Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

Ukraine and the EU have announced an agreed action plan for our country, which should confirm Ukraine’s readiness to join the European Union.

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos is sure that Hungary will not derail Ukraine’s path to EU membership. “Ukraine will become a member of the EU, and no one will be able to prevent this,” she stressed.

“The work that the USA is doing to pursue a peace process is incredibly important, and the work that (US Secretary of State) Marco Rubio has been doing as part of those discussions is also hugely important,” said UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, praising Donald Trump’s role in attempts to put an end to the war in Ukraine.

“Germany continues to be a driving force behind the support to Ukraine. You are helping Ukraine defend its sovereignty today – and deter future aggression,” said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Ukraine has attracted nearly EUR 1.3 billion in international aid for gas purchases.

The European Investment Bank has allocated EUR 18.4 million for energy-efficient modernization of social institutions in Ternopil, Zaporizhzhia, and Volyn regions.

France has provided Ukrainian rescuers with 40 Colossus firefighting robots – similar to those used to extinguish the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral.

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“When putin tells the russian media that his country has no plans to go to war with European states, but if Europe starts a war, he is, and I quote, ‘ready right now’, we really have cause for concern. After all, russia’s hybrid actions are already directed against us in Europe,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Johann Wadephul.

The Price Index Center has reported that the removal of 72 ships from the Gambian registry and subsequent attacks on those ships in the Black Sea affected 28 tankers carrying oil and petroleum products from russia. This led to an increase in freight rates. At the end of the week, prices for transporting oil from Novorossiysk to Türkiye increased by 18.4 %.

The rf’s revenues from oil and petroleum product exports in November 2025 decreased by $1.92 billion compared to October, and by $3.59 billion year-on-year.

The VAT increase to 22 %, which the russian economy will have to endure in early 2026, will speed up inflation by at least 2 %. This assessment was made by deputy chairman of the board and financial director of Sberbank Taras Skvortsov.

As of July 1 this year, 49.7 million russians had loans and credits. Since the beginning of 2022, their number has increased by approximately 7 million people. Two out of three working-age russians are debtors.

About a third of car service centers in russia have faced the problem of counterfeit auto parts this year. Most specialists (48 %) reported that they had encountered poor-quality motor oils and fuels and lubricants. Filters ranked second in terms of the number of counterfeits (32 %). Then go suspension and steering parts (17 %).

The management of agricultural machinery manufacturer “Rostselmash” has warned that in 2026, employees will again face part-time employment due to the declining market demand (3-4 days a week). In 2025, the company’s sales decreased by 25 %, which forced it to shift the annual staff vacations and cut production. Two thousand employees were also laid off at the machine-building plant. “Rostselmash”, which had been producing 70 % of russia’s agricultural machinery before the full-scale war with Ukraine, will reduce production by 30 % by the end of 2025. Against this background, the company decided to abandon long-term investments, in particular the construction of a hydrostatic transmission plant and the modernization of a precision casting plant, which was planned to cost 17 billion rubles. “Rostselmash” is one of the country’s strategic enterprises and is a city-forming plant for Rostov-on-Don.

“NovoTechRail”, a manufacturer of freight wagons for “russia’s Railways”, has sent every third employee on forced leave. The reason is a lack of orders for freight wagons and tank wagons. If the situation does not improve in January, management plans to introduce a three-day working week. Salaries at the company have also decreased by a third.

The cost of travel on public transport in russia’s largest cities has risen by an average of 15 % this year, which is significantly higher than inflation. Taking into account the previous three years of full-scale war against Ukraine, the increase in transport costs has reached 83 %. At this, in 10 cities, the cost of services has risen by 50 % or more.

russia will not tighten controls on the use of palm oil in food products, the government said. Palm oil is 100 % fat. It is popular with manufacturers because of its relatively low price. Studies have shown that regular consumption of palm oil increases blood cholesterol levels and the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Reheating solidified oil also makes it dangerous.

russian civil servants will no longer be required to submit regular income declarations. This provision is included in a package of draft laws submitted to the state duma. This is a “step up in fighting corruption”, said lawmakers.

russia has stopped producing barium sulfate, which is used for contrast X-ray examinations of the stomach and intestines, making more and more regions face a shortage of the medication. In the first 10 months of 2025, the russian healthcare system received just over 2,000 packages. The remaining barium sulfate in medical institutions will only last for 2-3 months.

Migrants’ children will be required to take an oath from the age of 14. Otherwise, they will not receive citizenship of the rf. Members of the state duma have voted for this law. Previously, the minimum age for taking the oath was 18.

The rf has proposed officially banning children under the age of 14 from accessing social media. This initiative was put forward by deputy chairman of the state duma committee on information policy Andrey Svintsov. He proposes introducing strict restrictions on internet use for teenagers under the age of 16.

Belarus is 15 years behind developed European countries in terms of the digitalization of its economy.