Conviction of Marine Le Pen, new aid from the West. The main news for March 31.

The Paris court convicted Marine Le Pen of embezzling state funds and prohibited her from running for office.

The court decided on a two-year conditional imprisonment for Le Pen and two years of house arrest with an electronic bracelet. She is also barred from running for the European Parliament and any public office for the next five years.

A total of nine Members of the European Parliament, including Le Pen, were found guilty of misappropriating funds meant for their party assistants.

Ukraine received $400 million in the latest tranche from the IMF.

This money has gone to the state budget following a successful review of the EFF program.

Overall, the IMF has provided Ukraine with over $10 billion in support.

Let us remind you that the IMF Executive Board approved a four-year program for Ukraine with $15.5 billion in funding. This program is part of a support package worth about $148.8 billion for the period from 2023 to 2027.

The Anti-Corruption Court reduced the bail for the former head of the Khmelnytsky MSC

The appellate chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court overturned the first instance court's decision regarding the amount of bail for Tetiana Krupi.

Now the bail for the former head of the Khmelnytsky MSC is set at 130 million UAH, after the VAKS previously reduced it to 230 million UAH.

Putin signed a decree for the spring draft

Vladimir Putin signed a decree for the conscription of Russians aged 18 to 30.

The conscription will last from April 1 to June 15 and aims to replenish the Russian army by 160,000 personnel.

Military personnel whose service term has expired will also be discharged.

Last year, 133,000 recruits were sent to the Russian army during the autumn draft, and this spring draft will involve 150,000 individuals.

Ukraine receives the largest aid from Sweden

Sweden is providing Ukraine with the largest aid package of 16 billion kronor (1.6 billion dollars).

Most of this money will be spent on military equipment that Ukraine will purchase under the leadership of the Swedish Agency.

The package also includes support for the Ukrainian air defense, artillery, satellite communications, and the naval fleet.

5 billion kronor is provided through various multilateral initiatives, including the Contact Group on the Defense of Ukraine. Over 0.5 billion kronor is donations from the Swedish armed forces.