The European Commission approved on Friday 30 November the release of the first tranche of €500 million of the €1 billion macro-financial assistance programme for Ukraine approved in mid-September (see EUROPE 12096).
"This disbursement comes at a crucial moment when Ukraine and its people are facing renewed aggression from Russia", said Euro Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, referring to the current tensions in the Sea of Azov (see EUROPE 12149).
The Commission considers that the...