Yaroslav Zhelezniak
Yaroslav Zheleznyak is a Ukrainian politician and member of the Verkhovna Rada. He is a member of the parliamentary faction of the Holos (Voice) party and was one of its co-founders alongside Sviatoslav Vakarchuk. He is known as a prominent voice on fiscal and economic policy, frequently commenting on tax legislation and government reforms.
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Ukraine's PM says Cabinet will finalise booking-system overhaul this week, insists critical enterprises unaffected
Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky told BBC News Ukraine on 19 October that the Cabinet of Ministers will finalise this week changes to the conscription deferment (booking) system aimed at curbing large-scale abuses, while guaranteeing that genuinely critical enterprises will keep booking workers as before. He warned that monthly bookings and deferrals have been running into tens of thousands and, if the trend continues, "absolutely everyone" will soon be booked. The statement comes as parliament, the Ministry of Defence and business groups push back against an earlier draft that proposed cutting booking limits for the defence-industrial complex and energy sector from 100% to 85%.
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Ukraine PM puts 2025 business damage from Russian strikes at $7.7 billion
Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky said Russian attacks caused $7.7 billion in direct damages to Ukrainian businesses this year and destroyed or damaged more than 1 million square meters of warehouse, production, and logistics space. In an interview with BBC Ukraine, he said the economy is still functioning and outlined government relief measures, including transferring state premises to firms and adjusting the subsidized "Affordable Loans 5-7-9%" program. He also said the state has stepped in to partially compensate losses that vessels entering Ukrainian ports cannot insure internationally.
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Ukrainian parliament summons Kyiv mayor Klitschko to report on winter preparations
The Verkhovna Rada voted 151 in favor on October 13 to summon Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko for a report, on an initiative by Servant of the People MP Maryana Bezuhla. Klitschko delivered a 5-minute address the following day, calling the accusations of sabotaging heating-season preparations baseless and arguing that the summons was an attempt to remove him and erode local self-government. The vote came after repeated Russian strikes on Kyiv's energy infrastructure, which Klitschko said have destroyed the city's own generation capacity and forced full dependence on the national grid.
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Ukraine's parliament adopts minority-education law demanded by Hungary, clearing path to two more EU accession clusters
On 12 October 2026, Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada adopted and President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law expanding educational rights for national minorities and indigenous peoples — the change Hungary had demanded in exchange for unblocking two EU accession negotiation clusters. Hungary's foreign minister confirmed Budapest will agree to opening clusters 2 "Internal Market" and 3 "Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth" at a Ukraine–EU intergovernmental conference planned for 13 October in Luxembourg, where the EU's Coreper had already signalled readiness to approve the negotiation positions.
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Ukraine's finance minister tells Rada country is in liquidity crisis, blames $29.5bn shortfall in partner aid
Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko told the Verkhovna Rada on 12 October that Ukraine's state budget has fallen roughly 50 billion hryvnia short of planned revenues over nine months of 2026, with 39 billion hryvnia in payments deferred to year's end and capital expenditures blocked. He attributed the squeeze to a $29.5 billion shortfall in expected partner support tied to delayed reforms under IMF, EU and World Bank programs. Marchenko said military pay and social programs remain fully funded, but the Rada must now pass dozens of reform-related bills to unlock the rest.
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EU and Ukraine say 2026 budget and defence needs can be covered; Commission denies any financing gap
On 1 October 2026 the European Commission and Ukraine issued a joint statement saying they had identified the means to cover Ukraine's 2026 budget and defence needs and outlining the steps needed for timely disbursement. The next day Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho said the EU and Ukraine had jointly concluded there is no external financing gap for 2026, and the Commission disbursed a €2.9 billion tranche under the Ukraine Facility. The Financial Times reported that EU Commissioners formally declined Ukraine's request to front-load part of the 2027 loan, linking further payments to reforms.
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Zelensky announces first combat use of Ukrainian-made FP-7 ballistic missile
On 1 October, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the first combat use of the FP-7, a domestically developed tactical ballistic missile made by Ukrainian defense company Fire Point. He posted a launch video on social media but did not disclose the target, location, or outcome. The Wall Street Journal, citing its own sources, reported the missile was used against a target in Russian-occupied territory, though the success of the strike remains unclear.
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Verkhovna Rada faces 26-day gap in plenary sessions as MP and press service clash over whether parliament is on break
The Verkhovna Rada will not hold plenary sessions from 17 September to 13 October, according to MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak. The parliament's press service disputes this framing, saying the Rada continues to work through committees and other bodies. The gap comes as several laws tied to Ukraine's international commitments face year-end deadlines.
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Ukrainian parliament approves in first reading VAT on foreign marketplace purchases
On 16 September, the Verkhovna Rada voted in first reading for a package of bills introducing VAT on goods bought through foreign marketplaces, regardless of value. 273 MPs backed the Tax Code amendment and 267 supported a separate customs bill. Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said the legislation is part of Ukraine's obligations to the IMF and the EU and warned that the country has already missed a €4 billion tranche, with an October tranche still contingent on passage.
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Ukraine's parliament backs reboot of energy regulator in first reading
On 16 September, the Verkhovna Rada adopted draft law No. 14282 in its first reading, with 249 MPs voting in favour. The bill aims to strengthen the independence of the National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Utility Services (NKREKP) and set the stage for a full reboot of the regulator after adoption. It also responds to a major corruption case in the energy sector by seeking to remove associates of the implicated figures from the body.
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Ukraine's government submits 2027 draft budget to parliament: defense at 44% of GDP, $52.6 billion external financing required
Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers approved and submitted the draft State Budget for 2027 to the Verkhovna Rada on September 15, 2026. The bill, registered as No. 16000, allocates 4 trillion 885 billion hryvnias (about 43.8–44% of GDP) to defense and security, projects total expenditures of 7 trillion 272 billion hryvnias, and identifies an external financing requirement of $52.6 billion, of which only $20 billion has been confirmed by partners.
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Ukraine’s Prosecutor General announces suspicion against NABU director, then leaves the country; Zelensky moves to dismiss him
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, who had resigned a week earlier amid the NABU/SAPO “Carthage” operation against his own office, announced on 14 September that he had signed a notice of suspicion against NABU director Semen Kryvonos. The same night he left Ukraine. President Zelensky publicly called for his immediate dismissal, submitted the motion to the Verkhovna Rada, and signed a decree suspending him under martial-law provisions. The European Commission said it was aware of the events and stressed that independent anti-corruption bodies are a cornerstone of the rule of law in Ukraine.
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Ukrainian parliament fails for second time to pass bill ending VAT exemption for parcels under €150
The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, voted down bill No. 15460, which would have abolished the VAT exemption for international parcels valued at up to €150. The bill received 194 votes in favour, 32 short of the number needed for passage. The failure leaves a key condition for IMF and EU financial assistance unmet.