- US President Donald Trump called an unscheduled session of NATO on July 11. Sources said the special meeting involved talks about defense spending. Trump has urged NATO members to up spending from 2 percent of their GDPs to 4 percent.
- The special anti-corruption prosecutor’s office said it closed an ongoing embezzlement case against Interior Minister Arsen Avakov’s son Oleksandr Avakov and the minister’s ex-deputy Serhiy Chebotar. Off-the-record sources said that Nazar Kholodnytsky, the head prosecutor, may have cut a deal with Avakov–he dropped the case to keep his job.
- Under pressure from the IMF, the Verkhovna Rada passed an amendment to the anti-corruption court law, providing for all ongoing NABU cases to be transferred to the anti-corruption court. Some still suspect foul play
- Is this loading? Ukraine’s ranking in the Worldwide Broadband Speed League slid four places to 58th out of 200 countries, about equal to Greece and Cyprus.
- Speaking at a NATO summit, Poroshenko emphasized Ukraine’s ambitions to join the bloc, touting Ukraine’s ongoing defense reforms.
- And two thirds of Ukrainians may soon be without clean drinking water, as the only Ukrainian chlorine factory halted production last month.
Want us to send the free Daily Digest to your email every morning? Sign up here:
