Deep inside a mountain, Britain prepares for Russian onslaught

BODร˜, Norway โ€” Half a mile inside a mountain in the north of Norway, the U.K. is preparing for war. The countryโ€™s military planners have travelled to Bodรธ, nestled between the sea and snow-capped peaks of the Arctic Circle, to rehearse what it would look like if Russia decided to unleash hostile activity on its [โ€ฆ]

Latviaโ€™s parliament votes to quit global treaty protecting women

Lawmakers voted to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention just a year after it came into force, with the move awaiting approval from Latvia’s president.

Latvia quits Istanbul Convention protecting women from violence

Latviaโ€™s parliament voted on Thursday to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention on preventing violence against women, claiming it promotes โ€œgenderโ€ theories. The decision would make Latvia the first European Union member to quit the treaty, which lawma…

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.

Ukraineโ€™s allies rush to bolster Zelenskyy amid fears over Trump-Putin deal

After Ukraineโ€™s leader struck out at the White House last Friday, his European friends will try to strengthen his hand before itโ€™s too late.ย 

EU Commission presents defense plan to protect โ€˜everyโ€™ centimeter of Europe

The EU executive wants to coordinate efforts by member countries to speed up defense preparations.

Frontline countries want financial clarity on Commissionโ€™s defence proposals

โ€œWe 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.”

Europeโ€™s 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.

Kremlin says Russians kicked out by Latvia are most welcome back home

Russian citizens affected by Riga’s tightening of immigration rules will receive government help to “settle and adapt” in their home country.

Commission names EU countries and partners getting help to plug into blocโ€™s AI training hubs

As well as Belgium, Cyprus, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Malta, and Slovakia, six non-EU countries received so-called “AI Antennas” โ€“ including Switzerland and the UK

Latvia orders more than 800 Russian citizens to leave by mid-October

Russian citizens who failed to comply with Rigaโ€™s new immigration rules must leave by Oct. 13 or risk deportation.

Ukraine war briefing: China providing Russia with intelligence on missile targets, Ukrainian official claims

Ukrainian intelligence official says โ€˜evidence of a high level of cooperation between Russia and China in conducting satellite reconnaissanceโ€™. What we know on day 1,320China is providing intelligence to Russia to enable Moscow to better launch missile…

Germanyโ€™s Pistorius pours cold water on drone wall concept

Repeated Russian incursions are increasing pressure on the EU and NATO to respond.

Booze-soaked Poland pushes for nighttime sales ban

The country ranks second in the EU for alcohol-attributable deaths.

‘We are already in a hybrid war with Russia’: EU Commissioner Dombrovskis

We sit down withย Valdis Dombrovskis, EU Commissioner for Economy and Productivity and a former prime minister of Latvia. He comments on the recentย drone incursions into EU airspace. He also discusses France’s budget deficit, which is around 5.4 percen…

EU moves forward with drone wall

The European Commission still has to define the scheme’s technical and financial details.

‘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.

EU steps up โ€˜drone wallโ€™ talks after Russian incursions

A new round of discussions will involve seven bloc nations, Ukraine and the European Commission.

Polandโ€™s border closure risks choking EU-China trade

A temporary precaution taken during Russia’s recent war games is turning into a shutdown of Chinaโ€“EU rail freight, worth โ‚ฌ25 billion annually.

Israeli minister attacks EUโ€™s proposed โ€˜morally, politically distortedโ€™ sanctions โ€“ as it happened

Gideon Saar warns any action against his country โ€˜will receive an appropriate responseโ€™. This live blog is closedNordic correspondentDenmark is for the first time to buy long-range precision weapons such as missiles and drones, Mette Frederiksen has ab…

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.

Vote on 2040 climate target canceled after big EU countries block decision

Decision casts doubt over whether EU can present climate plan in time for U.N. gathering this month.

NATO isnโ€™t ready for Russiaโ€™s drones

Allies don’t have cost-effective counter-measures to deal with cheap Russian drones.

Poland and Latvia shut eastern airspace after Russian drone incursion

It’s a reaction to the incursion of about 19 Russian drones invading Polish airspace on Wednesday.

Baltics face uncertainty over US defence aid as Congress weighs cuts

Lithuania is โ€œcurrently assessing possible implicationsโ€ of potential US defence aid cuts, as the Baltics await Congressโ€™s decision on whether funding will continue

Von der Leyen backs โ€˜drone wallโ€™ to resist Putin

The European Commission president also announces a drone alliance with Ukraine.

Pentagon plan prioritizes homeland over China threat

This marks a major departure from the first Trump administration, which emphasized deterring Beijing.

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.

Von der Leyenโ€™s 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 Bulgariaโ€™s 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 Europeโ€™s largest gunpowder manufacturer.

Putin โ€˜is 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.

Europe must recognise โ€˜urgencyโ€™ of confronting โ€˜predatorโ€™ Putin, says von der Leyen

In one of her most forceful criticisms yet of the Russian leader, the Commission president called on โ€œall of Europeโ€ to step up its readiness

Von der Leyen launches tour of โ€˜frontlineโ€™ states to bolster defense against Russia

The tour marks a major effort to show EU solidarity and support for countries bordering Russia or Belarus.

Trumpโ€™s attack on Fed triggers alarm in Europe over economic stability

European unease is palpable as U.S. president moves to get rid of key Federal Reserve official.

Bogging down Putin: NATOโ€™s frontline states mull reviving tank-trapping peatlandsย 

Restoring the EUโ€™s drained bogs would stop both Russian tanks and planet-warming pollution.

Canadaโ€™s Carney makes surprise visit to Kyiv

โ€œWe are with you every step of the way,” the Canadian prime minister said in independence day ceremony.

Foreign ministers team up to condemn Israelโ€™s West Bank settlement plans

A statement said Israel’s plans were ‘unacceptable and a violation of international law.โ€

Putin doesnโ€™t want peace, EUโ€™s Kallas warns after Trump talks

The Kremlin is dragging out talks and refusing to make any concessions, Brusselsโ€™ most senior envoy said in an apparent break from colleagues.

EU leaders sound upbeat after Ukraine call with Trump. They could be in for a rude awakening.

A call between Trump and EU leaders gave them hope that he’ll protect their interests in any Ukraine peace deal. It may not last.

NATO secretary-general optimistic about Trump meeting with Putin

“We have seen President Trump putting incredible pressure on Russia,” Mark Rutte said.

Lithuania requests NATO help boost its air defenses after second drone crosses border

Vilnius is asking for more resources to address air threats as Russia’s bombardment of Ukraine continues.

EU capitals ask Brussels for nearly โ‚ฌ130B to spend on defense

Eighteen countries signed up by the deadline but any latecomers won’t be turned away.

European countries to borrow billions from EU to rearm Ukraine

Governments can decide to ask for cheap loans from the EU before Tuesday’s deadline.

Russiaโ€™s top court bans non-existent โ€˜Satanist movementโ€™

Moscow continues to use a 2002 extremism law to shield the Orthodox Church and the Kremlin. Critics say the courts are inventing threats to do the government’s bidding.

Involve young people in reshaping military service

The defense of our countries now hinges on younger generations. Let’s invite them to contribute their ideas.

Ukraine to withdraw from anti-personnel mines ban treaty, says Zelenskyy

The decision to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention follows similar decisions by Kyiv’s allies Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – which also border Russia.

Rail Baltica could be used for defensive military purposes

Construction on the 870-km-long Rail Baltica through Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia is gathering momentum, as the line switches from the Russian broad gauge to the European standard gauge. The EU is covering a large part of the costs.

The winners and losers in Trumpโ€™s NATO arms race

A POLITICO analysis reveals telling gaps between the big spenders near Eastern Europe and those further from Russia, who are still creeping toward a decade-old target.

Trump says US doesnโ€™t have to meet NATO spending goal

The administration has demanded that allies commit to spending at least 5 percent of GDP on defense.

National Limits, European Claims: The Ultra Vires Conflict in EU Constitutional Law (part 1)

 Dr Benedikt Riedl,
Mjur (Oxford),  postdoctoral researcher
and academic assistant at the Chair of Public Law and Legal Philosophy (Prof Dr
Peter M. Huber, former Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court and former
Minister of the Interior…

Latvia ramps up crackdown on Russians with real estate purchase ban

Riga also wants prohibition on Kremlin soldiers from entering the Schengen Area.

Italyโ€™s ex-PM Conte calls for NATO counter-summit

Left-leaning party representatives from 10 EU countries set to attend.

EU helping Europeans flee Israel using crisis clause, Kallas says

Israeli airspace is closed due to intense missile fire.

Europeโ€™s frontier countries ready their hospitals for war

From stockpiling trauma kits for mass casualties to kitting out medics with body armor, wartime health planning is no longer hypothetical on NATOโ€™s eastern flank.

Latvia bans MPs from traveling to Russia, Belarus

The Riga parliament overwhelmingly voted in favor of restricting travel for members of parliament and state officials, citing national security and safety concerns.

Baltic countries team up on mass evacuation plans as Russian threat grows

โ€œClear procedures are crucial, as is the rapid exchange of information,โ€ says Lithuanian interior minister.

Could an alliance of eight small countries turn out to be Europeโ€™s anchor? | Paul Taylor

Amid geopolitical storms and the rise of populism, the โ€˜Nordic-Baltic eightโ€™ is gaining clout as a bulwark of western resolveWith Europeโ€™s political kaleidoscope spinning wildly in the populist winds, a group of northern countries is gaining weight as …

EU clears Bulgaria to adopt euro in 2026

Sofia gets the green light despite rule-of-law and money-laundering concerns.

Shooting training at schools and dragon teeth at the border: Latvia is preparing for an emergency

To protect themselves from unpleasant surprises, Poland and the Baltic states are fortifying their EU external border with tank barriers and minefields. And Latvia has introduced โ€œmilitary lessonsโ€ as a compulsory subject in schools.

EU farm ministers vow to fight Brusselsโ€™ budget shakeup

โ€œThe single fund would be the end,โ€ Portugal warns, as EU agriculture ministers resist a Commission push to overhaul farm and regional funding.

NATOโ€™s Rutte embraces 5 percent defense spending goal

The new target is expected to be agreed at next month’s NATO summit.

EU countries urge crackdown on Hungary over Pride ban

The move comes as EU diplomats warn the bloc is inching closer to deploying its “nuclear option” against Hungary.

Council of Europe hits back at EU leaders calling to ease migrant expulsions

Secretary-General Alain Berset warned that courts must not be “weaponized” for political gain.

9 EU countries ask European court to ease expulsion of foreign criminals

Document spearheaded by Italy and Denmark also calls for an end to the exploitation of migrants by hostile states.

German troops start first permanent foreign deployment since second world war

Heavy combat unit of 4,800 soldiers and 200 civilian staff inaugurated in Lithuania on Natoโ€™s eastern flankThe German chancellor has visited Lithuania to mark Berlinโ€™s first permanent foreign troop deployment since the second world war, as he called on…

Poland hits a wall trying to curb Big Pharmaโ€™s profits

The EU’s ‘competitiveness’ mantra appears to be swaying more countries to back the pharmaceutical industry.

Beware unkempt tourists: Latvia tells citizens how to spot Russian spies

Security agency warns people in Baltic state to be wary of nosy small talk and tourists with specialist equipmentOne of Latviaโ€™s intelligence services has warned its citizens that there may be Russian saboteurs and spies in their midst, and given them …

Ukraine war briefing: Trump calls for โ€˜ideally a 30-day ceasefireโ€™ backed with sanctions

Ukrainians record 734 attacks despite Putinโ€™s claim of three-day halt to fighting; Britain further targets Russian oil โ€˜shadow fleetโ€™. What we know on day 1,171Donald Trump after a phone call with Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for โ€œideally, a 30-day uncon…

16 countries to ask EU for fiscal leeway to spend big on defense

Germany is the only one of Europe’s big five economies to take up the EU executives offer.

German Social Democrats pour cold water on French nuclear deterrent

German lawmaker Nils Schmid argues there is no need to open the subject as the U.S. has not said it would withdraw its nuclear umbrella.

Campaigners sound alarm as European nations move to exit landmine ban

Finland, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania cite rising threats from Russia to justify once again using one of worldโ€™s most indiscriminate weaponsRights groups have expressed alarm and warned of a โ€œslippery slopeโ€ of again embracing one of the world…

Europe shows withdrawal symptoms after 75 years of addiction to US troops

European capitals are divided on how to respond to a probable reduction of America’s military presence.

Weather tracker: Unseasonable warmth continues in eastern Europe

Heat spreads eastwards into the Baltics and western Russia, although colder air will sweep in by the weekendAfter a spell of record-breaking heat last week, eastern Europe and western parts of Russia will experience further unseasonable warmth in the n…

Europeโ€™s Easter illusions on Ukraine

In todayโ€™s edition of The Capitals, read about Trump and Meloni saying they โ€˜fully expectโ€™ an EU-US trade deal, Poland boosting its troop presence and eyeing defence ties with Latvia, and so much more.

Lithuania aims to deter Russia by upgrading โ€˜criticalโ€™ road and anti-border defenses

The project aims to make it easier to move troops and equipment between Poland and the Baltic countries.

Spain and Lithuania push to oust Ireland from leading eurozone talks

Carlos Cuerpo and Rimantas ล adลพius are considering running for the Eurogroup presidency.

Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy hails โ€˜good progressโ€™ on minerals deal talks

Ukrainian president says legalities almost finalised and officials signal US concessions in talks that are progressing โ€˜quite fastโ€™; deadly Shahed strike on Dnipro. What we know on day 1,149Minerals deal negotiators have made โ€œgood progressโ€, the Ukrai…

LIVE: News from the Capitals

The latest news from across Europe, all in one place

Flow review โ€“ Oscar-winning animation is a beautiful and painterly animal adventure

The wordless aftermath of a global catastrophe sees a cat team up with other creatures in tremendously imagined apocalyptic visionHumans are nowhere to be seen and the animals have taken over in this gorgeous animated adventure that was the dark horse …

The Italy-Albania protocol before the Court of Justice of the European Union โ€“ hearing of the CJEU

  Matteo Zamboni (human
rights lawyer working between Italy and the UK. He is a partner to the
Immigration Law and Policy clinic of Goldsmiths, University of London)

 

Photo: The towers of the Court of Justice in the Luxembourg fog (c)…

Europe looks to poach US researchers as Trump cuts funding

Twelve EU capitals want programs to bring over American scholars.

European leaders warn Putinโ€™s talk of peace is a mirage

Allies voice deep skepticism as Trump and Putin hold a 90-minute call.