blocked. According to her, these routes have proven their effectiveness and remain important for Ukraine and the world even after the reopening of Black Sea shipping.
“I think the situation is improving somewhat, but if you ask me whether everything is perfect and running smoothly, that’s not the case,” Kopchynska said, calling for the further development of the “Solidarity Lanes.”
In her view, the construction of border crossing infrastructure should be considered in a way that ensures maximum simplification, given that Ukraine is still not part of the Schengen Area.
Kopchynska emphasized that it is also necessary to develop inland waterways and operational seaports in the Black Sea.
“And yes, once airspace is open, we will also need developed airports in Ukraine,” added the Director-General of the Directorate for Mobility and Transport.
A series of industry events titled “METRONOM” is launching in Ukraine, bringing together developers, architects, and urban planners to discuss the future of Ukrainian cities.
According to the organizers, the theme of the season is “Strategies for Urban Environment Development: Me, You, Society.”
A series of events is planned across various cities in Ukraine as part of the season. The first event will take place on April 23 in Kyiv at the “Osvitoria” venue.
The next event is scheduled for May 20 in Lviv; the venue is currently being finalized. Additionally, the BUDArena Expo—an exhibition and forum—will take place in Lviv on May 21–22.
Subsequent events in the series will be held on June 11 in Dnipro and July 1 in Odesa. Venues for these events will be announced at a later date.
The organizers also announced an expansion of the project’s geographic scope. Specifically, “METRONOM” events are planned for Uzhhorod and Rivne in the near future; dates and venues are currently being finalized.
The “METRONOM” event series is positioned as a professional platform for dialogue between participants in the development market, the architectural community, and urbanists regarding approaches to the development of the urban environment in Ukraine.
“Open4business” is the information partner for the events.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a grant of EUR4.13 million to support Superhumans centers in Dnipro and Odesa, according to the financial institution’s website.
“The need for grant support is related to the extraordinary circumstances of the war and the shortage of specialized rehabilitation services, which forces patients to travel long distances to Lviv or abroad,” the EBRD said in a statement.
It is reported that in mid-2026, the organization plans to launch a medical center in Odesa, designed for 600 new patients per year and to support up to 1,200 people annually with follow-up services. The launch of the center in Odesa should expand access to multidisciplinary rehabilitation care in southern Ukraine.
Currently, Superhumans military trauma centers operate in Lviv and Dnipro: the first was launched in April 2023, the second was opened in June 2025, and together they can accept up to 2,000 patients per year.
Superhumans is a nationwide military trauma center that has specialized in prosthetics, reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation, and psychological support for adults and children affected by war since 2022.
The organization cooperates with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health to update care protocols and improve the qualifications of medical workers, supports state hospitals through international medical missions and training of specialists, including prosthetists, and interacts with the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the Ministry of Economy in programs to support and reintegrate veterans.
DNIPRO, EBRD, GRANT, ODESA, Superhumans
Carlsberg Ukraine (Zaporizhia), a producer of beer, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, is closing its offices in Kharkiv, Odesa, and Donetsk, the company reported in the information disclosure system of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC).
According to the report, the company’s supervisory board made the decision on February 25, 2026.
The reasons given for the liquidation of the divisions are the lack of need for their further operation, lack of personnel, management, and property. In addition, the representative offices did not actually carry out activities corresponding to the purpose of their creation.
The functions of these separate divisions were to protect and represent the company’s interests in the respective regions.
According to data from Opendatabot, Carlsberg Ukraine increased its revenue by 15.5% to UAH 12.488 billion in 2024, net profit by 19.4% to UAH 2.18 billion, debt obligations by 34.9% to UAH 5.11 billion, and assets by 33.1% to UAH 13.84 billion. The company currently employs 1,310 people.
The closure of Carlsberg Ukraine’s separate representative offices does not mean a reduction or curtailment of the company’s activities in the regions.
The separate representative offices were established in the early 2000s during a period of active investment in production facilities in Kyiv, Lviv, and Zaporizhzhia. Today, given current operating models, there is no need to maintain separate legal representative structures.
At the same time, Carlsberg Ukraine continues to operate throughout Ukraine. Our production sites in Kyiv, Lviv, and Zaporizhzhia are operating as usual. The sales teams continue to ensure the company’s full presence in all regions of the country, providing continuous service to partners and customers.
The change in the number of representative offices does not affect the company’s strategic course for development and investment in Ukraine. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Carlsberg Group has already invested nearly DKK 400 million to support operational stability and the development of Ukrainian business. The company remains consistent in its long-term presence in the country.
We are transforming to work more efficiently, but we remain a reliable employer, a responsible business, and one of the largest taxpayers in Ukraine.
Carlsberg Ukraine is part of the Carlsberg Group, one of the world’s leading brewery groups with a broad portfolio of beer, cider, and non-alcoholic beverage brands. In Ukraine, we represent such brands as Lvivske, Carlsberg, Grimbergen, Kronenbourg 1664, Arsenal, Kvas Taras, Somersby, Battery, Seth&Riley’s Garage, and others. The Carlsberg Group began operations in Ukraine in 1996 and has been one of the largest international investors in the FMCG sector year after year, providing jobs for more than 1,400 people at breweries in Kyiv, Lviv, and Zaporizhia, and more than 23,000 jobs in related industries (agriculture, retail, hotel and restaurant business, media, logistics, etc.). During the full-scale war in Ukraine, Carlsberg Group decided to cease its business in Russia and exit the market. With the support of the Carlsberg Group, Carlsberg Ukraine has implemented more than 50 humanitarian projects worth over UAH 530 million, including the production of drinking water to meet the needs of the population.
More detailed information is available on the website https://carlsbergukraine.com/.
Nova Poshta, Ukraine’s leading express delivery service from the Nova Group, is operating 147 branches in Odesa on generators, while the state postal operator Ukrposhta is providing a full range of services in 72 branches despite power supply problems after shelling in the region.
“In isolated cases (several branches), where it was not possible to connect generators immediately due to technical issues, operators accepted and delivered parcels manually so as not to interrupt customer service until the situation was resolved as quickly as possible,” Ukrposhta said in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine.
The Nova Poshta Telegram channel notes that the company’s branches offer the opportunity to recharge phones, use the internet, and warm up. Ukrposhta provides the same services in its branches.
Separately, Ukrposhta added in a comment to the agency that the branches’ working hours have not changed.
As reported, as a result of a massive missile and drone attack by the Russian Federation on the night of December 12-13, four 330 kV substations of the National Energy Company Ukrenergo were damaged and approximately 60% of consumers in Odesa and the region were cut off from the power supply. A significant portion of consumers were left without electricity and heating for three days or more.
In addition, on December 18, the enemy launched another attack on the infrastructure, which again led to power outages.
Thanks to the Ukrainian maritime corridor, the ports of Greater Odessa have handled over 146.5 million tons of cargo and processed 5,596 vessels since August 2023, including 1,528 through the port of Odessa, according to Dmytro Nazarenko, head of the Odessa branch of the State Enterprise “Administration of Seaports of Ukraine.”
“Despite all the challenges, Ukrainian seaports remain an integral part of the country’s economic stability. Their security is not only a matter of logistics, but also the survival of Ukraine’s export model,” he said at a round table of representatives of the maritime and port industry, which took place within the framework of the BALTEXPO 2025 International Maritime and Military Exhibition in Gdansk (Poland).
Nazarenko noted that since the start of full-scale aggression in Ukraine, more than 500 port infrastructure facilities and 116 civilian vessels have been damaged or destroyed, 157 civilians have been injured, and 161 facilities have been damaged directly on the territory of the Odesa seaport.
The USPA representative presented the European community with infrastructure projects for the Port of Odesa and plans for their further implementation, and invited international investors to cooperate.
