EU and Ukraine are closer than ever, "I want to commend the Prime Minister and his government for the work that has already been done. Today, the European Union and Ukraine are closer than ever. Since 2014, the EU has invested in Ukraine more than in any other country in the world. We have offered the largest package of assistance in our history – over EUR 13 billion," High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said at the Ukraine Reform Conference in Copenhagen. She stressed that the EU strongly supports the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, but also expects Ukraine to continue with its reform course.

Groysman proposes high-level group on reform. “The success of Ukraine is a shared interest of all international stakeholders, which takes into account not only the economic aspect of cooperation, but also the security, Ukraine has already delivered predictable processes with a stronger economy,” Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said in Copenhagen. At the First Conference in London, the Government and international partners outlined a plan comprising five reforms, of which 4 have been actively implemented: reform of education, healthcare, the pension system, and privatization. He proposed creating a high-level group to assess the state of reforms and to further shape the action plan.

Norway considers investment in Ukraine’s energy sector. “We will continue to provide support for energy efficiency, reforms, our dialogue with Naftogaz, corporate governance … We are also looking at how we can expand this support,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide said at the second international Ukraine Reform Conference, held in Copenhagen. She added that Oslo would like to see more investment between Ukraine and Norway in both directions, stressing that depend on effective structural reforms, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

France’s Alstom targets Ukraine. The French producer of rolling stock and infrastructure solutions is to open an office in Kyiv shortly, its Managing Director for Western and Central Asia Bernard Peille told Interfax-Ukraine during the presentation of the first freight electric locomotive for Azerbaijan Railways in Astana (Kazakhstan). The company wants to cooperate with Ukrzaliznytsia. “Ukraine will need about 210 locomotives of four different types in the next five years….everything depends on financing, as well as on what percentage of localization is required," he added. Alstom is already seeking financing options.

Rolled steel market grows 10.9%. Ukrainian rolled steel producers boosted consumption by 10.9% y-o-y, to 1.842 million tonnes in January-May 2018 (1.661 million tonnes in January-May 2017). 545,800 tonnes of rolled products were imported, 29.6% of domestic consumption. The share of imported rolled steel grew 20.5% in the five months of 2018 amid an increase in consumption in the domestic market by 10.9% compared to January-May 2017,” according to Ukrmetprom Association. The main export markets for Ukrainian steel products in January-May 2018 were the European Union (34.8%), Africa (15.8%), other European countries, including Turkey (13.1%), the Middle East (11.4%).

Ukraine exports 39 million tons of grain crops. Ukraine exported 39 million tons of grain crops since the beginning of 2017/2018 marketing year, the press service of the Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry reports. This included: wheat - 17 million tons, corn - 17.6 million tons, barley - 4.2 million tons and rye - -36,800 tons, plus 412,400 tons of flour. In 2017 the grain harvest totaled 61.28 million tons, 4.7 million tons less than in 2016, Ukrinform reports.

President signs arms export, import by private companies. President Petro Poroshenko has signed a decree endorsing a decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to allow private companies to directly export and import arms, XINHUA report, According to Oleksandr Turchynov, the head of the NSDC, the decision is aimed at strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities and giving an impetus to the country's defense industry.

Exports to the UK up $25.7 million during the first four months of 2018 y-o-y, and amounted to $186.7 million. Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister Natalia Mykolska is leading a delegation of women entrepreneurs and exporters representing Ukraine for the first time at the international business event ‘SheTrades Global’ in Liverpool.

Chornobyl NPP announces tender for the removal of the old sarcophagus. The cost of procurement is estimated at UAH 4.29 billion including VAT; the amount of the security tender offers – UAH 2 million UAH. The works will be completed before the end of 2027. Bids are accepted until 23 July.

Ice cream production growing, exports up 23.1%. In January-May 2018 the production of ice cream in Ukraine increased by 1.7% y-o-y to 42,800 tonnes, and 2,900 tonnes were exported, a growth of 23.1%. Ice cream exports to the EU amounted to 232 tonnes, or 8% of the total export. Ice cream is exported from Ukraine to more than 50 countries. Over the past three years, ice cream consumption in Ukraine has increased whilst consumption per capita still remains level, Interfax-Ukraine reports.