Leaders gathered in Brussels today to talk about bringing back Ukrainian children. Let’s remember that Russia abducting them is a clear-cut act of genocide, and take a moment to think about how terrible a crime it is. kyivindependent.com/bringing-ukr...

⚡️Breaking: Zelensky's former second-in-command, Yermak, charged in major corruption probe Yermak has been under investigation in a probe into a $100 million corruption scheme centered around the state nuclear monopoly Energoatom.

⚡️ UK sanctions Russia over deportation of Ukrainian children, Armenian election meddling. The British government called the package one of its "toughest measures" to date, targeting individuals and institutions involved in the indoctrination and militarization of Ukrainian children.

🇬🇪 🥘 Was talking about Maison Khinkali with friends just this weekend, and now @brusselstimes.com is writing about it. A nice review, which reminds how Georgian food is a must-try. www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/2114...

⚡️ Hungary to stop abusing EU veto rights, incoming foreign minister says. Hungary has too often used the veto "as political theater," Anita Orban said during a confirmation hearing in the Hungarian parliament.

⚡️ EU, Ukraine reject Germany's ex-Chancellor Schroeder as peace talks mediator. Kaja Kallas noted that Gerhard Schroeder has worked as "a high-level lobbyist for Russian state-owned companies," and that it is clear why Vladimir Putin "wants him" as the mediator.

Literally more journalist on Estonian side than russian participants. Hilarious for me.

Euronews decided Europe Day is the perfect time to do brand washing for the Venice Biennale, which insisted on bringing Russia back. Moscow wants to exhibit Crimean culture as its own. The Russian exhibitors have ties to military industry. And they’ve abducted thousands of Ukraine’s children.

Celebrating my first Europe Day returned as an EU citizen, and as a Belgian, with a German family, and a new Ukrainian job 💪 🇧🇪 🇩🇪 🇺🇦 🇪🇺

Russia’s rich are trying to batter Belgium with legal tools in a (likely fruitless) endeavour to get back their €185bn in frozen assets. Commission’s got their back if needed 👊 Read more: kyivindependent.com/eu-ready-to-...

The EU is not about to hold its own peace talks with Russia and has no concrete plans to do so, several bloc's leaders and diplomats have confirmed on May 8, following news reports that suggested otherwise.

Preparations coming along over in the Berlaymont to welcome visitors for Europe Day. Pictured: an explainer of EU support to Ukraine, and the Empty Beds exhibit on abducted Ukrainian children.

Politico a week late when it comes to news from the European Parliament. I thought they had dedicated reporters for the place?! If you want to know what happened, when it happened, without having to listen to yet another podcast, read here: kyivindependent.com/members-of-e...

This morning Politico reported on Luxembourgish MEP Fernand Kartheiser inviting MEPs to join him on a trip to Russia. I published this on @kyivindependent.com literally a week ago. If you want the original, find it here: kyivindependent.com/members-of-e...

Bart De Wever répond à son tour à Bill White : “C’est absurde”

Another day, another step on the EU backing international justice for Ukraine. Read on 👇

Relation of @petebuttigieg.bsky.social ?

Hot off the press: the EU has signed on to back the Council of Europe Special Tribunal that's going to take Putin & Co to court for their illegal war against Ukraine. Read it here first: kyivindependent.com/eu-signs-on-...

🇬🇧 🇪🇺 tag team on the €90bn loan for Ukraine. It’s not a done deal yet, and could go wrong. Or it could go right. More on that in my latest article at @kyivindependent.com 👇 kyivindependent.com/uk-opens-eu-...

⚡️Kyiv to buy 8,000 Octopus interceptor drones for Ukrainian military. The Octopus is a Ukrainian-made self-guided interceptor designed to take down Shahed-type strike drones.

🇧🇪 🇺🇦 Belgium’s officially joined the special tribunal to prosecute Russia’s crime of aggression against Ukraine. I reported that was coming earlier this month: kyivindependent.com/europeans-mo... Also today: I became a Belgian! 🇧🇪

⚡️ Ukraine overtakes US, 6 EU countries in Press Freedom Index. RSF attributed the improvement to Ukraine's "dynamic media sector and the investigative work carried out by Ukrainian outlets to strengthen transparency in the country's political life."

⚡️EU Culture Commissioner to boycott Venice Biennale over Russia presence.

⚡️Ukraine parliament inches through reforms as funding deadlines loom. Reform progress has slowed amid the fifth year of Russia's full-scale invasion and gridlock in Ukraine's parliament, delaying billions of dollars, which are conditional on Kyiv implementing the changes.

⚡️Japanese drone maker doubles down on Ukraine as Tokyo eases arms rules. During a presentation in Japan on April 28, Terra Drone CEO Toru Tokushige announced a partnership with Ukrainian firm WinnyLab. The investment comes a week after Japan lifted a ban on weapons exports.

🇪🇺 🇺🇦 Date for your diaries: May 5, when ECOFIN will vote on the EU being part of the Council of Europe special tribunal prosecuting the crime of aggression against Ukraine. What am I on about you ask? Read here: kyivindependent.com/ambassadors-...

CONFIRMED: Slovakia trying to overturn the EU’s Russian gas phase-out in court. The EU is supposed to be free of Russian gas from 1 Nov 2027.

Nice to see Brussels’ new Minister-President having a come to Jesus moment on bicycles :-) www.brusselstimes.com/brussels/209...

To mark the somber forty year anniversary since the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, the Kyiv Independent presents five books that illuminate the lived experiences of those affected, the enduring aftermath, and how Russia’s full-scale war has reignited global concern over nuclear disaster.

⚡️EU commissioners in Ukraine to make Chornobyl safe, again EU economy and energy commissioners Valdis Dombrovskis and Dan Jørgensen arrived in Kyiv April 26 Chornobyl’s 40th anniversary to discuss fundraising for radioactive fallout shelter repairs.

🇪🇺 Commissioners @vdombrovskis.bsky.social & Jørgensen are in Kyiv for the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster ☢️ Priorities: 🪚 Fundraising to fix the Chornobyl shelter ⚡️ Decentralising Ukraine’s power grid ⚖️ Encouraging reforms kyivindependent.com/eu-commissio...

New Murakami book landing this summer! The Tale of Kaho www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2026...

⚡️Orban to step down from parliament, seeks to stay on as Fidesz leader. Outgoing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that he will step down from his seat in parliament, while signaling he intends to remain head of the ruling Fidesz if the party re-elects him at its upcoming congress.

The Kyiv Independent’s Dominic Culverwell visits the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant and the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant to see how Ukraine’s nuclear system operates during wartime — and what risks come with that. The report also explains why the risks surrounding Chornobyl remain a global concern.

☢️ This weekend marks 40 years since the nuclear disaster at Chornobyl. @kyivindependent.com has produced a VERY good documentary about the facility, and the nuclear situation across Ukraine today. 🎥 Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fLv...

Walking around a nuclear power plant in north-western Ukraine, it feels like there are as many soldiers as there are plant workers. The guns are an unnerving sight, but not unexpected — the border with Belarus is just 65 kilometers away.

Every week @kyivindependent.com flags some of our recent stories, made possible thanks to our worldwide community of supporters. Super happy to have my work feature in there too, adding a bit of an EU flavour to things! See for yourself: kyivindependent.com/email/a2f4eb...

Event organizers: I'm sorry but a nine-person panel does not impress me, it means I know I'm gonna fall asleep if I listen in.

Anyone who says @brusselstimes.com's Belgium in Brief is not the most enjoyable newsletter to read in this town, you're wrong.

Interesting guerilla campaign tactic by @canopee.bsky.social in front of the Berlaymont today. At first thought it was @brusselstimes.com Sadly not!

⚡️ Slovakia confirms it is receiving oil via Druzhba pipeline. The news comes as the EU is set to finalize the approval of the 90-billion-euro ($106-billion) loan for Kyiv and the 20th package of sanctions against Russia.

Ukrainian officials are in Brussels this week to discuss the EU's carbon border policy that Kyiv argues that it is hitting its war-battered steel industry and economy.

⚡️Spain to send ammunition, 100 armored vehicles to Ukraine. "This collaboration serves as a testament to our country's commitment to the defense of democratic values, to freedom, and to a just and lasting peace," Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said during a visit to Kyiv.

⚡️European Commissioner Kos calls on EU countries to fully open Ukraine membership talks by June. "Everything is ready… so I hope we can start very soon, even under the Cyprus presidency for cluster one," EU's Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos told the Kyiv Independent.

⚡️EU ambassadors back 20th package of Russia sanctions after Hungary, Slovakia drop veto. EU ambassadors agreed on the 20th package of sanctions imposed against Moscow in response to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on April 22, after Hungary and Slovakia lifted their veto over the measures.

⚡️EU optimistic about joining Special Tribunal to prosecute Russian aggression against Ukraine.

An EU document shown to @kyivindependent.com reveals a €20 bn defence gap for Ukraine in 2026. 🇺🇦 Read more on that below. And yes, if you're in Brussels, your leaks can now also go to media not walled by a 4-figure subscription. Get in touch! ;-) kyivindependent.com/exclusive-uk...

The EU targets Kremlin-backed organisations accused of spreading disinformation and legitimising Russia's war in Ukraine. Asset freezes aim to curb hybrid operations undermining European values and security.

I never want to work anywhere that does any of this creepy stuff. It should be illegal.

⚡️Europe will have to revisit issue of using Russian assets, EU commissioner says The European Union will have to return to the issue of using frozen Russian assets if Moscow fails to pay reparations to Ukraine, Valdis Dombrovskis, the EU’s economy commissioner, told the Kyiv Independent.