In the EF EPI 2025 profile, Ukraine scored 526 points compared to the global average of 488. At the same time, within Ukraine’s overall score, reading scored 544 points and speaking scored 477. The country looks decent in the table but is noticeably weaker in the skill that recruiters hear first.
This explains a familiar scenario. A candidate reads documentation, corresponds with clients, and honestly lists B2 on their resume. At the interview, they’re asked a simple “Tell me about a difficult decision” and start crafting their answer as if they were taking a written exam. They have a thought. They have enough words, too. The sentence finally comes out after the room has already become awkward.
The index is useful for comparing large groups. But EF itself warns: the data comes from people who voluntarily take online tests, so the sample isn’t representative of the country’s entire population. It’s a barometer of a specific audience. It’s not a census of every adult.
Another pitfall lies in the average score. It combines reading, listening, writing, and speaking into a single score. This is convenient for a country. For a job opening, it’s almost useless. An analyst might be brilliant at reading reports but slow at explaining conclusions. A sales manager might be good at keeping a conversation going but overlook the details of a contract. An identical overall score does not make them interchangeable.
It is precisely this gap in skills that explains why the score isn’t mentioned in a job interview. A job interview tests the ability to speak quickly under pressure, to elaborate on an example, to ask for clarification when a question is unclear, and to stay on track after being interrupted. No country’s ranking in the table will perform these tasks for a candidate.
In the My English by Business Language summary, national self-assessment is presented alongside the EF EPI profile. This combination is important: 43.8% of adults in the 2023 Razumkov Center study said they knew no English at all, while the international index reflects motivated participants in online testing. Both figures are accurate within their own contexts. They cannot be combined into a single portrait of the “average Ukrainian.”
For a candidate, a brief written response to a real job-related question is more useful than yet another generic test. Listen to yourself and note three things: where your train of thought stalled, where a word was accurate but came too late, and where your example fell apart due to a lack of structure. That’s already a working profile. The letter next to your name will say less.
A failed interview also doesn’t always mean a person needs a language course. The reason could be a weak professional example, lack of product knowledge, anxiety, or a confusing question from the recruiter. A language course won’t fix any of these.
Before your next interview, don’t try to “brush up on your English” in one evening. Record a single answer about a difficult decision and remove everything from it that doesn’t help explain your choice. That’s exactly what the recruiter will hear once the rating is left at the door.
My English by Business Language
Due to problems with storing and exporting the harvest caused by the closure of Black Sea ports, there is a risk that the planted area for the upcoming harvest could be reduced by 5–7 million hectares, said Taras Vysotsky, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food.
“The biggest challenge today is compensating for interest rates on loans. If we do not support the financial stability of farmers, there is a risk that the area sown for the upcoming harvest will be reduced by 5–7 million hectares,” the Ministry of Agrarian Policy’s press service quoted Vysotsky as saying during his meeting with the UN System Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, and the leadership of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).
The minister emphasized that Ukraine currently faces two key challenges: preventing the spoilage of the harvest that has already been gathered, ensuring storage capacity, and providing farmers with working capital.
“According to our estimates, the storage capacity deficit could reach 11 million metric tons as early as this fall, and the funding requirement for this area is $44 million,” he noted.
According to Vysotsky, Ukraine has sent an official request to the European Union for the allocation of EUR220 million to compensate for interest rates on bank loans for farmers.
Another important topic of the talks, he said, was the willingness of UN agencies to become more actively involved in resolving systemic problems caused by the war and overcoming its consequences, the statement noted.
UN representatives confirmed their readiness to respond promptly to Ukraine’s urgent requests, mobilize resources from the international community, expand operational assistance, and support Ukraine in overcoming humanitarian and economic challenges.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed on a joint action plan to attract additional donor funding from international financial institutions, including the World Bank, as well as private humanitarian foundations.
According to Fixygen, Ukrainian Investment and Analytical Company LLC (UIAK, TM PlanetAvto), a member of the non-bank financial group “PLANETGROUP,” began the initial offering of its debut Series A corporate bond issue totaling 50 million UAH on August 25.
Under the terms of the issue, investors are being offered 50,000 bonds with a par value of 1,000 UAH each. The interest rate for the first four interest periods—that is, the first year of circulation—is set at 25% per annum in UAH, with the coupon paid quarterly.
The initial offering will run from August 25 to September 8, 2026. The total term of the bonds is five years, with an annual offer allowing holders to present the securities to the issuer for redemption at par value.
After the first four interest periods, the rate will be determined in accordance with the terms of the prospectus and may range from 5% to 35% per annum.
The investment firm “UNIVER Capital” is acting as the organizer and underwriter of the offering. Individuals and legal entities may submit applications to purchase bonds via the UNIVER app or the investor’s account. Settlements during the initial offering are conducted on a DvP (“delivery versus payment”) basis.
Following the completion of the initial offering, “UNIVER Capital” plans to maintain two-way quotes for the bonds on the secondary market.
UIAC states that it plans to allocate 100% of the funds raised toward expanding its automotive financial leasing portfolio. The company has been operating in the market since 2013 and holds a license to provide financial leasing services.
As reported by Open4Business, in 2025, UIAK’s revenue grew nearly 2.9-fold—to 40.68 million UAH, with net income totaling approximately 3.02 million UAH. According to the offering prospectus, the company forecasts revenue of 50 million UAH and net income of approximately 5 million UAH for 2026.
According to data provided by the group, UIAK’s assets as of the end of 2025 totaled approximately 27.2 million UAH, and its equity was approximately 21 million UAH.
The company’s main areas of activity are financial leasing and automobile sales. UIAK is integrated into the infrastructure of the PlanetAvto automotive marketplace.
Andriy Kovtun and Tetiana Yagupova are co-owners of the company on an equal basis. Kovtun is also the controlling shareholder of the non-bank financial group “PLANETGROUP.”
The group is simultaneously developing its fundraising efforts through the corporate bond market and other participants in the ecosystem. In August, Avtokredit Plus LLC (PlanetAvto) began placing Series C bonds totaling 100 million UAH with an interest rate of 24% per annum for the first four interest periods. The proceeds from this issuance are also being directed toward the development of auto financial leasing.
Thus, the total volume of the two current bond programs of PlanetAvto Group companies amounts to 150 million UAH.
Open4Business previously reported on August 17, 2026, that UIAK had registered its debut five-year bond issue worth 50 million UAH.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, and Romanian President Nicușor Dan will hold a trilateral meeting in Chisinau on Thursday, August 27, as part of the events marking the 35th anniversary of Moldova’s independence.
According to the schedule released by the Romanian Presidential Administration, the trilateral meeting between Zelenskyy, Sandu, and Dan is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. at the Presidential Palace in Chisinau. Following the talks, the three heads of state will make joint statements to the press.
The official program from the Moldovan side states that Sandu will meet with the Romanian president at 2:35 p.m. After bilateral talks, Sandu and Dan will take part in a military parade on the Great National Assembly Square, dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the country’s independence. The presidents are scheduled to begin their participation in the parade at 4:45 p.m.
The Moldovan president will meet with Zelenskyy at 6:00 p.m., followed by a trilateral meeting of delegations from Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania.
In the evening, Zelenskyy, Sandu, and Dan will also take part in festive events on the Great National Assembly Square. After 9:00 p.m., the three presidents are scheduled to address the public.
On August 27, Moldova celebrates the 35th anniversary of the declaration of independence. The country’s parliament adopted the Declaration of Independence on August 27, 1991. This year’s events are taking place under the slogan “Independence Unites Us.”
Official source: Office of the President of the Republic of Moldova, statement dated August 26, 2026.
In Nepal, 53 Ukrainian citizens are currently listed as missing following the natural disaster, including 46 tourists with whom contact was lost on Wednesday morning, the press service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters.
According to the Nepal Tourism Police, a total of 53 Ukrainian citizens are currently considered missing as a result of the natural disaster. Thus, the 46 tourists are included in the total number of missing persons.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a report regarding the loss of contact this morning with a group of 46 Ukrainian tourists in the disaster zone. Overall, according to the Nepal Tourism Police, 53 Ukrainian citizens are currently considered missing as a result of the disaster,” the statement reads.
The Ukrainian embassies in India and China are in contact with the relevant authorities in those countries regarding search operations that could help locate the Ukrainian citizens.
“At the same time, as of now, there is no information regarding the presence of Ukrainian citizens among the dead or injured,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted.
According to information released by the ministry on Wednesday evening, at the personal instruction of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga, the Ukrainian embassies in India and China are using the known personal data of the missing citizens to take steps to establish contact with them and carry out other necessary actions.
In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ “hotline” has received eight reports from relatives regarding the loss of contact with individuals on the aforementioned list. These reports are part of the total of 53 Ukrainian citizens who are currently considered missing.
The Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Nepal has also been involved on the ground.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Consular Service, and the Ukrainian embassies in India and China are working to gather additional information, coordinate with foreign authorities to locate the Ukrainians, and provide information and assistance to their relatives.
As previously reported, as of Wednesday evening, at least 16 people had died as a result of flooding in Nepal’s Rasuwa District on the border with China, and at least 384 tourists are considered missing. Among them are 93 Nepalese residents and 291 foreigners, including citizens of the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, Malaysia, and India. The citizenship of 111 people is still being determined.
Nine police officers who were on duty along the Nepal-China border are missing.
The nationalities of the deceased have not been specified.
During the search and rescue operations, security forces managed to rescue 25 people. Operations are ongoing.
The flooding was caused by rising water levels in the Bhote Koshi River, which originates in Tibet and flows through Nepal. The settlements located near the river were hit the hardest, particularly Timure and Syaaprubesi. The water flooded marketplaces and residential neighborhoods, caused serious damage to police stations and hydroelectric facilities, and destroyed bridges and roads.
According to preliminary data, the rise in the river’s water level may have been caused by a landslide in Tibet.
The Ukrainian embassies in India and China promptly contacted the relevant authorities to inquire whether any Ukrainian citizens were among those affected by the landslides on the border between Tibet and Nepal.
Retail sales of Ukrainian retail enterprises—legal entities—increased by 9.1% in January–July 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, according to data from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine.
Thus, retail enterprises grew slightly faster than the country’s retail market as a whole, whose turnover increased by 9% during this period.
In July, enterprise turnover rose by 8.8% compared to July 2025 and by 3.7% compared to June of this year.
Overall, Ukraine’s retail trade turnover—which also includes estimates of the activities of individual entrepreneurs—reached approximately 1.7 trillion UAH over the seven-month period.
The difference between the growth rate of total turnover and that of legal entities is small—just 0.1 percentage points. However, the fact that comparable growth rates have been maintained indicates that the retail market’s growth is driven not only by small businesses but also by the corporate retail segment.
Retail enterprises include, in particular, national and regional supermarket chains, non-food stores, home appliance and electronics chains, pharmacies and specialty retailers, auto dealers, and other legal entities engaged in retail sales.
By the end of 2025, Ukraine’s retail trade had grown by 8.1%, so the figures for the first seven months of 2026 so far indicate that the market is maintaining higher growth rates.
Statistics from the State Statistics Service do not include territories temporarily occupied by Russia or parts of territories where hostilities are ongoing or have taken place.
