Ukraine will receive a new €1.8 billion payment from the European Union after meeting ten key reform requirements, according to the Council of the EU. The funds are part of the EU’s larger €50 billion Ukraine Facility, which supports the country’s recovery, reconstruction, and modernization efforts during the ongoing Russian invasion.

Brussels approves new €1.8 billion tranche for Ukraine

The Council of the EU on 4 November approved the fifth regular payment to Ukraine under the Ukraine Facility program. The disbursement, totaling more than €1.8 billion or more than $2 billion, follows Ukraine’s successful implementation of nine specific reform steps outlined for the fifth payment, as well as
"one outstanding step from the fourth disbursement."

"Payments under the Ukraine Facility are closely linked to the Ukraine Plan, which outlines Ukraine’s strategy for recovery, reconstruction and modernisation, along with a timetable for the implementation of reforms aligned with the country’s EU accession goals over the next years," the Council wrote in its press release.

The payment includes both grants and loans and is designed to reinforce Ukraine’s macro-financial stability and help sustain the functioning of its public administration, according to the Council’s official announcement.

This decision follows the European Commission’s assessment of Ukraine’s payment request on 29 September 2025, after which the Council concluded that Ukraine had satisfactorily fulfilled a number of reforms.

Reforms cover justice, energy, environment, and more

The Council stated that Ukraine has met reforms across a broad range of areas. These include the judicial system, anti-corruption efforts, financial markets, human capital development, business environment, decentralization and regional policy, the energy sector, and the management of critical raw materials. Reforms tied to the green transition and environmental protection were also among the steps recognized as fulfilled.

All these benchmarks are part of the Ukraine Plan — a comprehensive strategy for recovery, reconstruction, and reforms aligned with Ukraine’s EU accession goals. Disbursements under the Ukraine Facility are conditional on meeting the goals set in the Plan and its accompanying reform timeline.

• The Ukraine Facility entered into force on 1 March 2024 and will run through 2027. It provides up to €50 billion in total funding to Ukraine, of which up to €32 billion is earmarked to support reforms and investments under the Ukraine Plan.
• Prior to this fifth payment, the EU had already disbursed €6 billion as bridge financing, €1.89 billion in pre-financing, and four additional installments totaling approximately €4.2 billion, €4.1 billion, €3.5 billion, and €3.2 billion respectively.

Tehran vows to restore nuclear facilities after US strikes. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared the objects will be rebuilt with even greater power, despite external pressure, Reuters reports. 

Western countries have accused Iran of secretly attempting to develop a nuclear bomb through uranium enrichment and demanded that it stop such activities. Tehran has denied any attempts to turn enrichment into weapons, insisting that the program is purely for civilian energy purposes.

In June, Tehran and Washington conducted five rounds of indirect nuclear negotiations, which culminated in a 12-day aerial war in June, during which Israel and the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities.

After the strikes, US President Donald Trump said the nuclear program was completely destroyed. The Iranian leadership, which consistently characterizes US policies as aggressive, imperialistic, and destructive, remained in the country. 

"Destroying buildings and factories will not create a problem for us, we will rebuild and with greater strength," the Iranian president told state media.

Iran will not abandon its program 

Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, insisting the program serves purely civilian purposes. 

"It's all intended for solving the problems of the people, for disease, for the health of the people," he said. 

The statement came during his visit to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, where Pezeshkian met with leaders of the nuclear industry. His remarks signaled that Iran will not abandon its nuclear path, even in the face of attacks or sanctions.

Earlier, Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed Trump's claims that the US destroyed Tehran's nuclear capabilities in a series of large-scale bombings in June 2025. His statements came amid Russian claims that it intends to deepen cooperation with Iran "in all areas." 

Both countries are planning to formalize their partnership through high-level agreements, with a focus on energy infrastructure, military coordination, and nuclear projects.

Germany's Development Minister Svenja Schulze arrived in Kyiv on 30 October to encourage German companies to invest in Ukraine's reconstruction, reports DPA.

Schulze arrived in Ukraine overnight as the country endured one of the most severe Russian air attacks since the full-scale invasion began.

"Russia is attacking Ukraine with ever greater intensity. People die every day, air raid sirens sound every day, fear prevails every day," she said.

In Kyiv, the minister met with Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction Oleksiy Kuleba and urged German businesses to participate more actively in the country's recovery.

"Ukraine's reconstruction is impossible without a strong economy. That is why we continue to support the resilience of Ukrainian companies. Reconstruction also opens up opportunities for the German economy," Schulze stated.

According to the minister, the funds needed for Ukraine's reconstruction "cannot be financed exclusively through budget financing," and the country needs private investment.

Germany ranks among Ukraine's most important donors in its fight against Russia's full-scale invasion and recently overtook the United States as the largest provider of military aid.

Since the war began in February 2022, Germany's Development Ministry has provided Ukraine with €2 billion ($2.16 billion) in assistance.

Germany recently contributed €60 million ($65 million) to the Energy Support Fund for Ukraine to accelerate the supply of generators, energy equipment, and mobile thermal power plants.

The country has also committed to providing Ukraine with nine billion euros annually over the coming years.

Estonia and Ireland have signed an agreement to renovate an intensive care unit at Berdychiv City Hospital in Zhytomyr Oblast and train medical staff, ERR reports.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland, Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Estonian Center for International Development (ESTDEV) signed the agreement this week to improve access to critical healthcare in Berdychiv.

Ireland will fund the HEAL Berdychiv project with €1 million ($1.8 mn), while ESTDEV will invest €730,000 ($790,000) and manage the project's implementation and administration.

Berdychiv City Hospital serves approximately 168,000 people, including residents of Berdychiv and surrounding communities. The hospital is located near a strategically important highway, making it accessible to more than 4,000 internally displaced persons currently living in the area, according to Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Around 50 doctors and nurses from the hospital will receive training during study visits to Estonia and on-site in Ukraine. ESTDEV will work with the Medicine Estonia cluster, Tallinn Health University of Applied Sciences, and several Estonian hospitals to develop the training program.

"The war has pushed Ukraine's health system to its limits," said Klen Jäärats, executive director of ESTDEV.

Estonia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna said: "Healing begins with strong hospitals and empowered medical professionals. By investing in both infrastructure and training, we are helping restore the lifelines of care that Ukraine's people urgently need."

Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris said: "Renovating the intensive care unit and supporting training to improve medical and rehabilitation services will have a real and significant impact on the lives of people." He added that Ireland is "delighted" to partner with Estonia on this project.

Estonia has been contributing to Ukraine's recovery since 2022, focusing on rebuilding the Zhytomyr region in northern Ukraine, which borders Belarus. Completed projects include reconstructing a kindergarten, a bridge, several group homes for displaced large families, and opening a human rights center.

Earlier, the EU approved approximately €50 million ($54-54.5 million) under its guarantees for a joint project between Ukraine's Ministry of Health and the World Bank to restore Ukrainian hospitals.

Estonia is prepared to host the Ukraine Recovery Conference in 2027.

BlackRock, a U.S. investment firm, suspended work on a multibillion-dollar Ukraine recovery fund following U.S. President Donald Trump's election victory, prompting France to work on a replacement, Bloomberg reported on July 5.

The plan nearly secured the initial support of institutions backed by the governments of Germany, Italy, and Poland, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.

Kyiv has sought to secure investment in Ukraine's reconstruction as Russia's war continues to destroy infrastructure across the country.

BlackRock halted its search for institutional investors in January, causing the planned funding that sought to secure $500 million from governments, development grants, and investment banks, and another $2 billion from private investors, to fall through.

The investment firm halted talks with institutional investors in January due to a lack of interest amid perceived uncertainty in Ukraine.

The fund was set to be unveiled by BlackRock at the upcoming Ukraine Recovery Conference on July 10-11 in Rome, Bloomberg reported.

A spokesperson for BlackRock said the investment firm completed advisory work for the recovery fund pro bono in 2024 and no longer has "any active mandate."

France is working on a proposal to replace the recovery fund led by BlackRock, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg, adding that it remains uncertain how effective the plan will be without Washington's backing.

President Volodymyr Zelensky and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are expected to attend the Ukraine Recovery Conference next week.

Despite a partial rebound from a 30% economic slump in 2022, foreign investment in Ukraine remains underwhelming.

As US aid to Ukraine dries up, new platform connects Americans investors with Ukrainian startups

Ukraine’s startup ecosystem has tripled in five years, even during Russia’s full-scale invasion, to become the second most valuable in Central and Eastern Europe at $28 billion.

The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell