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.

The death of NATO? Europe in crisis over Trump-Putin talks

European leaders are meeting in Paris for an emergency summit on Ukraine, following last weekโ€™s call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. With NATOโ€™s most powerful member sidelining its allies in talks with Russia, is the U.S. still a reliable par…

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]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Rally against Germany’s resurgent far right draws thousands in Berlin

One week out from Germany’s general election, tens of thousands of people gathered in Berlin to protest the growing support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. A quarter of a million people joined a similar rally in Munich last week…

John Major: Trumpโ€™s US isolationism threatens global democracy

Former UK prime minister says US may regret ceding world stage to China and condemns โ€˜hypocriticalโ€™ JD Vance speechDemocracy around the globe is under threat from the retreat of Donald Trumpโ€™s US into isolationism and its likely replacement by China on…

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 

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.

Germanyโ€™s Merz โ€˜openโ€™ to more defence spending

The election frontrunner said he would consider a “debate on resources” as Germany and Europe scramble to find more cash for defence.

JD Vanceโ€™s Munich speech laid bare the collapse of the transatlantic alliance

The US vice-president was hypocritical and insensitive, but bracingly clear in his resetting of relationshipsโ€ข Europe live โ€“ latest updatesSince 1963, the Munich Security Conference has seen many consequential speeches, notably Vladimir Putin announcin…

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.

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.

Ukraine could ‘drive out’ Putin if US armed Ukraine ‘to the teeth’, allowed attacks deep into Russia

European leaders are trying to make sense of a tough new line from Washington on issues including democracy and Ukraine’s future. As the Trump administration continues to upend trans-Atlantic conventions that have been in place since after World War I…

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.

Trump and Vance are courting Europeโ€™s far right to spread their political gospel

US vice-presidentโ€™s speech and meeting with Germanyโ€™s AfD chief signal administrationโ€™s wider plans for continentThe Trump administration is making a big bet on Europeโ€™s hard right.Speaking at a conference of Europeโ€™s leaders in Munich on Friday, the U…

โ€˜I fear free speech is in retreat,โ€™ JD Vance rebukes Europeโ€™s leaders โ€“ video

In a chastising speech on Friday that openly questioned whether current European values warranted defence by the US, the US vice-president painted a picture of European politics infected by media censorship, cancelled elections and political correctnes…

Vance meets with leader of Germany’s far-right AfD, attacks Europe over free speech and democracy

US Vice President JD Vanceย on Friday met with Alice Weidel, leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany party,ย on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, his office said.ย News of the meeting came after top German officials pushed back aga…

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.

Vance brings a wrecking ball to diplomatic gathering in Munich

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

โ€˜Thought crimeโ€™ and cancelled elections: how do JD Vanceโ€™s claims about Europe stand up?

US vice-president told litany of tales of Europeโ€™s rights infringements in speech to leaders at defence gatheringJD Vance stuns Munich conference with blistering attack on Europeโ€™s leadersIn JD Vanceโ€™s confrontational and pugnacious speech at the Munic…

New Geo-Political Challenges and the Past and Future of EU-Greenland Relations

  

Ulla Neergaard, Professor of EU Law, University of Copenhagen

Photo credit: Gordon Leggett, via Wikimedia Commons 

 

*This contribution draws upon Ulla
Neergaardโ€™s forthcoming work, โ€œโ€˜Eurarcticโ€™: Colonialism and EU-Greenland…

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

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

Munich car attack believed to have had Islamist motive, says prosecutor

Gabriele Tilmann says suspectโ€™s online communications point to extremism but investigators have found no links to jihadist groupsGerman police and prosecutors have said the Afghan suspect in a car ramming in central Munich that injured at least 36 peop…

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.

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.

I met the โ€˜godfathers of AIโ€™ in Paris โ€“ hereโ€™s what they told me to really worry about | Alexander Hurst

Experts are split between concerns about future threats and present dangers. Both camps issued dire warningsI was a technophile in my early teenage days, sometimes wishing that I had been born in 2090, rather than 1990, so that I could see all the incr…

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.

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.

The dark side of AI innovation is supercharging disinformation and damaging democracy

Misinformation and disinformation have always existed, but technological advancements have accelerated their impact. This Special Report looks at how AI misuse is damaging democracy.

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

Press release – MEPs: Georgiaโ€™s self-proclaimed authorities have no legitimacy

MEPs call on the international community to join the boycott of Georgiaโ€™s self-proclaimed authorities, who they accuse of eroding the countryโ€™s democracy and cracking down on dissents.Committee on Foreign Affairs Source : ยฉ European Union, 2025 – EP

Starlink looks pale in comparison with what Europeans can get

SNEAK PEEK โ€” Has Elon Muskโ€™s Starlink got a shot in Europe? Not really. โ€” The withdrawal of the EUโ€™s AI liability rules has fans and critics. โ€”ย Thereโ€™s a new report about the price tag of the Eurostack. Good morning and welcome to Morning Tech. Hi, this is Pieter, back in Brussels after frantic days [โ€ฆ]

โ€˜There is fear of what lies aheadโ€™: Germans divided as snap election looms

Voters share which party they are backing on key issues from immigration to economic stagnation amid a fractured political landscapeโ€œI live in Germanyโ€™s oldest city, founded by the Romans over 2,000 years ago,โ€ said Gregor, 59, from Trier, a town of ab…

JD Vance and Germanyโ€™s likely next chancellor to discuss Ukraine, trade

Friedrich Merz has pledged to take a leading role in uniting the continent in its response to U.S. President Donald Trump.

The EU must not be a โ€˜dwarfโ€™ in Washington, says Germanyโ€™s likely next chancellor

The bloc has to get tougher in the age of Donald Trump, argues Friedrich Merz.

How to watch the German election like a pro

Germany’s election will be a gauge of how far the world’s third biggest economy has swung to the right.

Ally or threat? Paris summit weighs AI’s impact on democracy

Drawing world leaders, top tech executives and policymakers from across the globe โ€“ the AI summit in Paris aims to lay the groundwork on how to govern the budding sector. But during a roundtable discussionย onย how to use AI and uphold democratic princi…

Von der Leyen labels Trumpโ€™s VP an ally after first meeting

First high-level meeting with Trump official strikes surprisingly positive note after he slapped tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Macron says โ€˜itโ€™s normalโ€™ Musk skipped AI summit in Paris

The French president said the tech mogul’s absence was due to his new role assisting the Trump administration.

‘AfD becoming strong in German Parliament: Increasingly difficult to form coalitions excluding them’

In the lead-up to Germany’s Parliamentary Elections, centre-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz accused his conservative election arch rival Friedrich Merz of planning an immigration crackdown that would “bury Europe”. For in-depth analysis and a deeper persp…

German frontrunner Merz will take EU โ€˜to its grave,โ€™ says Scholz

Country’s role in Europe gets a surprise central focus in election campaign.

Germanyโ€™s far-left party sees membership surge before election

The Left’s boost in numbers fuels hope of clearing the 5 percent threshold to enter the Bundestag.

Inside the divided coalition coming for the Green Deal

Intentionally or not, concerned businesses, the ascendant far right and traditional conservatives are coming together to rewrite green rules.

Riding out the Trump tiger until heโ€™s exhausted

How should one handle the 47th U.S. president? Kiss the ring, resist, offer deals and wait for exhaustion to set in.

As Trump torches overseas aid, will Britain step up?

Britain used to lead the world on international development. But in the era of right-wing populists, its Labour government is now treading carefully.

Macron picks close ally to lead court that could decide Le Penโ€™s fate

Richard Ferrand’s appointment drew criticism even before being made official.

The 9 AI power players at the Paris AI Action Summit

Academics can be as influential as tech bros in swaying policymakers to both invest in and set guardrails for the powerful technology.

Moldovaโ€™s Russia-backed breakaway region strikes deal to end energy crisis

Separatist leaders said they will take a Russian loan to pay for supplies despite an EU aid offer.

5 times politicians were humiliated by WhatsApp leaks

Numerous UK politicos have found their group chats getting two ticks โ€” from the entire British public.

Romaniaโ€™s Klaus Iohannis announces heโ€™ll resign as president

Longtime leader heads for the exit amid political turmoil in Bucharest.

Kosovo’s incumbent party set to win most seats in parliamentary election

Kosovo’s electoral commission announced that Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s ruling party was on track to win 41% of the vote, leaving it ahead but without a majority government, which could lead to coalition talks.

Britain ditches AI declaration, pitches for cash

SNEAK PEEK โ€” As the AI Action Summit kicks off, the U.K. is tempted against signing its main declaration. โ€” Peter Kyle takes his investment pitch to Paris. โ€” Back at home, thereโ€™s a backlash against the Home Office over encryption. Good Monday morning, This is Tom in Paris. You can get in touch with [โ€ฆ]

Exit polls show incumbent PM Albin Kurti’s party in lead in Kosovo legislative elections

Kosovans headed to the polls against a backdrop of a stagnant economy and renewed ethnic tensions but the Central Election Commission says turnout was low.

Von der Leyen to host CEOs after unveiling EUโ€™s economic plan

Leaders from the bloc’s biggest companies will convene in Antwerp for the Feb. 26 event.

Suggestions for U.S. success in the Middle East

An aide-mรฉmoire to Secretary of State Marco Rubio from a former adviser to Tony Blair.

โ€‹โ€‹Justin Trudeauโ€™s not the only Canadian pushing for a UK trade deal

Pierre Poilievre โ€” frontrunner to be the next Canadian PM โ€” is also on board with push to reboot stalled talks amid Trump’s trade war.

Kosovo PM Albin Kurti wins election amid tensions with Brussels and Washington

His ruling party fell short of a majority and will need to find a coalition partner if it hopes to continue in power.

Kosovo’s PM party leads in parliamentary polls, may fall of majority

In Kosovo’s parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s ruling party led with the most seats but faced uncertainty in forming a majority. The election highlighted Kurti’s anti-Serbian agenda against the opposition’s economic promises. Withou…

Merz and Scholz clash on migration, economy and Trump: โ€˜How dumb can somebody be?โ€™

Center-right and center-left chancellor candidates clashed in a fiery debate, exposing deep divisions just weeks ahead of a national election.

The โ€˜Gaza-ificationโ€™ of the West Bank

With a cease-fire holding in Gaza, Israel shifts its war to the West Bank.

Parliamentary elections in Kosovo: ‘Key issue is relationship with Serbia’

Polls opened in Kosovo on Sunday after a combative election campaign in which opposition candidates clashed with Prime Minister Albin Kurti over the economy, corruption and relations with the country’s old foe and neighbour Serbia. “As ever, with Koso…

As Trump steamrolls Washington, courts flex their power to slow him down

Numerous federal district judges around the country have blocked major portions of Trumpโ€™s early agenda โ€” but Supreme Court showdowns loom.

Kosovo votes in parliamentary elections amid tensions with Serbia

Voters began casting ballots in Kosovo elections Sunday in a contest that pits combative incumbent Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s quest to stamp out Serbian influence against a fractured opposition’s vow to boost the economy. Condemned by the EU and the…

Super Bowl: The NFL team Trump loves to hate

The president has left a breadcrumb trail suggesting nothing would make him happier than to see the Eagles get slaughtered in the Super Bowl.

Kosovo votes in legislative elections seen as key test for PM Kurti

Kosovars cast their votes Sunday in a parliamentary election considered a key test for Prime Minister Albin Kurti as talks on normalising ties with rival Serbia remain stalled and foreign funding for one of Europe’s poorest countries in question.

Hundreds of thousands protest far right in Germany

Moreย thanย 200,000ย protestersย ralliedย inย Munich,ย Germany,ย onย Saturdayย againstย far-rightย extremismย aheadย ofย theย country’sย generalย election. Theย far-right,ย anti-immigrantย Alternativeย forย Germany,ย orย AfD,ย isย inย secondย placeย inย recentย pollsย andย hasย prompte…

EU far-right parties rally in Madrid behind slogan ‘Make Europe Great Again’

After last year’s European Parliament elections, in which far-right parties performed strongly in several countries, a rally Saturday in Madrid was a meant as a show of force by the EU parliament’s biggest far-right bloc. The rally adopted the slogan …

Kosovo goes to the polls as the shadow of Trump looms large

Fears of partition that arose during Trumpโ€™s first administration have re-emerged as PM Albin Kurti navigates tense relations with both US and EUKosovo goes to the polls on Sunday in an election that could mark a crossroads in the young countryโ€™s hist…

Kosovo votes in parliamentary elections clouded by tensions with Serbia

Kosovars are voting Sunday in parliamentary elections that could determine who will lead the Kosovo side in negotiations with Serbia, which stalled last year. Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s party campaigned on a tough line with Serbia while the oppositi…

Looking at Trump, Europeโ€™s far right vows to โ€˜reconquerโ€™ the continent

โ€œOur friend Trump, the Trump tornado, has changed the world in just a couple of weeks,โ€ Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbรกn tells far-right rally in Madrid.

Merzโ€™s gamble: Germanyโ€™s centre-right leader splits voters by flirting with hardline AfD

Would be chancellor Friederich Merz breaks post-war convention of no political deals with far rightOn a foggy, frigid morning in Saxony, far-right MP Renรฉ Bochmann could not believe his partyโ€™s luck in the final days of the German election campaign, wi…