Pope Francis, sensing he is close to death, moves to protect his legacy

The battle to succeed Pope Francis is likely to be highly politicized, particularly given the pontiff’s recent clash with Catholic U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

Europeโ€™s leaders find no quick response to Trumpโ€™s bombshell on Ukraine

Top European leaders could not find common ground on issues including sending peacekeepers in Ukraine.

Parliamentโ€™s right-wing majority puts EU ethics body in the crosshairs

Lawmakers claim right-wing coalition is using procedural tricks to “obstruct” implementation.

Germanyโ€™s Scholz: Itโ€™s โ€˜inappropriateโ€™ to discuss sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine

Ukraine doesn’t have to accept whatever peace plan Russia and the United States present, Scholz added.

British MPs already want a vote on sending troops to Ukraine

Labour MPs โ€” and opposition lawmakers too โ€” are asking for a parliamentary say on any British escalation.

Pacte vert : le revirement de Macron indigne ses alliรฉs

Lโ€™offensive antirรฉglementation du prรฉsident a semรฉ le doute sur son hรฉritage ร  matiรจre dโ€™รฉcologie et suscitรฉ la colรจre de nombreux membres de son propre parti.

Poland to Europe: Donโ€™t play games with Trump, spend more on defense

The Polish PM is adamant that Europe must not break ties with the U.S.

Macron and Trump have โ€˜frank conversationโ€™ minutes before European meeting on Ukraine

The call came before the French president welcomed a group of European leaders in Paris.

X challenges German court decision that forces it to share election data

Elon Muskโ€™s X has challenged a German court decision that instructed the platform to share data with researchers, the court confirmed to POLITICO. In an urgent injunction, the Berlin Regional Court last Thursday instructed X to share real-time access to the data on the upcoming German elections via its online interface until Feb. 25.ย  The [โ€ฆ]

UKโ€™s Starmer to meet Trump next week

Prime minister heads to Washington to meet with US president as European capitals fret over Ukraine’s future.

Looser state aid rules aim to stoke clean tech demand

A European Commission draft sets out ways for governments to subsidize and boost clean-tech investments.

Zelenskyy: I want to show Trumpโ€™s Ukraine-Russia envoy the front line

Keith Kellogg will be in Ukraine for two days this week.

Ukraine will not participate in Russia-US talks, Zelenskyy says from UAE

The Ukrainian leader said he will be in Turkey while Russia and the US speak in Riyadh.

EU top brass plans Kyiv visit amid US-Russia talks

The trip will take place in a show of solidarity as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine hits the three-year mark, one EU official said.

โ€˜Freezingโ€™ Ukraine war would allow Russia to threaten NATO, Latvian intelligence warns

Pausing hostilities, which U.S. President Trump has vowed to do, would free up Kremlin resources to threaten countries across the alliance, the report says.

Le gouvernement valide le maintien du tarif rรฉgulรฉ de lโ€™รฉlectricitรฉ

PARIS โ€” Comme la Commission de rรฉgulation de lโ€™รฉnergie (CRE), le gouvernement veut maintenir les tarifs rรฉgulรฉs de lโ€™รฉlectricitรฉ, et en a informรฉ Bruxelles. Ces tarifs, qui sont lissรฉs sur deux ans, jouent un rรดle โ€œdโ€™amortisseurโ€, en particulier lorsque les prix de lโ€™รฉnergie sโ€™envolent, et participent ร  โ€œlโ€™objectif dโ€™intรฉrรชt รฉconomique gรฉnรฉral de stabilitรฉ des prixโ€, [โ€ฆ]

Germanyโ€™s Merz again rules out coalition with far right, but opens door to center-left parties

Signaling a pivot, Germany’s likely next chancellor suggested he’d consider governing with the center left โ€” but not the AfD or the liberals.

Marco Rubio arrives in Riyadh, Zelenskyy jets into UAE, as Ukraine talks expected to begin

U.S. secretary of state lands in Saudi Arabia as EU leaders prepare for crisis summit in Paris.

Can Starmer save Ukraine?

Sky Newsโ€™ deputy political editor Sam Coates and Politicoโ€™s Anne McElvoy look at the day ahead in British politics. Although itโ€™s recess, Sam and Anne explain why this week could be a major moment in British politics as they discuss whether the transatlantic alliance has collapsed. Anne shares her insider analysis from the Munich Security [โ€ฆ]

Stรฉphane Sรฉjournรฉ, en mission pour le nuclรฉaire au sommet de lโ€™Europe

Les difficultรฉs politiques et รฉconomiques de l’Allemagne sont une bonne occasion de marquer des points ร  Bruxelles en matiรจre nuclรฉaire, estiment ses partisans.

Stรฉphane Sรฉjournรฉ is on a nuclear mission as EU industry chief

With Germany embroiled in political and economic difficulties, nuclear advocates see an opportunity to score points in Brussels.

Die Quadrell-Analyse: Merz lรคchelt, Scholz wรผtet

โ€“ Erstmals Viererrunde vor der Wahl: Wie das Quadrell lief. โ€“ Gipfel nach der Sicherheitskonferenz: Zu welchen Lรถsungen die EU-Regierungschefs heute in Paris kommen kรถnnten, damit die USA und Russland nicht ohne sie รผber die Ukraine verhandeln. โ€“ Im 200-Sekunden-Interview: Franziska Brantner. Die Co-Chefin der Grรผnen zu den europรคischen Perspektiven fรผr die Ukraine, deutschen Friedenstruppen [โ€ฆ]

Angry farmers push Poland away from Ukraine

After nearly three years of war in Ukraine, protests by Polish farmers are opening up social and political fractures in a once-unshakeable alliance.

How von der Leyen blindsided Brussels with her deregulation drive

The Commission president is pushing a sweeping, rapid and centralized agenda to โ€œsimplifyโ€ EU rules โ€” and not everyone in Brussels is thrilled.

Macronโ€™s U-turn against EU green rules triggers internal revolt

The French president’s anti-regulation push has thrown his environmental legacy into doubt and angered many in his own party.

Germanyโ€™s labor market โ€” long the envy of Europe โ€” is losing its shine

For the first time in a decade, the number of unemployed is closing in on 3 million โ€” and there’s more to come.

Victims of international crimes need justice โ€” and the ICC

We call on the EUโ€™s member countries and institutions to be the voice of human dignity globally, and to mobilize, defend and support the court.

The fight for Europe is on

At a time of intensifying great power competition, the EU has to choose between becoming a satrap of the U.S. or breaking free to steer its own course โ€” and it must decide quickly.

UK โ€˜readyโ€™ to send peace-keepers to Ukraine, PM Starmer says

Ahead of a crunch meeting in Paris on Monday, the U.K. leader commits to putting British troops in harm’s way to secure lasting peace.

Rubio says talks in Saudi Arabia meant to be opening step toward peace

โ€œOne phone call does not make peace,โ€ the secretary of State said.

Putin likely to strike NATO nations next, Ukraine leader warns

The Ukrainian president says he wonโ€™t accept a peace agreement if his country is iced out of talks.

US and Israel have common strategy on Gaza, Netanyahu says

Israeli leader declares “full cooperation and coordination” with Washington as Marco Rubio starts Mideast tour.

As US recedes, NATO scrambles to find a new leader

The Brits, French, and Germans all have their own ideas about how to defend the continent with Americaโ€™s plans in flux.ย 

The US said Ukraine would meet with Russia to discuss peace. That was news to Kyiv.

โ€œI do not know what it is,โ€ said Ukraineโ€™s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

France confirms emergency European summit Monday in Paris

The “main European countries” will discuss the continent’s security, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noรซl Barrot said.

UKโ€™s Starmer to attend emergency European summit in Paris

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noรซl Barrot said the “main European countries” would meet on Monday to discuss European security.

Sicherheitskonferenz: Scholz reagiert auf Vance und die Ukraine im Fokus

โ€” Reaktionen auf JD Vance: Olaf Scholz setzt einen Kontrapunkt. โ€” Im 200-Sekunden-Interview: Annalena Baerbock zu den notwendigen Weichenstellungen, um รผber der Zukunft fรผr die Ukraine mitsprechen und entscheiden zu kรถnnen. โ€” Talk mit dem Kanzleramtsminister: Wolfgang Schmidt im Gesprรคch mit Gordon Repinski im POLITICO Pub auf der Sicherheitskonferenz in Mรผnchen. Das Berlin Playbook als [โ€ฆ]

Trump team to start Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Saudi Arabia

Negotiators from Kyiv will be joining the talks that launch in the coming days.

Senator Warner: Democratsโ€™ โ€˜brand is really badโ€™

Ideological purity and cultural disconnect cost the party the last election.

Vanceโ€™s week of waging war on EU tech law

The U.S. vice president attacked Europe’s regulations governing American Big Tech giants and online speech.

Macron calls emergency European summit on Trump, Polish minister says

It was not immediately clear which European leaders would be invited to the emergency meeting.

ล efฤoviฤ to visit Washington as trade war looms

The European Commission is trying to head off a transatlantic trade conflict.

Scholz calls for reform of German debt brake right after election

The chancellor, who is trailing in the polls ahead of the Feb. 23 snap election, expressed confidence that Germany will have a parliamentary majority to loosen the debt brake.

Rutte: NATO spending target will be โ€˜considerably more than 3 percentโ€™

“The U.S. is rightly asking for a rebalancing of that,” said Rutte. “It’s totally logical.”

Graham: Ukraine should automatically join NATO if Russia invades again

Republican senator says US should continue to send weapons to Ukraine.

Sicherheitskonferenz: Was ist die Antwort auf Trump und Vance?

โ€“ JD Vance: Auf der Bรผhne konfrontativ, in Hintergrundgesprรคchen diplomatisch. Was vom Auftritt des US-Vizeprรคsidenten am ersten Tag der Sicherheitskonferenz bleibt. โ€“ Jens Spahn im POLITICO Pub im Gesprรคch, wie die deutsche und europรคische Politik der Regierung Trump gegenรผbertreten sollte und welche Mรถglichkeiten Friedrich Merz hat, sollte er wirklich Kanzler werden.ย  Das Berlin Playbook als [โ€ฆ]

Republicans struggle with unified response to Trumpโ€™s plan for Ukraine peace talks

Lawmakersโ€™ reactions underscore the challenge Republicans face as they try to make sense of the administrationโ€™s efforts to end the Ukraine war.

Scholz slams Vanceโ€™s support for far right as โ€˜interferenceโ€™ by โ€˜outsidersโ€™

‘We will decide for ourselves what happens to our democracy,’ German chancellor tells the U.S.

Trump asks Zelenskyy for half of Ukraineโ€™s rare earths: NBC News

U.S. officials told NBC that handing over half of its valuable minerals would be a way for Kyiv to reimburse the U.S. for the billions of dollars in weapons and support.

Zelenskyy: โ€˜The time has comeโ€™ for a European army

Despite talk of a peace agreement, Russia is continuing to wage war against Ukraine.

Ukraine probably canโ€™t survive without US help, Zelenskyy says

The grim prognosis comes as the conflict appears to be entering a new phase.

The downfall of the World Trade Organization

What we see before us now is a dysfunctional and paralyzed colossus. And itโ€™s time to reevaluate this institution, which is no longer fit for purpose.

Is this the end of NATO?

โ€œWeโ€™ve now got an alliance between a Russian president who wants to destroy Europe and an American president who also wants to destroy Europe,” one diplomat said.

Ukraine could become the EUโ€™s โ€˜Afghanistan,โ€™ Viktor Orbรกn claims

The Hungarian leader repeated Kremlin talking points in an interview with Tucker Carlson.

Meloni: Russia โ€˜offended the entire Italian nationโ€™ by rejecting Third Reich comparison

The Italian prime minister stood by her presidentโ€™s comparison of Russia to Nazi Germany.

JD Vance meets with leader of far-right German political party backed by Musk

The vice president met with the leaders of all four major German political parties โ€” including Alice Weidel, leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany.

American citizen arrested in Russia for weed gummies, state media says

He is the latest in a long string of U.S. citizens detained by Moscow on drug charges.

Vance brings a wrecking ball to diplomatic gathering in Munich

The U.S. vice president roasted the continent’s way of governing itself.

US Democrats slam Vance Munich speech as โ€˜hypocrisyโ€™

The U.S. vice president’s admonition of Europeโ€™s policies splits American lawmakers.

Zelenskyy: Trump told me Putin wants to end the war. I told him Putin is a liar.

“I donโ€™t want to go [down] in history as [the] president who helped Putin to occupy my country,โ€ says Ukrainian leader.

Boris Johnson: Europe acting like โ€˜headless chickensโ€™ on Ukraine

Former prime minister โ€” who has lobbied Donald Trump to back Ukraine โ€” says European nations should ‘man up and step up’ by increasing defense spending.

Latvia moves to ban tourist trips to Russia, Belarus

Riga wants to reduce the risks of human rights violations of Latvian citizens in those countries, and prevent their recruitment as spies.

JD Vance attacks Europe over migration, free speech

JD Vance stunned the audience with his broadside on the way Europe is run.

Von der Leyen demands trigger of emergency clause to massively boost defense spending

European Commission president announces plan at Munich Security Conference.

German defense minister blasts Trumpโ€™s โ€˜clumsyโ€™ Ukraine negotiating play

Boris Pistorius said it would have been better to talk about Kyivโ€™s NATO membership and territory โ€œat the negotiating table.โ€

American troops in Europe are not โ€˜forever,โ€™ US defense chief warns

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has a “stark” message for European allies.

German prosecutors confirm Islamic extremism in Munich attack, stoking election debate

A suspected Islamist attack in Munich has ignited fierce political debate on security and migration just over a week before Germanyโ€™s federal election.

Britain dances to JD Vanceโ€™s tune as it recasts AI security institute

After the U.S. VP blasted โ€œhand-wringing about safety,โ€ Britainโ€™s safety institute gets a new look. References to AI creating โ€œunequal outcomesโ€ are out.

Musk will face consequences for interfering in German election, says front-runner Merz

The next German government’s response could be political, legal, or possibly target Musk’s gigafactory near Berlin, center-right leader says in interview.

Putin is capable of attacking NATO country โ€˜next year,โ€™ Zelenskyy warns

Ukrainian leader implores the West to “stop this crazy guy.”

Senior Republican senator โ€˜puzzled and disturbedโ€™ by Hegsethโ€™s Ukraine remarks

Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker is breaking with the line from the Trump White House.

EU warns of โ€˜immediateโ€™ retaliation against Trumpโ€™s reciprocal tariffs

Brussels has strengthened its trade defense arsenal since a skirmish in U.S. President Donald Trumpโ€™s first term.

โ€˜Hallelujahโ€™: Orbรกn predicts Trump-Putin talks will โ€˜reintegrateโ€™ Russia into Europe

“That’s what we’ve been waiting for,” Hungarian prime minister says.

Trumpโ€™s return is an โ€˜electroshockโ€™ for Europe, says Macron

Europe needs a change of mindset on the economy and defense, Macron tells the Financial Times.

Killer Russian drone strikes Chernobyl nuclear reactor cover, Ukraine says

“Radiation levels inside and outside remain normal and stable,” says International Atomic Energy Agency.

Security is the new safety

SNEAK PEEK โ€”ย ย The U.K. AISI drops โ€œsafetyโ€ for โ€œsecurityโ€ as it rebrands for the Trump era. โ€”ย DSIT and Anthropic ink a new partnership. โ€”ย Whatโ€™s happened to the porn review? Good morning and happy Friday, This is Tom, unable to find where Iโ€™ve hidden my wifeโ€™s Valentineโ€™s card. You can get in touch with your news, [โ€ฆ]

IA et tรฉlรฉcoms : itโ€™s a match!

AU MENU โ€” Le deal gagnant-gagnant des opรฉrateurs tรฉlรฉcoms avec des IA gรฉnรฉratives. โ€” Les datacenters ont les yeux plus gros que le ventre, selon RTE. โ€” Protection des donnรฉes : la CNIL se rode face aux modรจles dโ€™IA, avec Mistral pour cas pratique. Bonjour ร  toutes et ร  tous, nous sommes vendredi 14 fรฉvrier. [โ€ฆ]

Criminals use AI chatbots too

SNEAK PEEK โ€” Criminals use AI chatbots to commit fraud, Europolโ€™s chief AI officer warns. โ€” The U.K. switches from โ€˜AI safety to โ€˜AI security.โ€™ โ€” The Munich Security Conference is working hard to make killer AI cool. Good morning and welcome to Morning Tech. This is Pieter. #TGIF (unless youโ€™re in Munich, then the [โ€ฆ]

Ein Spaziergang mit dem Bundeskanzler

Die aktuellen Umfragen sprechen eine klare Sprache: Es kรถnnte eng werden fรผr Olaf Scholz. Wie blickt er selbst auf seine Zukunft als Kanzler? Was passiert, wenn Friedrich Merz und die Union stรคrkste Kraft werden? In diesem Gesprรคch gibt Scholz Einblicke in seine Strategie, spricht รผber die zerbrochene Koalition, die wirtschaftlichen Herausforderungen und die zunehmende politische [โ€ฆ]

Les 30 couples de pouvoir les plus influents en 2025

A lโ€™occasion de la Saint-Valentin, POLITICO a listรฉ les couples les plus influents de lโ€™annรฉe.

Trump triggers Western anger over โ€˜appeasementโ€™ talks with Putinย 

EU and British politicians warn America against caving to the Kremlin’s demands on Ukraine. ย 

Brussels power couples โ€”ย 2025 edition

Love is in the air in the halls of power.

The EUโ€™s strategy to counter Trumpโ€™s tariffs: An iron fist in a velvet glove

Brussels has strengthened its trade toolkit since Donald Trumpโ€™s first term. But it would need the broad support of EU countries to strike back hard.

Russia should rejoin G7, Trump says

Moscow never would have invaded Ukraine if it still had a seat at the table, the president insisted.

Trump sets out process for imposing global reciprocal tariffs

The president tasked top Cabinet officials to study the matter further before deciding on specifics.

Kremlin: Ukraine can be part of peace talks โ€” but main players will be US and Russia

โ€œOur main counterpart in this process is Washington,โ€ Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

Europe lacks a master plan for Donald Trumpโ€™s new world disorder

There is a “mix of fear and denial,” according to one European official who spoke to POLITICO.

US reins in demands on Ukraine amid alliesโ€™ outcries

โ€œEverything is on the table,โ€ the Defense secretary said with no mention of concessions he demanded the day before.

Qatar plans to rein in future French investments amid โ€˜witch huntโ€™ into PSG boss

Nasser al-Khelaรฏfi is under formal investigation again, but Paris denies that has affected Doha’s plans in France.

Trumpโ€™s Ukraine bombshell puts British support to the test

Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to be a โ€œsteadfastโ€ backer of Ukraine. But Britain is cash-strapped and struggling to build links.

โ€˜We will soon be nextโ€™: German leaders sound alarm on Trumpโ€™s Ukraine plan

Berlin wants more robust military spending following a bombshell move by the Trump administration to negotiate a peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Karim Bouamrane : lโ€™ambition derriรจre la com

Le mรฉdiatique maire de Saint-Ouen rรชve dโ€™un rรดle national, et peine ร  sโ€™en cacher.

RFK Jr. now runs Americaโ€™s health agencies

The United States Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a 52-48 vote Thursday to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. He will be sworn in later today.

JD Vance snubs Germanyโ€™s Scholz at Munich Security Conference

โ€œWe donโ€™t need to see him, he wonโ€™t be chancellor long,โ€ a former U.S. official said of Vance’s thinking.

Court says European Parliament must release confidential harassment reports

New judgement sets a precedent for greater transparency in future cases

Trump kept Germanyโ€™s Scholz in the dark about his Ukraine peace plan

Based on talks with Trump, Scholz had expected Washington to continue its support for Kyiv, he told POLITICO

Von der Leyen aide held secret talks with Trump team amid trade war

Bjoern Seibert visited Washington ahead of high-level contacts between the Commission president and J.D. Vance.