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Demographic Crisis and the Collapse of the Labour Market Ukraine is experiencing one of the deepest demographic and labour crises in its recent history. The combination of prolonged military conflict, mass emigration, and waves of mobilisation has created a critical shortage of workers across the country. Ukrainian businesses are increasingly unable to fill vacancies, forcing employers to look abroad for labour. According to Vasyl Voskoboynyk, head of Ukraine’s Migration Policy Department, around 30% of jobs across the country remain unfilled. Since February 2022, millions of Ukrainians have left the country, creating a major demographic gap and reducing the availability of...

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Saturday it was time for Ukraine to get a new president, suggesting Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not done enough to end his country’s war with Russia and blaming him for high diesel prices in the U.S. “I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal because he could have made many deals and for some reason he never does,” Trump said. The president, who on Friday struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to buy diesel from Russia in an attempt to address high fuel prices ahead of the U.S....

Hours after President Trump said the United States would buy Russian diesel, the Kremlin said there would be no immediate resumption of discussions to end the war.President Trump on Saturday accused Ukraine of causing a “world problem” with Russian refinery attacks and said it should “get a new president,” further undermining Kyiv a day after saying he would open U.S. markets to Russian diesel. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Saturday, he said the United States had told Ukraine, “you can do whatever you want to Russia. Don’t hit the refineries because that’s a world problem that’s caused.”...

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Saturday told Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky he had his “complete solidarity” after he clashed with US President Donald Trump over a diesel deal with Russia. In a call between the two leaders Burnham told the Ukrainian president he recognised that “the past 24 hours had been difficult for Ukraine and reiterated his complete solidarity”, according to a readout released by his Downing Street office. The leaders discussed “the importance of maintaining pressure on Russia”, with Burnham making it clear the UK “would continue to strengthen its sanctions on Russia and to take further action to...

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has claimed that President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected a proposal to hold elections after learning that former Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny intended to run. Fedorov made the claim in a wide-ranging interview with Ukrainska Pravda published on Monday, Sept. 21. Kyiv Post has not independently verified his account of the private conversation. According to Fedorov, he personally proposed holding elections in June. Zelensky was initially prepared to proceed but later changed his mind because Zaluzhny would have entered the presidential race, the former minister said. Fedorov recalled telling Zelensky that Ukraine needed to hold an election...

Donald Trump was on a fresh collision course with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and European allies on Friday after a stunning agreement to buy Russian diesel, upending years of US and western pressure on the Kremlin to end its four-and-a-half year war against Ukraine. Zelenskyy reacted furiously to Trump’s announcement of the deal with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, calling it “absolutely terrible” and “not fair and not honest”. Zelenskyy, who told Axios that it “looks like a happy birthday present for Putin. It looks absolutely terrible.” The Russian leader turned 74 earlier this week. In a long social...

President Trump decided to make a diesel fuel deal with Russia after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ignored half a dozen U.S. requests to stop attacking Russian oil refineries, a U.S. official with direct knowledge told Axios. "Zelensky is misreading the room. By continuing to hit refineries, he is eroding the good will that he has built with Trump over the last six months," the U.S. official said. Zelensky, in an interview with Axios after the announcement, said he was blindsided by the deal, which he called "not fair and not honest" and an unwarranted gift to Putin. Ukraine's strikes on...

I have just concluded a highly successful discussion with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, wherein it was agreed that Russia will immediately supply over 300,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel to the American and Global Marketplace, another 500,000 Tons during the month of November, and 1,000,000 Tons immediately thereafter. Additionally, based on the condition of their Diesel Refineries, Russia will then deliver, within a short period of time, 3,000,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel. Between our TOTAL CONTROL of the Strait of Hormuz, and this great announcement on Russian Energy, Diesel Prices for Americans and, indeed, the World, will be COMING DOWN,...

Russia could consider partially opening diesel exports once it returns to a production surplus, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told its Federation Council Oct. 2, describing the market as balanced and sufficiently supplied, local media reported. Traditionally the world's number-two diesel exporter, Russia started shutting in its diesel production in July following persistent Ukrainian drone attacks on its refining sector, now extended until the end of October. For non-producers, which include traders and refineries with capacities of less than 1 million metric tons/year, the ban will remain in place until the end of January. The deputy prime minister added that...

The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) continues to greatly exaggerate the extent of Russian advances across the frontline to construct a false narrative of Russian battlefield progress for domestic and international audiences... The Russian MoD claimed on September 19 that Russian forces have seized over 5,300 square kilometers and more than 220 settlements in Ukraine since the start of 2026, including over 670 square kilometers and 27 settlements so far in September 2026. ISW has observed evidence to assess that Russian forces have seized only 147.7 square kilometers and 40 settlements, but have lost a net of 20 settlements in...

At least two people have been killed and six injured in a "massive" overnight Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow region, Governor Andrei Vorobyev has said. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 450 drones heading for the capital had been shot down in what he called an "unprecedented attack". The city's main oil refinery was damaged and several homes were set ablaze. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Kyiv had hit a "key" Russian oil facility and a logistics site in the region, representing "billions of dollars that sustain the war machine". The overnight attack is thought to be among the largest...

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Friday that some European leaders are openly preparing for war with Russia, accusing them of escalating tensions while ignoring their own citizens. Speaking during a meeting of Russia’s Military-Industrial Commission, Putin claimed that NATO continues to expand and that European governments are using the alleged Russian threat to justify increased military spending and cover up failures in economic and social policy. “Some European leaders openly say they are preparing for war with Russia,” Putin said, according to Interfax. Putin also insisted that Moscow has “no aggressive intentions” toward European countries and said Russia remains prepared...

The Russian foreign minister said he feels sorry for the UK if it stays with Ukraine until the very endMOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. Moscow is entitled to consider British missile forces' involvement in strikes on Russia as direct participation in the conflict in Ukraine, with all ensuing consequences, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "You know, I feel sorry for the UK if it stays with Ukraine until the very end," Lavrov told Vesti journalist Pavel Zarubin. "President [Vladimir Putin] warned of our right to act in any part of the world's oceans if anyone encroaches on our interests or...

Andrey Klepach, one of Russia’s top economists, has been replaced as chief economist of the country’s national development bank shortly after a speech was made public in which he reportedly said Russia’s economy was being damaged by the war in Ukraine. Russia’s state news agency TASS confirmed Sunday that Klepach “no longer holds the position of chief economist at VEB,” one of Russia’s largest banks, but did not give a reason for his departure. A new candidate has been selected and will be appointed soon, TASS added. VEB repeated the same statement to CNN. That announcement came two days after...

State-owned VEB.RF (Vnesheconombank) has stated that Russia cannot win the economic confrontation with the West as long as Western countries continue to support Ukraine. According to him, the Russian economy is facing rising costs, falling investment, and technological lag, reports The Moscow Times. The bank's chief economist, Andrei Klepach, said during a session of the Nikitsky Club that sanctions and the Western blockade are increasing the costs of the Russian economy, and that Ukrainian strikes on ports, infrastructure, chemical plants, and oil refineries are causing ever-greater damage to Russia. Klepach stated that Russia is losing the technological and economic competition...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine has just a tenth of interceptor missiles it needs from the US to defend itself from Russia’s increased ballistic missile attacks. CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh reports from Kyiv.

Russia launched a massive strike on Odesa overnight, according to Ukrainian emergency services. The strikes caused extensive damage and fires in several districts of the city, they said. Preliminary reports indicate eight people were injured. A block of flats and two houses were set alight. Meanwhile, in Kharkiv, firefighters rescued seven people from the upper floors of a high-rise building after Russian strikes caused floors to collapse between the 7th and 10th floors.

The House Foreign Affairs subcommittee chair invoked nearly $200 billion in U.S. support as attacks around Kazakhstan’s principal oil-export route forced production cuts and sharpened questions about Europe’s response. Representative Bill Huizenga has warned that further strikes affecting the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal will not be tolerated, explicitly linking Ukraine’s obligation to protect legitimate allied energy exports with the scale of American support for Kyiv. Huizenga, a Michigan Republican who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, was asked by The Times of Central Asia what immediate diplomatic steps the administration should take to safeguard Kazakhstan’s...

Summary Russian officials say at least seven people, including three children, have been killed by a Ukrainian drone on a beach in south-west Russia - BBC Verify examines footage It's not clear if the drone was intercepted before landing on the beach. It has been reported it may have been targeting a Russian naval base about 25 miles (40 km) away - Ukraine has not commented The area has long been a favourite of Russian holidaymakers, says our Europe reporter Earlier, an apparent Ukrainian drone strike hit a warehouse belonging to Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries, around 112 miles east...

Ukraine has said it carried out overnight strikes deep inside Russia, hitting a major oil refinery and an airfield that houses Russian strategic aviation. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Engels airfield and the refinery, both in the Saratov region some 600km (373miles) from Ukraine's border, were hit. An oil depot was also struck in Kaluga region and a drone launch site in Bryansk. Russia said eight people were killed in the Ukrainian strikes, and 635 drones shot down or intercepted. It also reported yet another strike on a warehouse of Russia's biggest online retailer Wildberries. Meanwhile, Moscow said its forces...