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.

US ‘wants to please Putin’: Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview broadcast Monday that the US is trying to “please” Moscow after a shock policy shift on the Ukraine war under President Donald Trump. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Europe’s cu…

European leaders race to respond after US policy shift on Ukraine

European leaders sought to find a unified response at an emergency summit in Paris Monday following a shock policy shift on the war in Ukraine by US President Donald Trump. The talks were held as Washington and Moscow’s top diplomats were due Tuesday …

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.

EU leaders meet in Paris over Trump policy shift on Ukraine

European leaders were due to meet in Paris on Monday to address Washington’s shock policy shift on the war in Ukraine, as Britain declared itself ready to dispatch peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. US President Donald Trump sidelined Kyiv and its Europe…

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.

Live: Ahead of Paris talks, Sweden says ‘not ruling out’ peacekeepers in Ukraine

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would deploy troops to Ukraine if needed, a pledge reiterated by Sweden on Monday just hours before European leaders meet in Paris to address Washington’s shock policy shift on the war. France has warned that EU …

UK marketplace sellers face โ€˜second Brexitโ€™ hit from Trumpโ€™s US import rules

End of โ€˜de minimisโ€™ policy for Chinese goods also expected to hit bigger fashion retailers such as Asos and BoohooMany UK-based independent sellers on marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon could suffer a significant hit to US sales from planned changes …

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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]

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]

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.

Brussels power couples โ€”ย 2025 edition

Love is in the air in the halls of power.

Ukraine war briefing: Stray Russian drones โ€˜hit Moldova and Romaniaโ€™

Ukrainian neighbours summon Russian ambassadors citing crashes and explosions on their soil; Europe โ€˜would help Ukraine resist without US helpโ€™. What we know on day 1,087See all our Ukraine war coverageMoldova and Nato member Romania announced they had…

‘In the AI field, there will be an increasingly fragmented regulatory environment’

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has publicly rejected Elon Musk’s $97 billion unsolicited bid, explaining to attendees at a Paris summit on AI that the company is not for sale. OpenAI is controlled by a nonprofit board bound to its original mission of safely bu…

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.

Trumpโ€™s Ukraine call with Putin leaves UK sounding at odds with reality

Statements that there can be no negotiations without Kyiv ring hollow when the US president has just sidelined itEurope live โ€“ latest updatesIn the aftermath of Donald Trumpโ€™s incendiary call with Vladimir Putin, UK ministers and officials have had to …

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.

‘Trump’s ‘chaotic’ relations with allies is exactly what Putin wants’ – analysts

Two experts have told Euronews that Trump’s bellicose rhetoric towards America’s allies is playing to Russia’s advantage. Aiming to do deals on trade deficits and raw materials in exchange for continued military support is the best policy given the cir…

Reynolds hits โ€˜resetโ€™ on competition

SNEAK PEEK โ€”ย  The government is giving the CMA a โ€˜resetโ€™. The CMA will try to show itโ€™s got the message. โ€”ย Peter Kyle explains the U.K.โ€™s AI summit statement snub. โ€”ย MPs pick up where peers left off on copyright. Good morning and happy Thursday, This is Tom, back home. You can get in touch with [โ€ฆ]

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]

Trumpโ€™s uphill battle to make NATO allies hit his mega defense spending target

There is broad agreement to boost defense spending โ€” but the U.S. president’s call for 5 percent of GDP is too much for most European countries.

Trumpโ€™s plan for Ukraine a great deal โ€” โ€˜for the Kremlin,โ€™ Kyivโ€™s backers say

“Letโ€™s not mince words about what this represents: a surrender of Ukraineโ€™s interests and our own, even before negotiations begin,โ€ says U.S. Senator Adam Schiff.

Trump says he and Putin will negotiate to end the war in Ukraine

The president says he and the Russian leader spoke and are eager to work together.

Outcry in Irelandโ€™s parliament as PM slams opposition โ€˜liesโ€™ โ€ฆ in Irish

Prime Minister Micheรกl Martin accuses opposition chief of telling lies โ€” but his use of โ€œbrรฉagaโ€ draws a blank from the Sinn Fรฉin leader. It highlights a parliament struggling with the national language.

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.

UK dances to Vanceโ€™s tune

SNEAK PEEK โ€” Where does the Paris summit leave the U.K.โ€™s AI policy? โ€”ย MPs tackle the data bill, amendments and all. โ€”ย Patrick Vallance sets out his plan to remake science. Good morning and welcome to Wednesday, This is Tom, heading back to London from a gloomy City of Light. Come and say hi if youโ€™re [โ€ฆ]

France pitches plan to halt decline of EU chemical industry

The law should list certain chemicals as critical to Europe’s strategic autonomy, copying similar policies for minerals and medicines.

The big fat Greek plot to defraud the EU

โ€œFarmers” raked in millions of euros for land they didnโ€™t own or work.

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.

Danish MEP slams โ€˜absurdโ€™ proposal to rename Greenland โ€˜Red, White and Bluelandโ€™

Member of Congress said the U.S. will “proudly welcome” Greenlanders to “join the freest nation to ever exist.”

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.

Time to sign?

SNEAK PEEK โ€” JD Vance lands in Paris as the U.K. tries to get on message.ย  โ€”ย Peter Kyle says an AI bill will avoid upsetting voluntary agreement with AI labs. โ€”ย The U.K.โ€™s own mini-summit kicks off in London. Good morning and happy Tuesday, This is Tom, coming to you from a cold press room in [โ€ฆ]

Trump demands $500B in rare earths from Ukraine for continued support

“We have to get something. We canโ€™t continue to pay this money,โ€ U.S. president says.

The make-or-break moment for EU industry [Promoted content]

As Europe navigates a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape, its industries and regional economies face unprecedented challenges. At Cerame-Unie, we are advocating for an inclusive industrial policy that supports all energy-intensive sectors, includi…

Virkkunen stands firm on American pushback against EU tech laws

SNEAK PEEK โ€” The EU plans to raise the American pushback against tech law with the U.S., said tech boss Henna Virkkunen. She also promised a more โ€œinnovation-friendlyโ€ AI regulatory framework. โ€” Rolling out AI should mean talking to workers and helping them gain new skills, said EESC president Oliver Rรถpke. Failing to get it [โ€ฆ]

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.

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.

Trump expands steel and aluminum tariffs to all countries

The tariffs build off ones the president imposed during his first term.

Trump could remake USAID to promote fossil fuels

The presidentโ€™s allies want foreign aid repurposed to encourage more oil and gas development around the world.

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.

EU says it will retaliate immediately if Trump imposes new tariffs

Blocโ€™s leaders also pledge to protect EU interests after US president announces escalation in aggressive trade policyEurope will not hesitate to retaliate if Donald Trump imposes any new tariffs, the European Commission and EU national leaders have sai…

Britain to โ€˜wait and seeโ€™ on Trumpโ€™s tariff threat

Announcements on steel and reciprocal tariffs contradict the U.S. president’s suggestion the U.K. could be spared from his trade war.

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]

The menace of deindustrialization in the EU โ€” and what we can do about it

Policymaking is not accountancy: in the medium and long term, the EU will be better off keeping factories within its borders.

EU considers giving countries wiggle room to boost defense spending

The move would allow governments with overstretched budgets more flexibility under the bloc’s debt and deficit rules.

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.

Trump is rattling Europe. Heโ€™s sending Vance as his emissary.

The vice president will mingle with world leaders in Munich and Paris at a time when the White House has made clear itโ€™s not afraid to shred old alliances.

The real significance of Trumpโ€™s tariffs

It represents another major effort to expand presidential authority.

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.

Ukraine war briefing: Kim Jong-un vows ongoing support for Russiaโ€™s โ€˜just causeโ€™

North Korean leader also pledged further development of nuclear forces; UK foreign secretary says no imminent peace talks with Russia. What we know on day 1,082See all our Ukraine war coverageNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has pledged his ongoing supp…

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…

Slovakians protest PM Fico over govt pro-Russia policy shift

Huge crowds gathered in dozens of cities and towns across Slovakia on Friday to mount vocal protests against the pro-Russian policies of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico. The latest wave of anti-government rallies was fueled by Ficoโ€™s recent trip t…

US judge orders sweeping restriction on DOGE access to sensitive Treasury data

The judge limited access to โ€œcivil servants with a need for accessโ€ who have โ€œpassed all background checks and security clearances.โ€

Inside USAIDโ€™s undoing

Aides to the president and Elon Musk suspected USAID officials were trying to go around a funding freeze.

EU must propel global climate momentum to fill the gap left by Trump

Europe has the potential to play an important role, but it will have to move fast, and be smart and more united than before.

US can ramp up sanctions on Putin, Trumpโ€™s Ukraine-Russia envoy says

โ€œIf thereโ€™s anybody who understands leverage, itโ€™s President Donald J. Trump,” Keith Kellogg tells the New York Post.

Trumpโ€™s aid freeze leaves UN food agency scrambling, with millions at risk

Despite a U.S. waiver, food shipments are stalled, funding is uncertain and Europe may have to fill the gap.

What does Trump really want from Canada?

โ€œThe current game is maximum chaos,โ€ one industry leader says of the current state of Canada-U.S. relations

How to be a UK Ambassador to the US

POLITICOโ€™s weekly podcast lifting the curtain on how Westminster really works. By PATRICK BAKER Send ideas here | View in your browser Peter Mandelson, the new British ambassador to the United States, has finally taken up the daunting challenge of being the U.K.โ€™s Trump whisperer. And itโ€™s clear the man dubbed the prince of darkness [โ€ฆ]

A Paris AI summit survival guide

POLITICO guides you through the essential events of this year’s Paris Artificial Intelligence Action Summit.

Britain led the world on AI safety. Now itโ€™s waiting for Trump.

Labour promised tough new rules for the worldโ€™s leading AI developers. But as Trump returns, ministers are thinking again.

Tony Blair picks his Labour rising stars

The former U.K. prime minister has quietly been meeting Labour’s new MPs โ€” and he’s not the only Blairite who’s at it.

Note to our readers, from CEO Goli Sheikholeslami and Editor-in-Chief John F. Harrisย 

POLITICO has been the subject of debate on X this week. Some of it has been misinformed, and some of it has been flat-out false. Letโ€™s set the record straight.

Like an episode of The Wire: Brussels gang wars spiral out of control

โ€œMafiaโ€ shootings with Kalashnikovs trigger alarm in the city as politicians convene an emergency meeting.

Lithuania hopes to woo Trump with its anti-China stance

The country aims to curry favor and keep the U.S. president committed to transatlantic defense by being the first to catch the mood in Washington.

Bank of England cuts interest rates and lowers growth forecast

Double blow for Reeves as BoE cuts growth forecasts but raises its estimates for inflation.

UKโ€™s attorney general called Trump an โ€˜orange tyrantโ€™

Richard Hermer said the U.S. president was an โ€œautocratic populistโ€ in the latest uncomfortable comments by British ministers.

Merkel โ€˜could not remain silentโ€™ as she jabs Merz again over far-right AfD vote

Former German leader reiterates swipe at chancellor candidate from her own Christian Democratic Union ahead of Feb. 23 election.

Turning aspirations into action for rare disease patients

Inspired by the rare disease communityโ€™s passionate drive to advance policies that provide equitable access to care, UCB spearheaded Aspire4Rare: a global initiative supporting the development of rare disease policies.

Britainโ€™s handover of the Chagos Islands is pleasing nobody

Labourโ€™s decision to grant the geopolitical archipelago to Mauritius has sparked criticism from all sides.

Hereโ€™s what Germanyโ€™s next government will look like

Germanyโ€™s conservatives are desperate to avoid a three-party coalition, but the outcome depends on how many small parties make it into parliament.

Trump aides knew he wanted to take over Gaza but had no plan

They cast his idea to own and rebuild the strip as a negotiating ploy Wednesday, while walking back key details.

EU hires Trump-linked lobbying firm to survive trade war

DCI Group has worked with sanctioned organizations, the Azeri government and oil companies.