President Donald Trump is ready to sign a punishing Russia sanctions bill that GOP hawks have pushed for months. But only if it changes to give him more control. A senior administration official granted anonymity to discuss the presidentโs view said that โconceptually thereโs an opennessโ to the bill from Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), but [โฆ]
Western sanctions hit beverage sector.
The bill has been tweaked to add presidential waiver authority.
In Schwedt, life flows through an oil refinery. If it doesnโt get help โ or restart Russian imports โ people worry their jobs will be gone.
In todayโs edition of The Capitals, read about In todayโs edition of The Capitals, read about who gets to steer the Eurozone, Orbรกn attacking Brussels after Budapest Pride, France claiming its latest Russia sanctions are the toughest yet.
At a jam-packed EU summit in Brussels, we caught up with Sweden’s EU Affairs Minister, Jessica Rosencrantz. Bouncing off Slovakia’s and Hungary’s opposition to a potential new round of Russia sanctions, she touches on the Hungarian government’s ban on…
European Union leaders considered new US trade proposals ahead of the July 9 deadline for US President Donald Trump’s tariffs at a Brussels summit on Thursday. They also addressed the Mercosur trade agreement, Russia sanctions, and restructuring the W…
Copy The war in Ukraine once again took center stage at the latest EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, as leaders of the bloc called for increased support to Kyiv โ particularly through air defense systems, anti-drone technology, and large-caliber ammu…
European Union leaders considered new US trade proposals ahead of the July 9 deadline for US President Donald Trump’s tariffs at a Brussels summit on Thursday. They also addressed the Mercosur trade agreement, Russia sanctions, and restructuring the W…
EU chiefs dissected the latest US trade offer that arrived as they digested the summit dinner, but there were splits in outlook between the leaders.
EU extends Russia sanctions but new package blocked by Slovakia. What we know on day 1,220 Continue reading…
Slovakia’s Robert Fico announced his intention to maintain his veto on the new package of sanctions against Russia.
A summit light on concrete deliverables could see some progress towards a new Russia sanctions package โ but Hungary’s stubbornness on Ukraine is set to continue.
Allied foreign ministers say the secretary of state took a harsher tone against the Kremlin in private.
Amid its summer offensive in Ukraine, Moscow hit industrial center Dnipro a day after slamming Kyiv with missiles.
A downward revision of the price cap on Russian oil is considered essentially dead after a disappointing G7 summit and the Israel-Iran conflict.
Slovakia signals support for new Russia sanctions, but only if Brussels offers guarantees on energy security and โฌ20B in potential arbitration risks.
Still, diplomats privately express optimism that a deal can be reached.
Arbeitsministerin Bรคrbel Bas (SPD) steht unter doppeltem Druck: Beim Sozialstaatskongress der IG Metall muss sie die hohen Erwartungen der Gewerkschaften an das Rentenpaket bedienen und gleichzeitig das Lieblingsprojekt der CSU, die Mรผtterrente, unter einen Hut bringen. Rasmus Buchsteiner analysiert mit Gordon Repinski, wo die Konfliktlinien verlaufen und warum die Rentenversicherung vor administrativen Problemen warnt. Im [โฆ]
Trump had earlier suggested he didn’t want to tighten the screws on Moscow further because โsanctions cost us a lot of money.”
US president shrugs off EU and UK call for more action over Ukraine war, telling Europe: โLetโs see them do it first.”
The Riga parliament overwhelmingly voted in favor of restricting travel for members of parliament and state officials, citing national security and safety concerns.
Slovak Prime Minister threatens to block new Russia sanctions unless his country gets energy guarantees, as parliament backs symbolic resolution against EU measures.
Brussels wants to cut the flow of cash to Moscow โ but Hungary and Slovakia are poised to hold up the proposals.
Also in this newsletter: Selling the green transition better
The measures are designed to target the Nord Stream pipelines and drain the Kremlin’s war chest.
“I am interested in being a constructive player in the European Union, but not at the expense of the Slovak Republic,” Prime Minister Fico said.
Friday’s massive bombing was Putin’s biggest attack since Kyiv’s daring drone assault took out dozens of strategic bombers at Russian airfields.
Vladimir Putinโs opera darlings are back in the spotlight โ and Ukraine and the EU are not pleased.
Zelenskyy allies visit Congress to bolster Russia sanctions bill.
Nach der grรถรten Erhรถhung der Abgeordnetendiรคten im vergangenen Jahr soll es an diesem Donnerstag im Bundestag erneut um eine Anhebung der Vergรผtung fรผr Parlamentarier gehen. Rasmus Buchsteiner hat die Details zu den Plรคnen und Informationen รผber kontroverse Positionen zwischen den Fraktionen. Im 200-Sekunden-Interview befragt Gordon die Fraktionschefin der Linken, Heidi Reichinnek, zu ihrer Ablehnung der [โฆ]
European Commission chief meets key Republican foreign policy hawk Lindsey Graham.
Slaps were exchanged โ some literal, some political โ and suddenly Brussels isnโt just watching from the sidelines. This week on EU Confidential, we dive into a whirlwind of action across the continent: a presidential toss-up coming up this Sunday in Poland; Brussels turning up the pressure on Hungary over LGBTQ+ rights; and the EUโs [โฆ]
Lawmakers see an opening for more sanctions on Russia, but the president is undecided.
Russia launched a large-scale drone and missile attack on Kyiv overnight, injuring 15 people in one of the biggest assaults on the Ukrainian capital since the war began. The attack came in waves, with Russia launching 14 ballistic missiles and 250 dron…
Frustration is growing amid increasing signs US could wash its hands of Ukraine, but some observers counsel patienceGen Keith Kellogg, Donald Trumpโs somewhat estranged special envoy on Ukraine, is said by some US diplomats to like to joke that the pre…
The EU is far from powerless โ it is simply under-leveraged.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he is awaiting further instructions from the White House, as Trump presses for negotiations on a ceasefire.
Ukraineโs allies must dial up sanctions to expose the fragility of the Kremlinโs strategy for perpetual warDonald Trumpโs pledge to end the war in Ukraine on the first day of his second term as US president was a sign of his unsuitability as a peace br…
David Davidovich’s mansion lies derelict, a harbinger of what may come for many of Londonโs most expensive and beautiful properties owned by Russian oligarchs.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he was weighing what actions to take after the European Union and Britain moved ahead with new Russia sanctions, but gave no further details. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24’s Delan…
Die EU will neue Sanktionen gegen Russland beschlieรen. Nach dem fรผr die Ukraine erfolglose Telefonat zwischen Donald Trump und Wladimir Putin geht es jetzt nochmals um Russlands Schattenflotte, um Banken, die bisher helfen Sanktionen zu umgehen und um auch um Nord Stream 2. Romanus Otte erklรคrt, was die Sanktionen bringen und warum die Europรคer dabei [โฆ]
The only strategy that has any hope of bearing fruit will be weakening Putin and negotiating from a position of strength.
Russian president wants โmemorandum on a possible future peace accordโ with Kyiv; Zelenskyy rejects surrendering land by pulling back troops. What we know on day 1,182European leaders have agreed to increase pressure on Russia through further sanctions…
Was passiert heute in der Tรผrkei? Auch Stunden vor mรถglichen Gesprรคchen zwischen der Ukraine und Russland bleibt das unklar. Zusammen mit Hans von der Burchard spricht Gordon Repinski darรผber, wie Wladimir Putin alle hinhรคlt und sich Donald Trump weiter alle Optionen offen hรคlt.ย Im 200-Sekunden-Interview ist der CDU-Auรenexperte und langjรคhriges Mitglied im Auswรคrtigen Ausschuss, Norbert [โฆ]
The EU agreed a new package of sanctions on Russia on Wednesday, including blacklisting some 200 oil tankers used to circumvent curbs on Russian oil exports and targeting individuals overย cyberattacks, human rights abuses and sabotage in Europe.
Latest measures come as European leaders threaten further action to force Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
Also in this newsletter: can the EU build a โdigital Airbusโ?
Alternative legal options explored to circumvent Hungarian veto
Wรคhrend Friedrich Merz in Kiew mit Selenskyj, Macron und Tusk auftritt, kรคmpft Lars Klingbeil an der SPD-Basis mit Wut und Vertrauensverlust. Der Rรผckzug von Saskia Esken ebnet den Weg fรผr einen Neustart endgรผltig โ wahrscheinlich mit Bรคrbel Bas und Tim Klรผssendorf. Eine Analyse von Gordon Repinski Im 200-Sekunden-Interview erklรคrt Serpil Midyatlฤฑ, wie sich die SPD [โฆ]
Starmer, Macron, Tusk and Merz join Donald Trump’s call for a 30-day Ukraine war truce.
The bloc’s failure to step up carries serious geopolitical costs.
Today, weโre seeing the broken windows theory play out on the high seas: lawlessness begetting more lawlessness.
Blocโs latest package of measures targets more than 20 businesses it accuses of helping Moscow evade restrictions
Without U.S. security guarantees and a firm โporcupine strategyโ to make sure Kyiv is heavily armed, this deal will just be a way station in Putinโs bid to subjugate the country.
โ Finales Angebot: Wie Trump die Ukraine und Europa erneut vor den Kopf stรถรt, ob die Amerikaner wirklich aus Verhandlungen aussteigen und sich zurรผckziehen wรผrden und wie Europas Alternativplan fรผr einen Frieden aussieht, besprechen Gordon Repinski und Hans von der Burchard. โ Die drei Probleme der SPD: Der Koalitionsvertrag wird von der Basis skeptisch aufgenommen, [โฆ]
Foreign minister says unfreezing โฌ210bn of Russian assets would leave Europe footing the bill for loans to Kyiv
Merz’s incoming coalition wants to press the EU to look at withholding funds and suspending voting rights.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday criticised “dangerous signals” on the possibility of lifting sanctions on Russia imposed over its invasion of Ukraine. “The signals that we have heard from Saudi Arabia or from that direction about sa…
EU leaders aim to find a collective response to U.S.โs intention to ease sanctions on Moscow as an incentive to stop fighting Ukraine.
While the Trump administration might want to roll back Russia sanctions, movement on the issue hinges on EU approval โ and it’s unlikely this will come quickly.ย
Belgian comedian (and Prime Minister) Bart De Wever’s 9 best quotes from the European Council summit.
The amount of frozen Russian assets in the U.K. has increased by 10 percent in a year.
Herbert Smith Freehills’ Moscow subsidiary made six payments of just under ยฃ4 million to sanctioned individuals who were subject to an asset freeze.
Herbert Smith Freehills’ Moscow subsidiary made six payments of just under ยฃ4 million to sanctioned individuals who were subject to an asset freeze.
Moscow struck civilian infrastructure Tuesday night, prompting Ukraine to respond with counterattacks.
Russia is delaying a full ceasefire in Ukraine. But that didn’t stop Trump and Putin planning hockey matches for the future.
Hard-hitting economic measures can be used as leverage to secure justice from Moscow, Ukraineโs sanctions chief tells POLITICO.
Western allies are worried the U.S. president could go either way on decisions that will ripple across the Atlantic.
The Russian leader rolls out his classic strategy to handle tempestuous U.S. president.
Mikhail Fridman, whom Budapest had initially sought to remove, remains on the sanctions list.
Four sanctioned Russians will see their restrictions relaxed as part of a compromise.
In today’s edition of The Capitals, read about the number of Italian spyware victims likely being far higher than previously stated, Hungary maintaining its veto against the rollover of Russia sanctions as talks continue, and so much more.
Russia is trying to undermine peace talks and should be slammed with tough new sanctions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday ahead of negotiations between the U.S. and Moscow. Ukraine agreed to a Trump administration proposal for a 30-day pause in fighting earlier this week after high-level talks with a U.S. delegation in Saudi Arabia [โฆ]
Without unanimous renewal by all 27 member states, the bloc’s sanctions will expire at 23:59 CET on 15 March.
Officials in Paris are also privately warming to the idea.
EU leaders managed to parry Hungaryโs attempt to derail their Ukraine summit last week, but diplomats are now bracing for a bare-knuckled brawl over Russia sanctions this week.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump put pressure on the country that so far has faced little public pushback from his administration.
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereMeanwhile, in Ukraineโฆ Russia launched a โmassiveโ drone and missile attack on Ukrainian energy facilities early Friday, just days after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European allies prop…
Tensions around defense spending will take center stage during an emergency meeting of EU leaders.
The package includes a ban on servicing oil and gas refineries, but it does not include a full ban on Russian LNG.
Europe and Ukraine are learning how little the U.S. cares, as the new president aligns himself with their greatest enemy.ย
One European official said that it is โvery likelyโ that the EUโs sanctions policy โcould evolve independentlyโ of the US over the coming months.
Agreement reached to curb aluminum imports ahead of the three-year mark of Russiaโs full-scale invasion.
Latest package takes aim at Russian aluminium industry and tightens restrictions on oil exports
Musk has jabbed at the Ukrainian leader before, scoffing at his calls for Western aid.
Macronโs mini-summit shunned Brussels’ normal obsession with consensus and revealed a new core with the regionโs future in their hands.ย
“That’s what we’ve been waiting for,” Hungarian prime minister says.
Ahead of the Munich Security Conference, we need to be preparing for an extraordinarily complex process that will take many months.
โIf thereโs anybody who understands leverage, itโs President Donald J. Trump,” Keith Kellogg tells the New York Post.
Only with Washingtonโs blessing is Budapest willing to extend sanctions against Russia.ย
The post Hungary wants Trump deal before Russia sanctions extension appeared first on Euractiv.
Some EU member states, including Poland, want to give Laura Codruศa Kรถvesi powers to prosecute those who evade sanctions on Russia.
The post Still no sign of deal on EU prosecutor powers after Warsaw talks appeared first on Euractiv.
Hungarian PM again makes performative threat about lifting the bloc’s tough measures against Moscow.
Moscow has used a variety of tricks to evade sanctions and divert goods and money to Russia.
The post Justice ministers mull EU prosecutorโs powers to fight Russia sanctions-dodgers appeared first on Euractiv.
Kremlin whacks the U.S. with claim about vote-meddling.
The economic difficulties facing the Hungarian leader with will further undermine his ability to hijack โ let alone drive โ the EUโs agenda.
Washington and Kyiv are holding fast to separate assumptions about the prospect of ending the ongoing war โ but both could be wrong.
Veteransโ help and healthcare among NGOs whose USAid funding has been cut off; Hungary steps aside from blocking Russia sanctions. What we know on day 1,070 Continue reading…
But EU diplomats warn that this is unlikely to be Hungary’s last veto.
The post Hungary lifts blockade on EU Russia sanctions renewal appeared first on Euractiv.
Budapestโs U-turn follows Donald Trumpโs warning to Moscow that it could face more curbs unless it ends war โsoonโ
