Czech populist Babiลก sets sights on EU green rules
Government coalition program says EU Green Deal “is unsustainable in its current form.”
๐ช๐ช Estonia
Ukraine war briefing: Russian attacks on substations are โnuclear terrorismโ, says Ukraine
Ukrainian foreign ministry says deliberate strikes on civilian energy facilities violate international law as fears of a winter crisis grow. What we know on day 1,347Ukraineโs foreign ministry has denounced what it described as Russian attacks on subst…
‘We can’t fill the void that America is leaving behind’: EU foreign policy chief Kallas
FRANCE 24 secured an exclusive interview with Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, at the Paris Peace Forum. At this year’s edition, there was fretting about violence that undermines the international order,…
US troops to stay in Estonia โ for now
Tallinn says it is working with Washington to reinforce, not reduce, US troop presence in the region
Red hands and pig heads: Russiaโs plan to destabilize France goes on trial
Paris has emerged as a top target of Moscow’s hybrid war.
Lukashenko bites back at Lithuania over balloons-induced border closureย
Vilnius is just being “petty,” Belarusian leader says.
The 3 fault lines emerging on kidsโ social media ban
Countries are not yet on the same page about how to protect children from the harms of the online world.
Ukraineโs allies rush to bolster Zelenskyy amid fears over Trump-Putin deal
After Ukraineโs leader struck out at the White House last Friday, his European friends will try to strengthen his hand before itโs too late.ย
EU pushes back on Trumpโs demand Ukraine cede territory to Putin
Top diplomat Kaja Kallas said EU countries should stand behind the principle of territorial integrity for Ukraine.
UK gives troops more power to shoot down unidentified drones
Measures โ amid spate of incursions across Europe โ will be introduced in the U.K.’s forthcoming Armed Forces Bill.
Frontline countries want financial clarity on Commissionโs defence proposals
โWe have a lot of different names for a lot of different formats. I wish we’d have as much money. That would be much more helpful,โ said Lithuania’s defence minister
Pressure mounts on NATO allies to go all-in on Trump arms scheme for Ukraine
A majority of NATO countries have joined the PURL scheme, and the rest are under pressure “to put your money where your mouth is.”
Nato looks to bolster defences in response to Russian air incursions โ Europe live
Fears Moscow testing west in grey zone between war and peace with incursions into Nato territoryThe EU executive will propose rules to tackle the โhuge problemโ of short-term rentals via platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com, as it seeks to confront…
Digital ID: Danes and Estonians find it โpretty uncontroversialโ
Citizens have enrolled with little opposition, albeit with some concerns over security and privacy, as UK plans systemKeir Starmer to look at Indiaโs digital ID system during visit to MumbaiFor Danish teenagers, getting enrolled for MitID (my ID) has b…
Europeโs new magnet plant: A silver bullet for industry, climate and geopolitics?ย
A factory on the edge of the EU needs to prove that the bloc can reduce its reliance on China while ensuring a future for fossil fuel workers.
Poland tries to restore rule of law in the face of a hostile president
Polish President Karol Nawrocki is vowing to scuttle any effort to change the legal system set up by the previous Law and Justice party government.
Chaos looms over EU entry points as new border checks take effect
The Entry/Exit System was designed to strengthen security, but it could lead to long wait times.
Estonia speaks out against EU social media ban for kids
Most EU countries have backed the idea of a digital age of majority.
EU countries back child safety declaration
The Jutland Declaration, an online child safeguarding initiative driven by the Danish Presidency, was signed by all EU countries except Belgium and Estonia
China imposes broad new export controls ahead of Xi-Trump meet
Beijing characterizes the move as necessary under its nonproliferation commitments.
โHybrid warfareโ or more of the same? Getting a grip on drones across Europe.
UAV incursions have been happening for years, but they suddenly became a major emergency.
Russiaโs blacklisted tankers keep dumping oil in Europeโs seas
Shadow fleet vessels sailed unimpeded in EU waters after leaving slicks near the continent.
Munich airport forced to suspend flights for second day in a row over drone sightings
About 6,500 passengers stranded as interior minister says earlier drone incident a โwake-up callโMunich airport was forced to halt operations for the second day in a row on Friday over drone sightings, with dozens of flights and more than 6,000 passeng…
Finland dismisses case over Baltic cable cuts
The EstLink 2 power cable and four telecommunications cables connecting Finland and Estonia were damaged in the December 2024 incident
Ukraine war briefing: Putin warns of โnew level of escalationโ if Tomahawk missiles supplied to Kyiv
Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells European leaders that Moscowโs war โwas never just about Ukraineโ. What we know on day 1,318See all our Ukraine war overageRussian president Vladimir Putin has warned that supplying US Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would lead t…
Putinโs propaganda flips reality on flights over NATO nations, as Russian public tires of warย
As support for continuing the war drops to an all-time low, the Kremlin pushes a โRussia vs. the Westโ narrative to boost public morale.
Ukraine war briefing: Estonia warns of Putin distraction tactics as EU leaders meet to discuss โdrone wallโ
Estonian leader Kristen Michal says Putin wants Europe โtalking about ourselves, not Ukraineโ ahead of meeting in Copenhagen. What we know on day 1,316Estoniaโs prime minister, Kristen Michal, has warned that Russiaโs recent air incursions were an atte…
Von der Leyen pledges โฌ2B for drones to Ukraine, floats reparations loan
Commission chief’s announcements come ahead of a European Council summit in Copenhagen.
Putin โin his heart of heartsโ knows he cannot win in Ukraine, US special envoy says โ as it happened
Keith Kellogg tells Warsaw Security Forum that war in Ukraine is โunwinnableโ for Putin. This live blog is closedIf you are keen to understand the dynamics between the US and Belarus a bit better (10:08), hereโs a brilliant story from our own Pjotr Sau…
Germanyโs Pistorius pours cold water on drone wall concept
Repeated Russian incursions are increasing pressure on the EU and NATO to respond.
NATO’s necessary response to drone incursions
Unidentified drones and Russian fighter jets, which have repeatedly flown over Poland, Romania, Estonia and Denmark in recent weeks, appear to be a test of NATO’s unity and resolve by the Kremlin.
Russiaโs provocations are menacing Nato. The cold war shows how it needs to respond | Sergey Radchenko
Despite the cost of shooting down fighter jets and drones, small skirmishes remind both sides of the dangers of escalationEarlier this month, a swarm of Russian drones violated Polandโs borders. Some were shot down. A few days later, another Russian dr…
UK minister confirms digital ID could root out benefit fraud
LIVERPOOL โ Controversial new plans for digital ID in Britain will help the government crack down on benefit fraud, according to the minister in charge of welfare.ย Ministers have insisted the digital ID rollout is aimed at ensuring people have the right to work in the U.K. in a bid to tackle illegal employment and [โฆ]
โA big chance for the populistsโ: Estonian city alert to the threat of Moscow in its mayoral election
Positioned on the border and with a 98% Russian-speaking population, Narva faces a test of its unity and resilienceIt was perhaps inevitable that a proposal to build a military base on the outskirts of Narva, Estoniaโs third largest city, located direc…
EU moves forward with drone wall
The European Commission still has to define the scheme’s technical and financial details.
Moldovaโs electoral commission suffered cyberattack days ahead of vote
Sunday’s vote is mired in “most advanced hybrid threats of our times,” deputy prime minister tells POLITICO.
Europe is at hybrid war, Danish prime minister announces
There is one obvious antagonist “and that is Russia,” Mette Frederiksen says.
Europe is too weak to counter Trump, says conservative chief Weber
The U.S. president used American military strength to get his way with the EU on trade, said the conservative head of the largest group in the European Parliament.
Europe is at war with Russia, whether it likes it or not
The fighting in Ukraine is only part of Russiaโs wider war against the continent as a whole. Itโs high time to recognize this reality and act accordingly.
Shooting down Russian jets โon the table,โ von der Leyen says
The Commission president’s comment follows an assertion by U.S. President Donald Trump that NATO countries should shoot down Russian jets that violate their airspace.
Finger on the trigger: How NATO is responding to Russiaโs airspace violations
NATO is a defensive alliance, which makes it very cautious about responding with force to Russia’s provocations.
Russiaโs high-risk game in Nato skies โ podcast
Over the past two weeks, Russian drones and jets have entered the airspace of several European countries. Dan Sabbagh discusses the escalation along the Nato-Russia borderThe past couple of weeks have brought an unprecedented escalation along the Nato-…
NATOโs Rutte to Russia: Weโre ready for you
The alliance was meeting to respond to 3 Russian jet fighters crossing into Estonia’s air space on Friday.
‘We cannot wait’: EU calls for drone wall to deter Russia after new incident in Denmark
Denmark has joined Estonia, Latvia. Finland, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria in the project to build a ‘drone wall’ alongside the Eastern flank.
NATO to Russia: Stop airspace violations
32 allies warn Russian actions โrisk miscalculation and endanger livesโ
Copenhagen and Oslo airports temporary shut down after drone sightings
Drone activity prompted authorities in Denmark and Norway to shut down the main airports in Copenhagen and Oslo for several hours overnight, leading to widespread flight disruptions expected to continue into Tuesday. Both airports resumed operations i…
Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy heads to the UN as US envoy vows to defend Nato territory
Ukrainian president is expected to meet Trump on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in New York; Washingtonโs new UN envoy convenes emergency meeting. What we know on day 1,308See all our Russia-Ukraine war coverageUkrainian president Volodymyr Z…
Poland to Russia: โYou have been warnedโ so donโt โwhineโ if your jets are shot down in NATO airspace
Radosลaw Sikorski upbraids Moscow for being “incapable of living in peace” with its neighbors following a series of incursions into NATO airspace.
Ukraine’s ex-PM Yatsenyuk warns Putin only understands force, urges NATO to match words with action
Recent Russian military activity has raised fresh concerns about NATOโs readiness to respond to direct provocations. Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk warns that Vladimir Putinโs latest provocations – drone strikes in Poland, fighter j…
Yvette Cooper says UK will confront Russian planes in Nato airspace โ video
The UK foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, told the UN security council on Monday that Russia was risking direct armed confrontation with Nato after breaches of airspace by Russian drones and fighter jets in alliance countries. Other UN security council …
UK and Poland vow to confront Russian aircraft violating Nato airspace
Russia shrugs off criticism as Poland and Estonia speak about incursions at emergency meeting of UN security councilEuropean allies have vowed to shoot down any Russian aircraft violating their airspace after Nato members accused Moscow of repeated inc…
NATO grapples with Russian MiGs in its airspace
On Friday, Russians “came within just a few minutes of Tallinn, covering around 100 kilometres of Estonian territory,” said Riho Terras, MEP and former chief of Estonian defence forces
EU steps up โdrone wallโ talks after Russian incursions
A new round of discussions will involve seven bloc nations, Ukraine and the European Commission.
Poland will shoot down encroaching Russian aircraft, warns PM Tusk
The Polish prime minister is responding to the growing number of Russian incursions into NATO airspace.
Poland will shoot down flying objects clearly violating its airspace, PM says
Ahead of a UN Security Council meeting Monday to discuss the recent violation of Estonia’s airspace by three Russian fighter jets, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Poland would shoot down aircraft that clearly violate its airspace.ย
We will confront Russian planes in Nato airspace, UK foreign secretary says, and warns Putin risks armed clash โ as it happened
Yvette Cooper says Russia is undermining territorial integrity of sovereign nations with fighter jet incursions into European territoryin BerlinThe absence of Friedrich Merz this week from the UN general assembly at which recognising Palestine as a sta…
Ukraine war briefing: UN security council to hold emergency meeting over Russiaโs โbrazenโ airspace violation
Donald Trump joins condemnation of Estonian airspace incursion and says he would help defend EU countries if Russia intensifies hostilities. What we know on day 1,307See all our Russia-Ukraine war coverageEstonia said the UN security council would hold…
German jets scrambled after Russian military plane flies over Baltic Sea
Russian Il-20M reconnaissance plane ignored requests to make contact, in latest of what are seen as provocative acts by KremlinTwo German Eurofighter jets were scrambled on Sunday to intercept a Russian military aircraft above the Baltic Sea, as Estoni…
Zelenskyy urges tough sanctions on Russia ahead of Trump meeting
In expected talks with Trump in New York this week, Ukrainian president will seek clarifications on what security guarantees the U.S. is willing to provide as part of a peace settlement.
Russia launches another massive attack on Ukraine
The large-scale assault came a day after Russia violated Estonia’s airspace, an intrusion that was denied by Moscow.
Poland scrambles aircraft as Russia attacks Ukraine with hundreds of drones and missiles โ Europe live
Poland said it had scrambled aircraft to protect its airspace as Ukraine reported a Russian attack featuring more than 600 drones and missilesUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would meet his US counterpart Donald Trump on the sidelines of…
Estonia and allies denounce โrecklessโ Russian air incursion
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart called the event “yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour and NATO’s ability to respond”.
Ukraine war briefing: Drones blast Russiaโs Saratov refinery for second time in a week
Ukrainian leadership continues to talk up recapture of territory in counteroffensive; EU moves to phase out Russian gas faster. What we know on day 1,305 Continue reading…
NATO slams ‘reckless’ Russian violation of Estonia’s airspace
Three Russian military jets on Friday violated NATO member Estonia’s airspace,ย the latest in a series of recent militaryactions by Russia that have rattled the alliance. NATO hasย accused Moscow of “reckless behaviour” and Estonia has request urgent NA…
Russia โtestingโ NATO with warplane incursion, Estonia warns
Vladimir Putin has no interest in peace, Margus Tsahkna told POLITICO.
Russia breaches Nato airspace in Estonia
Italian F-35 jets intercept Russian MiG-31 fighters over Baltic countryโs territory
Nato intercepts Russian fighter jets on โrecklessโ violation of Estonian airspace
Italian air force heads off three MiG-31s over Gulf of Finland amid increased tension on allianceโs eastern borderNato has intercepted three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets that violated Estoniaโs airspace over the Baltic Sea in a 12-minute incursion, call…
Russian fighter jets enter NATO member Estoniaโs airspace in โbrazenโ incursion
Three Russian military jets violated NATO member Estonia’s airspace for 12 minutes in an “unprecedentedly brazen”incursion, the country’s foreign ministry said Friday. Estonia summoned a Russian diplomat to protest the incursion, which the EU’s top di…
Estonia accuses Russia of โbrazenโ airspace violation
The accusation comes after Poland last week complained that around 20 Russian drones overflew its territory
Estonia says Russia flew three fighter jets over its airspace
Tallinn said that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated the airspace of NATO member Estonia over the Gulf of Finland for 12 minutes on Friday.
Polish authorities thwart drone over government buildings in Warsaw
Poland remains on high alert after an unprecedented incursion into its territory by Russian drones last week.
Brussels set to recommend stricter visa rules for Russians
Hundreds of thousands of Russians still visit Europe every year. The EU wants countries to make that harder.
Baltic lawmakers urge Congress to maintain US security aid
The letter comes after proposed US budget cuts have put the Baltic Security Initiative at risk
Baltics face uncertainty over US defence aid as Congress weighs cuts
Lithuania is โcurrently assessing possible implicationsโ of potential US defence aid cuts, as the Baltics await Congressโs decision on whether funding will continue
What Ursula von der Leyen said โ and what she really meant
Decoding the European Commission president’s speech.
Von der Leyen backs โdrone wallโ to resist Putin
The European Commission president also announces a drone alliance with Ukraine.
How Donald Trump became president of Europe
The U.S. president describes himself as the European Unionโs de facto leader. Is he wrong?
Estonia celebrates its first beatification ceremony in historic moment for Catholic community
“This day is a great gift not only to the Catholic Church in Estonia, but to the whole Catholic Church and Estonian society,” – wrote Bishop Philippe Jourdan of Tallinn on the occasion of the first beatification in the history of the Estonian Church.
Pentagon plan prioritizes homeland over China threat
This marks a major departure from the first Trump administration, which emphasized deterring Beijing.
US to cut military aid for Baltic states
Estonia’s Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said the US move is “especially symbolic, in a negative way”
GPS jamming threat is real, Lithuania warns EU
Countries bordering Russia have faced hybrid warfare, including GPS disruptions, for years, Vilnius says.
Prepare for possible US troop drawdown in Europe, Estonia says
President Alar Karis warns that all European countries should be prepared for Russian provocations.
Estonia ‘not worried’ joining Ukraine’s reassurance force will weaken eastern flank, says president
Tallinn has said it is ready to provide troops for the reassurance force the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ aims to send to Ukraine as a security guarantee.
Von der Leyenโs plane hit by suspected Russian GPS jamming
Commission president was on a tour of frontline states when her plane was target of interference.
Von der Leyen visit spotlights Bulgariaโs uneasy growth as European arms hub
European Commission president’s trip comes on the heels of Germany’s Rheinmetall announcing that it plans two new factories in Bulgaria to establish the country as Europeโs largest gunpowder manufacturer.
Putin โis a predator,โ von der Leyen tells Poles
European Commission president is on a tour of the so-called front-line states to reassure them of the EU’s support against Russian aggression.
Estonia to borrow up to โฌ3.6 billion in EU defence loans
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Estonia as part of her four-day front-line state tour, aimed at stressing solidarity with border states and supporting the development of Europe’s defense industry.
โGrasping for strawsโ: Europe floats Ukraine-Russia buffer zone in push for peace
The idea is one of several proposals European officials are considering as they scramble to establish a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow.
Von der Leyen launches tour of โfrontlineโ states to bolster defense against Russia
The tour marks a major effort to show EU solidarity and support for countries bordering Russia or Belarus.
Ukraine war briefing: Russian troops inside Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine says
Fighting under way, Ukrainian military confirms, in central oblast that is not part of Russiaโs illegal annexation. What we know on day 1,281Ukraine acknowledged for the first time on Tuesday that Russiaโs army had entered the Dnipropetrovsk region, a …
Work with partners on security guarantees โmust be accelerated,โ Zelenskyy says – Europe live
Specifics on Ukraineโs defence should be detailed โin near futureโ as Finnish president says Russia deploying a โtypicalโ delaying tacticA combat drone, presumed to be Ukrainian, went off course and exploded over Estonia without causing any casualties,…
Bogging down Putin: NATOโs frontline states mull reviving tank-trapping peatlandsย
Restoring the EUโs drained bogs would stop both Russian tanks and planet-warming pollution.
Foreign ministers team up to condemn Israelโs West Bank settlement plans
A statement said Israel’s plans were ‘unacceptable and a violation of international law.โ
Lithuania to give children drone training to counter Russia threat
Government aims to teach 22,000 people, including children as young as eight, how to build and operate dronesChildren in Lithuania are to be taught how to build and operate drones as part of the small Baltic countryโs efforts to build capacity to deal …
Estonia expels Russian diplomat over โinterferenceโ
Tensions have escalated between the two countries since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022
European leaders praise positive call with Trump ahead of his meeting with Putin โ Europe live
Zelenskyy accuses Putin of bluffing after a โunitedโ and โpositiveโ call between EU leaders and TrumpUkraine will not cede land that could be Russian springboard for new warWe are now getting reports via agencies that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zele…
Finland charges tanker crew members of using anchor to sabotage undersea cables
Captain and first and second officers of the Eagle S, understood to be part of Russiaโs โshadow fleetโ, charged over incidentFinnish authorities have filed charges against members of the crew of an oil tanker suspected of damaging five undersea cables …
NATO secretary-general optimistic about Trump meeting with Putin
“We have seen President Trump putting incredible pressure on Russia,” Mark Rutte said.
Albaniaโs leader pushes dream of first cashless society
The plan to ban cash by the end of the decade will be difficult to realize in a country distrustful of banks.
Eurozone inflation holds steady at 2 percent
Rising food costs offset falling energy prices in July, bolstering case for ECB rate cut pause.