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Ukraine: EU concerned about Kyiv's anti-corruption bodies – DW – 07/22/2025

Ukraine: EU concerned about Kyiv's anti-corruption bodies – DW – 07/22/2025

DW6 days ago
Ukrainian lawmakers voted to strip two anti-corruption bodies of their independence. This could impede Ukraine's progress toward the EU, which has already expressed concern about the move. DW has the latest.The European Union's enlargement commissioner criticized a vote in the Ukrainian parliament to strip two anti-corruption bodies of their independence.
Marta Kos stressed that the independence of he National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and an anti-graft prosecutor's office were "essential for Ukraine's EU path."
Meanwhile, Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in an interview that she is likely to discuss a fresh loan program with the IMF next month.
Ukraine and Russia are scheduled to hold the third round of peace talks in Istanbul on Wednesday.The European Union's enlargement commissioner criticised a vote in the Ukrainian parliament to strip two anti-corruption bodies of independence.
"Seriously concerned over today's vote in the Rada. The dismantling of key safeguards protecting NABU's independence is a serious step back," Marta Kos wrote on X, in reference to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine.
Kos stressed that the independence of the agency and an anti-graft prosecutor's office were "essential for Ukraine's EU path."
Kyiv has been adamant to accelerate its membership in the bloc, especially since the 2022 Russian invasion.
Ukraine's lawmakers voted in favor of amendments that would remove the independence of two anti-corruption bodies in the country.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) is the entity investigating corruption allegations within state institutions. The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) prosecutes corruption cases.
Both NABU and SAPO were placed under the direct supervision of the Prosecutor General, who is appointed by the president.
This comes a day after a NABU employee was arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia.
The move triggered criticism both at home and internationally, with the EU saying it was "concerned" with the decision.
Ukrainian NGO The Anti-Corruption Action Center said the amendments made the two agencies meaningless, adding the country's Prosecutor General "will stop investigations into" President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's "friends."
France's top diplomat, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, visited the Ukrainian border region of Kharkiv in the northeastern part of the country on Tuesday.
While walking through Kharkiv's city center, Barrot witnessed the current situation in the city, which is regularly being targeted by Russia, whose forces are some 30 kilometers away.
Speaking during his visit, Barrot accused Russia of "deliberately" targeting civilians and residential areas, in a bid to "undermine Ukrainian morale."
1.4 million people lived in Kharkiv before Russia's full-scale invasion into Ukraine in 2022.
As Russia steps up its attacks on Ukraine, the Kremlin is once again seeking help from North Korea.
South Korean intelligence reports that the country has already sent Russia 28,000 containers filled with weapons and artillery shells.
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Ukraine's delegation for the peace talks with Russia will be headed by the country's ex-Defense Minister and current secretary of the security council Rustem Umerov, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The talks are scheduled to take place on Wednesday in Istanbul, in the same venue where previous talks between the two sides took place, with the Kremlin saying that there is no reason to expect a "miraculous breakthrough" in the talks.
This comes after US President Donald Trump's threat to impose "severe" sanctions on Russia should a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine not be reached in 50 days.
A 10-year-old boy was killed in Russian airstrikes on Ukraine, the authorities in the city of Kramatorsk say.
According to city mayor Alexander Goncharenko, guided glide bombs launched by Russia hit a residential building in Kramatorsk, located in eastern Ukraine.
The city is located in the area of Donetsk that remains under Ukrainian control three years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Glide bombs have a range of up to 40 kilometers (25 miles), and their use by the Russian army is made possible by the front moving closer and closer to Kramatorsk.
Ukraine's new Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said she will likely seek fresh financing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to cushion the country's fiscal needs in its defense against Russia's war, according to a report by Bloomberg.
The report outlined that global donors have so far only earmarked half of the estimated $75 billion (€64.2 billion) budget that the war-strained country requires over the next two years.
With the IMF's roughly $16 billion loan program set to expire in 2027, new discussions will likely be held at a lender's review planned for August, especially since the end to the war is not in sight, she told the media house.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's Defense Minister took to messaging app Telegram, saying the country will need at least $120 billion for defense spending next year and that negotiations were ongoing with NATO and the EU over $60 billion in funding from partners.
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On Monday, the UK and Germany led a virtual meeting on how to help Ukraine acquire the weapons it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said he will "contribute to providing" five Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine, DW's Teri Schultz reported from Brussels. This includes two systems Berlin had previously discussed, with an additional one expected to be financed by Norway.
It is not clear whether Germany would pay for the remaining two defense systems itself, or if it will seek contributions from other NATO members.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's former prime minister and newly appointed Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal, who was also part of the meeting, said Kyiv needs more than $6 billion (€5.1 billion) worth of additional military spending to increase its own weapons production.
The UK imposed new sanctions on Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" which will target 135 oil tankers and two Russian companies involved in circumventing oil sanctions on Moscow.
Additionally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine and Russia will hold another round of talks on Wednesday.
Two previous rounds held in Istanbul failed to yield any meaningful progress on a ceasefire.
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Welcome to DW's coverage of the latest developments in Russia's war in Ukraine.
Both Ukraine and Russia continue to exchange drones and missiles, aiming at each other's capital cities.
Overnight Monday, Russia unleashed one of its largest aerial assaults on Kyiv, just hours before the UK and Germany chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the US' plans for NATO allies to provide Ukraine with weapons it needs.
Stay tuned for the latest news and analysis from the ongoing war.
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Small Firms, Big Trouble: The Quiet Losers of The EU–US Trade Deal
Small Firms, Big Trouble: The Quiet Losers of The EU–US Trade Deal

Int'l Business Times

time44 minutes ago

  • Int'l Business Times

Small Firms, Big Trouble: The Quiet Losers of The EU–US Trade Deal

When the U.S. and European Union (EU) announced a major trade deal Sunday, headlines focused on the geopolitical implications, tariff ceilings and diplomatic coordination. But behind the official smiles and celebratory press releases, a quieter story is unfolding—one that involves the small and medium-sized businesses that make up the economic backbone of the EU. These firms, which account for 99 percent of EU non-financial companies and around two-thirds of employment across the bloc, were largely absent from the negotiating table. And now, they are poised to absorb a disproportionate share of the costs from the new agreement. A Flat Tariff, a Heavy Price The deal imposes a flat 15 percent tariff on nearly all EU goods entering the U.S., with few exceptions. As reported by Reuters, high-profile sectors such as aerospace, rare earths and defense manufacturing received carve-outs or zero-duty terms. But most everyday exports—ranging from specialty foods to consumer products—now face a sudden cost increase. According to AP News, both European and American businesses are bracing for price hikes. For large corporations, that cost may be absorbed or passed on. But small firms with limited pricing power and razor-thin margins are far more vulnerable. The View from the Ground: Soap, Cheese and Lost Orders Take, for instance, a small cosmetics exporter in Provence, or a cheesemaker in Normandy. These are the kinds of businesses that rely on modest volumes, strong customer loyalty, and niche positioning. A 15 percent tariff on goods that were previously exported tariff-free is not just a challenge—it can be a market killer. Sophie Leclerc, owner of a mid-sized skin care company, told reporters that the deal leaves her few options. "We can either raise prices and risk losing our American distributors, or we pull out of the U.S. altogether," she said in an interview cited by France 24. "Either way, we lose." Regulatory Complexity Adds to the Burden The new agreement also introduces expanded compliance requirements. Rules of origin provisions, stricter labeling regulations, and dual documentation standards are expected to add significant administrative costs. These burdens are magnified for smaller businesses that lack in-house legal or logistics departments. A recent policy study from the European Parliament warned that non-tariff barriers—not tariffs themselves—represent the greatest obstacle to international expansion for SMEs. The current deal, critics argue, does little to simplify that environment. Asymmetry in Adaptability Large companies with diversified supply chains may be able to adjust production or distribution to reduce exposure to tariffs. For example, a multinational carmaker can shift assembly lines to the United States or route parts through zero-tariff jurisdictions. But small businesses do not have this kind of flexibility. Many operate from a single facility and export directly to clients abroad. According to Euractiv, some small producers are already cutting shipments to the United States and reconsidering their investment in transatlantic partnerships. What Could Have Been Done Differently Economists and SME advocates say the EU missed an opportunity to secure more targeted relief. Proposals that were discussed but ultimately excluded from the final deal included phased tariffs for small-scale exporters, simplified customs procedures for low-volume shipments, and transitional assistance funding for vulnerable sectors. Politico Europe reported that the urgency of reaching a macro-level political accord likely sidelined more granular negotiations. "The politics of diplomacy eclipsed the practicalities of real-world trade," one unnamed EU official told the outlet. Numbers Tell the Story According to Eurostat, small and medium-sized enterprises: Represent 99 percent of EU businesses Employ more than 100 million people Account for roughly 40 percent of EU exports to the United States Before the agreement, the average tariff on EU consumer goods imported to the U.S. was between 1.3 and 2.1 percent. That figure has now jumped to a flat 15 percent across most categories, based on terms outlined by The Guardian. The EU–US trade deal was designed to bring stability and predictability to transatlantic commerce after years of tariff threats and retaliatory measures. But for Europe's small exporters, it brings neither. The agreement may offer political wins and stock market reassurance, but it does so at the expense of thousands of businesses that had no seat at the table—and now face a steeper climb to survive.

EU-US trade deal: European leaders back plan amid criticism – DW – 07/28/2025
EU-US trade deal: European leaders back plan amid criticism – DW – 07/28/2025

DW

timean hour ago

  • DW

EU-US trade deal: European leaders back plan amid criticism – DW – 07/28/2025

Germany's Friedrich Merz welcomes US-EU trade pact, saying it avoids "needless escalation in transatlantic trade relations." While specifics are yet to be disclosed, the deal marks a pivotal moment following tensions. The US and EU have announced a trade deal that would set tariffs at 15% for European goods, including automobiles, averting the worst-case scenario. "This is the biggest deal ever made," Trump said, lauding EU plans to dramatically increase its purchases of US energy and military equipment as part of the deal. Trump said the tariff rate would apply to "automobiles and everything else" and added that the 50% tariff on steel and aluminum "stays the way it is." The baseline 15% tariff is still seen by many in Europe as too high, compared with Europe's initial hopes to secure a zero-for-zero tariff trade agreement framework between the United States and the European Union is worse than the deal the United Kingdom has with Washington, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Monday. "Donald Trump did not reach an agreement with Ursula von der Leyen, but rather Donald Trump ate Ursula von der Leyen for breakfast," Orban said during a Facebook livestream. The European Union and the United States reached a trade agreement Sunday that imposes a 15% tariff on most EU goods, higher than the United Kingdom's 10% tariff rate. Orban, widely regarded as Trump's strongest ally in Europe, has previously said US tariffs were the result of Brussels' incompetence, according to his government. France's European affairs minister, Benjamin Haddad, criticized what he described as an "unbalanced" trade deal between the EU and the US. "The trade deal negotiated by the European Commission with the United States will provide temporary stability for economic actors threatened by American tariff escalation," Haddad said. "But it is unbalanced," he stressed. "Let's be clear: the current state of affairs is not satisfactory and cannot be sustainable." France has long called for a tough line on the US tariff policy, as well as for the European Union to develop its strategic autonomy. The Federation of German Industries (BDI) criticized the trade deal between the EU and the US, calling it an "inadequate compromise" that sends a "disastrous signal." The powerful industry lobby group said that the EU was accepting painful tariffs and that a 15% tariff rate is expected to have significant negative consequences. "The only positive aspect of this agreement is that a further escalation spiral has, for now, been avoided," BDI said. It added that the lack of a deal on steel and aluminum exports was an "additional blow." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video DW Correspondent Birgit Maass said that many in the EU and critics of Donald Trump would say that US President Donald Trump has strong-armed the EU to get concessions, using the leverage of his country's resources when it comes to security policy. "NATO and the US have been a big guarantor of European security. This obviously comes all in a mix. Europe needs the US not just for trade but also for the general security situation with a war in the continent of Europe, in Ukraine, and the threat that's being posed by Russia." she said. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the trade deal between the EU and the US "positive," but added that she would need to see the details. Italy is one of Europe's biggest exporters to the US, with a trade surplus of over €40 billion. "I consider it positive that there is an agreement, but if I don't see the details I am not able to judge it in the best way," Meloni said. The country's national coalition-led government had pressed its European partners to refrain from a trade clash with the US. Meloni said in a statement that the deal "ensures stability". She added that the 15% tariff "is sustainable, especially if this percentage is not added to previous duties, as was originally planned." The statement was also signed by coalition partners, Antonio Tajani of Forza Italia and Matteo Salvini of the League. "We are ready to activate support measures at the national level, but we ask that they also be activated at the European level for sectors that will be particularly affected by US tariff measures," Meloni added. Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin hailed the agreement between the European Union and the United States, saying that it will help "protect many jobs" in his country. "The negotiations to get us to this point have been long and complex, and I would like to thank both teams for their patient work," he said. "We will now study the detail of what has been agreed, including its implications for businesses exporting from Ireland to the US, and for different sectors operating here," he added. Martin also noted that higher tariffs will make trade between the EU and US more expensive and challenging. But he said the deal creates a "new era of stability" that could promote a deeper relationship between the EU and the US, which the Irish prime minister said was important for the global economy. "Given the very real risk that existed for escalation and for the imposition of punitively high tariffs, this news will be welcomed by many," Martin said. The trade pact means the bloc would avoid the 30% tariffs that Trump had threatened on all goods from the EU on July 12. But it marks a significant compromise, especially given that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen offered a "zero-for-zero tariffs for industrial goods" when talks began. Still, von der Leyen said they agreed "zero-for-zero tariffs on a number of strategic products" including aircraft and aircraft parts, some chemicals, and certain agricultural products. She added that the framework trade deal did not contain any decision regarding the spirits sector. The trade pact will need to be approved by all 27 member states. After the US and European Union reached a trade deal, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof thanked the European Commission, which is responsible for EU policy on trade, for a determined effort "to secure the best possible outcome for our businesses and consumers." But Schoof also wrote that: "Of course, no tariffs would have been better, but this agreement provides more clarity for our businesses and brings more market stability." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the trade agreement between the European Union and the US which will see a 15% tariff on EU goods entering the US. "We have thus managed to preserve our fundamental interests, even if I would have wished for more relief in transatlantic trade," Merz said in a government statement issued on Sunday evening. The no-deal scenario would have "hit the export-oriented German economy hard," according to Merz. He added that this applied in particular to the automotive industry, where the current tariffs of 27.5% have been almost halved. The US is Germany's main trading partner. The EU and US have struck a trade deal, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen saying the deal "will bring stability." She later told reporters that the tariff level on cars was "the best we could get." Though specifics are yet to be revealed, she also told reporters that bilateral tariff exemptions had been agreed on for a number of strategic products. But a decision was still pending on other critical sectors like pharmaceuticals and steel and aluminum. Follow along for the latest news and reactions to the deal.

North Korea: Kim Jong Un's sister rejects South's overtures – DW – 07/28/2025
North Korea: Kim Jong Un's sister rejects South's overtures – DW – 07/28/2025

DW

time2 hours ago

  • DW

North Korea: Kim Jong Un's sister rejects South's overtures – DW – 07/28/2025

North Korea is not interested in talks with South Korea, Kim Jong Un's powerful younger sister says. Kim Yo Jong says there is "nothing to discuss," despite conciliatory moves from Seoul's new president. Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, on Monday dismissed the idea of a reset in relations with Seoul, despite dovish overtures from new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. In the North's first official comments on Lee's administration, Kim criticized what she described as Seoul's "blind trust" in its alliance with Washington. Since coming to power in June, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has broken with the hawkish approach of his predecessor to North Korea, ending loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts along the border. Seoul had started playing out loud political messages in response to North Korea flying trash-filled balloons across the frontier. The balloons were said to carry with them waste ranging from household garbage and cigarette butts to fertilizer, batteries, and parasite-contaminated soil. North Korea responded with its own cross-border broadcasts of unpleasant noises, such as sirens and scraping metal, into the South. President Lee has said he would seek talks with the North without preconditions after relations plummeted to their worst level in years under his conservative predecessor. In a message in English carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on Monday, Kim said the South should not expect any thawing of relations. "If the ROK [Republic of Korea]... expects to reverse all the consequences of (its actions) with a few sentimental words, there could be no greater miscalculation than that," she said, using the official name for South Korea. "We clarify once again the official stand that no matter what policy is adopted and whatever proposal is made in Seoul, we have no interest in it and there is neither [any] reason to meet nor [any] issue to be discussed with the ROK," she added. As well as stopping the loudspeaker broadcasts, the South has tried to ban civilian activists from flying balloons with propaganda leaflets across the border. It has also repatriated six North Koreans who had drifted south in wooden fishing boats months earlier. The individuals had expressed a wish to return to the North. While Kim Yo Jong called such steps "sincere efforts" by Lee's government, she added that it would not ultimately by different from its predecessors. She cited the South's "blind trust" in its military alliance with the US and its attempt to "stand in confrontation" with North Korea. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Kim also mentioned upcoming South Korea-US military exercises, which Pyongyang views as a rehearsal for invasion. Kim Yo Jong is seen as her brother's closest confidante and has played a key role in shaping his public image and in policy decisions. North Korea has continued rejecting dialogue with South Korea and the US, focusing instead on strengthening its nuclear weapons program since Kim Jong Un's diplomacy with Donald Trump collapsed in 2019 over sanctions disputes during the US president's first term in office. In response to Pyongyang's rejection of Lee's efforts, Seoul said it "reaffirms the high level of mistrust between the two due to years of hostile policies." "We take this as a sign that the North is closely monitoring the Lee administration's North Korea policy," South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman Koo Byung-sam told a press briefing. Trump, who began his second term in January, has frequently highlighted his personal rapport with Kim and said he is open to resuming negotiations. So far, North Korea has not responded publicly. Kim notably ordered the removal of peaceful unification as a constitutional goal in early 2024, labeling South Korea an "invariable principal enemy." The move was viewed as a historic break from past leaders' long-held aim of a unified Korea — albeit on the North's terms. The two Koreas technically remain at war, as the 1950–53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

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