Extension of martial law, reduced tranche from the EU. Main news for July 25

The Security Service and National Police uncovered the leadership of two district administrations in Lviv for embezzlement of budget funds allocated for the elimination of the consequences of enemy strikes on the city. This was reported by 'Glavkom' citing the press service of the SBU and the Office of the Prosecutor General. According to the investigation, the head of the Frankivsk district administration Halyna Sharko and Halyna Hladyak – the head of the Halych district administration received suspicion. Additionally, the director of the municipal contracting enterprise of the Lviv City Council has also been implicated.

According to glavcom.ua: President Volodymyr Zelensky signed laws extending the martial law and mobilization until November 5, 2025. The parliament's website notes that law No. 13471 'On extending the martial law in Ukraine' and No. 13472 'On extending the general mobilization' have been returned with the president's signature. Martial law has been in effect in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, due to the full-scale military aggression of the Russian Federation.

Ukraine will receive a reduced tranche from the EU due to the lack of certain reforms

Ukraine has not completed the necessary reforms to receive the fourth tranche of funding under the Ukraine Facility program. Kyiv completed 13 out of 16 planned steps that were required for the next payment. According to European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mered, the European Commission recognized 13 reforms as completed and recommends that the EU Council transfer 3.05 billion euros to Ukraine as the fourth tranche under the Ukraine Facility program. According to the requirements, Ukraine was supposed to fulfill 16 control indicators by the end of March 2025. Of the three remaining unfinished reforms, one concerns decentralization, another deals with updating the legislation on ARMA, and the third pertains to the procedure for selecting judges for the High Anti-Corruption Court. This has jeopardized EU funding of up to 1.5 billion euros.

Ukraine has extended martial law and mobilization until November 2025, uncovered financial violations in Lviv, but the city government still needs to work on reforms to receive the full tranche from the EU.