Welcome to this edition of What about Ukraine?, a newsletter that helps you keep updated about what has been said recently about Ukraine in Ukraine, and in the international media.

For many Ukrainians a turning year was 2014, when the Revolution of Dignity took place: the Yanukovich regime was dismantled, and Russia invaded the Crimean peninsula and started the war in eastern Ukraine. The article of the week, translated by n-ost and originally published in Ukraïner, begins in this crucial year and analyses how Ukraine has changed in ten years of war. Despite the challenges, the authors highlight important reforms and positive transformations: transparency in the use of public funds, improvement of the army and a Western-leaning bent in foreign relations.

Western and EU support for Ukraine continues to be assured, but has been "delayed and restricted", states an analyst in an editorial piece in the Italian media. In Hungary, both the governing party and the largest opposition party abstained from voting for the EU’s 35 billion euros loan to support Ukraine. Meanwhile, Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call for an invitation to join NATO.

Lack of transparency over weapons exports has involved both Italy and Spain. Coalition partners in the Spanish government of Pedro Sanchez criticised the latest aid package to Ukraine, which they argue was approved in an "opaque" way. An investigation revealed that, through an Italian company and a complex chain, weapons are delivered to Kyiv outside of the channels for official military aid, avoiding parliamentary oversight. 

On 27 October Bulgaria held early parliamentary elections, but the large Bulgarian ethnic minority living in Ukraine was unable to exercise the right to vote for candidates in the EU country. Sofia’s relations with Ukraine are strengthening, but the government faces criticism for "administrative discrimination" against Ukrainian refugees. Refugees’ state welfare access was also questioned by German finance minister Christian Lindner. 

Marika Ikonomu
Editor of this week's edition

Ukraine is approaching the eleventh anniversary of the beginning of the Revolution of Dignity. This protest, against the ruling authorities’ U-turn on Ukraine’s EU integration ambitions, kickstarted fundamental changes to all aspects of life in the country.

In a piece, translated by n-ost this week, a group of journalists including Alona Yaholnyk, Yehor Ukleyin and Andryi Vynogradov, used this occasion to look back at the main transformations Ukrainians implemented in their country. Despite the ongoing war, it appears that much has been achieved: the army grew in numbers and effectiveness, state management and use of public funds became more transparent, the cultural and informational sphere has separated from the previously strong Russian influence. Many other reforms and changes are also revealed.

The authors summarise:

"Ukraine spent the past ten years carrying out a number of reforms and forging collaborative relations in a variety of fields. While the pace, focus and quality of those actions may remain a matter of debate, the country has progressed during this difficult time. In recent years, the State has asserted its agency in the eyes of the international community and gained support from international partners."

This piece was originally published by Ukraїner, an online media, which creates multimedia projects and books documenting the spectrum of activity in Ukraine across all areas of society.

Translated by Tetiana Evloeva.

Bulgaria

War deprives Bulgarians in Ukraine of the right to vote

On Sunday 27 October, Bulgaria held early parliamentary elections. "Due to the war, though, the numerous Bulgarian citizens residing in Ukraine were unable to exercise their right to vote," states Kiril Valchev, general director of the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA), the national news agency. A large Bulgarian ethnic minority lives in Ukraine, many of whom have dual Ukrainian-Bulgarian citizenship. Valchev reiterates the importance of strengthening information in Bulgaria about Ukraine and the Russian invasion in the media. Last year, the BTA appointed a full-time foreign correspondent for the Odesa region. (BTA)

The Bulgarian and Ukrainian governments have successfully concluded a first round of negotiations to finalise a bilateral security agreement. According to Ukrainian sources, a first draft is ready, and the two sides have reached an understanding on the key points of the document. The basis of the deal is the Vilnius Joint Declaration of support for Ukraine, approved by the G-7 countries in July 2023. "Within the framework of the declaration, we have already signed 27 bilateral agreements," said Igor Zhovkva, vice-president of the Ukrainian presidential administration. "It is essential for us to have such an agreement also with Bulgaria, a key partner in the Black Sea region." (Fokus)

According to the Bulgarian Ministry of Social Policy, since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 50,000 Ukrainian refugee families in Bulgaria have received some form of support. The aid amounts to almost 18 million leva (nine million euros). 144 disabled refugees received financial support, and 30 personal assistants. The figures were published in response to an open letter from the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, which denounced the ministry's "administrative discrimination" against Ukrainian refugees. (Darik)

Germany 

Scholz rejects call for Ukraine’s NATO membership 

During his appearance on ‘Maybrit Illner’, a TV show on the public broadcaster ZDF, German chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call for an invitation to join NATO. To him, extending an invitation is not an option because "it is usually quickly followed by membership" and "a country at war cannot become a NATO member". Scholz yet assured that NATO has "described a perspective" for Ukraine. He further cautioned against escalating the conflict, and expressed his refusal to supply Ukraine with Taurus missiles capable of reaching Russian territory, stating "I won’t act recklessly." (Zeit) 

Left-populist party BSW leader Sahra Wagenknecht’s non-supportive position on Ukraine is "not concerned with peace in Ukraine but with power in Germany", argues a FAZ commentary. The author calls her proposals on ending arms support "unrealistic and ignorant of history". While many Germans want an end to the war, the debate splits between supporting Ukraine and appeasing Putin. Wagenknecht argues ending weapons support would promote peace, yet the author claims only "Kremlin sympathisers" trust Putin would negotiate. The author argues Wagenknecht prioritises political power in Germany over Ukraine’s freedom, as BSW has to use the disguise of peace as a means to be accepted in coalition governments at a regional level in Germany. (FAZ)

Finance minister Christian Lindner aims to reconsider Ukrainian refugees' entitlement to the state welfare minimum income, the so-called Bürgergeld. "We should consider a separate legal status for Ukrainian refugees," Lindner stated, proposing a new legal status combining benefits for asylum seekers with instruments from the job market. Support for Lindner’s proposal comes from Saxony's prime minister Michael Kretschmer, who asserted that "integration of Ukrainian refugees into the labour market must take priority". Yet, government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit confirmed that "there are currently no overarching plans" in the government to change the legal status of refugees. (Tagesspiegel)

Italy

100 million euros weapons route avoiding parliamentary oversight 

Weapons are delivered to Ukraine, outside of the channels of military aid, through a complex chain avoiding parliamentary oversight, and with the consent of the Italian government, according to an investigation by Altreconomia and Opal, an observatory. More than 200,000 shells were imported from India to Italy and rerouted to Slovakia, ultimately intended for Ukraine. This "quadrangulation" worth 100 million euros in 2022 and 2023 - the authors explained - involved the Italian company MES, that imported 155 mm empty shells from India for re-export, bypassing the Italian laws requiring transparency and raising concerns about government and the involvement of the Italian National Arms Unit. (Altreconomia)

The documentary Lirica Ucraina by war correspondent Francesca Mannocchi was presented at the Rome Film Festival. It dives into the intimate stories of survivors, of their suffering, their feelings of revenge and their effort to forgive. Mannocchi was in Ukraine before the beginning of Russian full-scale invasion and documented what happened daily, but she felt that "reporting had to be diluted in time". The author, entering Bucha a few days after liberation from Russian occupation, explores the trauma and resilience of those who have survived and safeguarded their memories as a means of resisting disinformation. (La Stampa) 

In her editorial for Il Foglio analyst Nona Mikhelidze, argues the US and Western strategy, arming Ukraine to resist and sanctioning Russia, has not forced Russia to negotiate, as Putin remains committed to his goals in Ukraine. Instead, the conflict turned into a war of attrition. Western support, though essential, has been delayed and restricted, yet Ukraine’s resilience remains strong, writes the author. Putin sees stopping Ukraine’s Western integration as critical for his political survival. Experts suggest the West has two options: significantly bolster support for Ukraine to reclaim occupied territories or face an extended costly war. (Il Foglio)

Spain

Appointed military representative at Kyiv embassy to be based in Ankara 

The Government's decision to appoint a military representative for the Ukrainian embassy, who will be based in Turkey, aroused surprise and incomprehension in Spain. Spain is one of the allied countries that has no military representative in Kyiv, while Ukraine has had a counterpart in Madrid for ten years. This controversy dates back a long way, to when Spain decided to cut these posts in some embassies. This is a mistake, according to critics, because when relations between two countries do not work at the political level, they can always be sustained by a military relationship. (The Objective)

Two Spaniards died on the Ukrainian front in the last week. This event was picked up by El Periódico as it remembered the ten Spanish citizens who have died in the war and around 50 who are missing. Other than being men, there is no specific profile for the Spanish soldiers who have enlisted in the ranks of the Ukrainian army. They are both young and old, with and without military experience, and come from different Spanish regions. Families have also expressed frustration that the Ukrainian authorities do not assist in recovering the bodies of fallen volunteers. (El Periódico).

On 28 October, coalition partners and parties to the left of Spain's Socialist Party criticised the latest aid package to Ukraine, valued at 1.13 billion euros, for being approved in an "opaque and non-transparent" manner without a vote in the Congress of Deputies. El Economista highlights how the parties Sumar and Podemos, the primary opponents of this military aid, have consistently downplayed the aggression and echoed much of Moscow's narrative. (El Economista)

Hungary

Largest opposition party did not vote for EU loan to Ukraine

When the Council of the European Union approved a 35 billion euros loan for Ukraine last week, members of the Hungarian governing party Fidesz did not vote. However, the largest opposition party, formed only a few months ago, and gaining 30 percent of the vote in the last EU Parliament elections, also abstained. This move captured more attention. The party leader and head of delegation Péter Magyar did not vote (24.hu) and issued a statement saying that their MEPs had doubts about arms purchases and weapons transfer. (24.hu)

Online media Telex visited the only Hungarian-Ukrainian bilingual school in Budapest. The school received a licence to operate after Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this summer. It is managed by a Ukrainian couple who have been living in Hungary since 2017. Some of the Ukrainian refugee children had difficulties in the Hungarian school system in the past, because they could not get bilingual help. (Telex English)

Half-Hungarian and half-Ukrainian Fedir Shandor, a professor of sociology and philosophy at the National University of Uzhhorod, volunteered for the Ukrainian army at the start of the full-scale invasion, and has recently been demobilised. He has been touted as a potential Ukrainian ambassador to Hungary, but has not yet been appointed. In a recent interview, he was positive about Hungary’s position on Ukraine despite the criticism that it has provoked in Ukraine and internationally: "No matter how much Hungary states that it does not supply arms to Ukraine, a significant amount of the arms produced in Hungary still go to Ukrainians. [...] I could also talk about Hungary being a neighbouring state that has not set up checkpoints to stop Ukrainian grain exports," he said. Shandor added that he believes that Hungary "does not have friends and enemies, but interests". (444.hu)

The Europe-Ukraine Desk curated this newsletter. This week's edition has been composed by our team from all over Europe: Marika Ikonomu, Kornelia Kiss, Katarina Kukla, Oksana Mamchenkova, Francesco Martino, Antonina Rybka and Fermin Torrano.
Michael Bird was our proofreader. 

If you like this content, please spread the word, so that anyone interested in Ukraine can benefit from this weekly curation.

Have you spotted an interesting piece of journalism you think should be mentioned in What about Ukraine? Please let us know at about.ua@n-ost.org! Same if you have an idea how to improve this newsletter. 

See you next week!