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.

US must provide โ€˜backstopโ€™ to deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again, says Starmer โ€“ video

Britain’s prime minister, Keir Starmer, has called on the US to provide a ‘backstop’ to deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again after meeting with European leaders for emergency talks on the war. Starmer said US president Donald Trumpโ€™s comments aski…

British MPs already want a vote on sending troops to Ukraine

Labour MPs โ€” and opposition lawmakers too โ€” are asking for a parliamentary say on any British escalation.

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.

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.

Victims of international crimes need justice โ€” and the ICC

We call on the EUโ€™s member countries and institutions to be the voice of human dignity globally, and to mobilize, defend and support the court.

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.

Starmer ready to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine if peace deal reached

It is understood to be the first time the PM has been explicit about sending British peacekeepers to UkraineKeir Starmer has said he is prepared to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine if there is a deal to end the war with Russia, acknowledging…

Rubio says talks in Saudi Arabia meant to be opening step toward peace

โ€œOne phone call does not make peace,โ€ the secretary of State said.

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 

As the US walks away, Europe needs to step up for Ukraine. But does it have the will?

Russia is relying on strength of numbers, and Putin may not honour a peace dealAfter three years of Russiaโ€™s attempt to occupy and annex Ukraine, the country continues to put up a fierce resistance.Russia is suffering more than 1,500 casualties a day a…

ล efฤoviฤ to visit Washington as trade war looms

The European Commission is trying to head off a transatlantic trade conflict.

Vance brings a wrecking ball to diplomatic gathering in Munich

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

Boris Johnson: Europe acting like โ€˜headless chickensโ€™ on Ukraine

Former prime minister โ€” who has lobbied Donald Trump to back Ukraine โ€” says European nations should ‘man up and step up’ by increasing defense spending.

Latvia moves to ban tourist trips to Russia, Belarus

Riga wants to reduce the risks of human rights violations of Latvian citizens in those countries, and prevent their recruitment as spies.

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]

Trump sets out process for imposing global reciprocal tariffs

The president tasked top Cabinet officials to study the matter further before deciding on specifics.

Trumpโ€™s Ukraine bombshell puts British support to the test

Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to be a โ€œsteadfastโ€ backer of Ukraine. But Britain is cash-strapped and struggling to build links.

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.

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]

European carmakers in crossfire of US-EU trade war

German automakers would face increased costs while already under pressure from heightened competition.

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 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.

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.

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]

2025: A pivotal year in Europeโ€™s sustainability journey โ€“ How the soft drinks sector is leading the way [Promoted content]

As we step into 2025, it is the perfect time to look at what this year holds on the environmental sustainability front. 2025 is no doubt an important one as it will be marked by significant milestones and new initiatives that will shape the future of E…

EU rules for advanced AI are step in wrong direction, Google says

Google and Meta are leading the charge against a โ€œcode of practiceโ€ governing tools like Gemini, ChatGPT and Llama.

The EUโ€™s new AI mantra: Weโ€™re open for business

The European Union has pivoted to cheering AI innovation, laying less emphasis on rules that curb potential threats.

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.

Trumpโ€™s foreign aid cuts could be โ€˜big strategic mistakeโ€™, says Lammy

Exclusive: Move allows China to further global influence, UK foreign secretary says on Ukraine visitDonald Trumpโ€™s plans to make dramatic cuts to the United Statesโ€™ international aid budget could be a โ€œbig strategic mistakeโ€ that allows China to step i…

Hungary floats WHO withdrawal after Trump and Milei exits

Comments from Viktor Orbรกn’s team suggest the exodus from WHO could continue.

La Scala, the theater of Italy’s passions

Dominique Meyer, the French director of Milan’s opera, is due to step down in early March. He will be replaced by an Italian, as has been the case in many of the country’s cultural institutions since Giorgia Meloni’s far right came to power. In additio…

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.

Trumpโ€™s Gaza fantasy is a recipe for a forever war

U.S. president is pressing countries to take in Palestinians by threatening to cut aid, but it’s too dangerous for Arab leaders to accept that blackmail.

How the Omnibus Regulation can be successful: a 2-step-approach [Promoted content]

The EU Commission’s plans for an omnibus regulation sound promising for European manufacturers. A two-step approach, including a two-year pause, could quickly cut red tape and provide enough time to thoroughly revise the CS3D, CSRD and EU taxonomy.

Justin Trudeau wants to revive UK-Canada trade talks in shadow of Trump

The offer comes as Ottawa remains in the White Houseโ€™s crosshairs.

Foundations laid for tribunal to try Putin for Ukraine invasion, EU says

Tribunalโ€™s creation was first proposed days after the full-scale invasion, but for nearly three years, lawyers have struggled to find the right courtroomInternational lawyers have โ€œlaid the foundationsโ€ for a special tribunal to try Russia for the crim…

Keir Starmer tells EU countries to โ€˜step upโ€™ for Ukraine

U.K. prime minister also wants the EU to target Russia’s energy revenues to keep the pressure on โ€œrattledโ€ leader Vladimir Putin.

France one step closer to 2025 budget as socialists rally behind government

France finally being on track to adopt its budget is also likely to reassure the Commission, which has recently expressed concerns about French public spending.
The post France one step closer to 2025 budget as socialists rally behind government appear…

Canadian sports fans boo US anthem after Trump kicks off trade warย 

Hostility brews after American president lashes Canadian goods with heavy tariffs.

Trump finalizes tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China, triggering likely trade war

The tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods will be 25 percent.

Pentagon plans to start migrant flights to Guantanamo this weekend

This would make good on the presidentโ€™s promise to use the base as a detainment facility.

Italy blocks Chinaโ€™s DeepSeek over privacy concerns

The Chinese AI firm recently emerged as a fierce competitor to industry leaders like OpenAI.

Commission to loosen rules on how countries deploy unspent EU cash

The aim is to accelerate spending to boost strategic investments across the bloc.

Europe should have grown up a long time ago โ€” now with Trump thereโ€™s no choice

Europeโ€™s leaders had plenty of warnings about what the U.S. presidentโ€™s second term might mean, but amid much eye-rolling, hand-wringing and wishful thinking, they failed to agree on a plan.

Sweden aims to introduce law letting police wiretap children as gang violence rises

Sweden is grappling with a gang crime wave involving teenagers hired for everything from vandalism to bombings and murder.

ECB cuts rates again as stagnant eurozone braces for Trump blast

Political environment has sapped confidence over the past year, diminishing the impact of four previous cuts.

German lawmakers canโ€™t agree whether to seek ban on far-right AfD

Many mainstream leaders worry a pre-election debate over whether to ban Alternative for Germany will only boost the party ahead of a national election.

Chasing the Don: How EU politicians are jockeying for position with Trump

From Nigel Farage to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, EU politicians are competing for the privilege of being Europe’s Trump whisperer.

Germanyโ€™s far right crashes through the firewall

Did Friedrich Merz, the likely next chancellor, fall into a trap? Or is he forcing other mainstream parties to confront what many regard as the new reality โ€” a harder, less welcoming Germany?

China-linked influence operation tried to overthrow Spainโ€™s government, report says

Fake accounts attempted to fan discontent as people raged against establishment figures following floods in the Valencia region that killed more than 200 people.

Bird flu poses growing pandemic threat as virusย evolves

Mutations in the virus make is more likely to jump species, warn the EU’s disease and food agencies.

French PMโ€™s immigration remarks put Socialists in an urgent budget bind

“He for sure didn’t help us,” says a Socialist MP involved in negotiations with the government.

Von der Leyenโ€™s bid to boost business relies on government helpย 

The European Commission lays out its policy plans for the next five years to help turn the continent’s economy around.

Britainโ€™s Rachel Reeves needs a growth miracle

A major speech Wednesday promises a host of pro-growth policies to turn the UK economy around. But the hurdles in the chancellorโ€™s way are huge.

Von der Leyen builds bonfire of EUโ€™s environmental red tape

Brussels hopes simplifying green compliance rules will boost Europe’s flagging economy. Green groups fear something more sinister.

EU aims to fast-track Ukraine membership bid in 2025

Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said the EU aims to open two negotiating “clusters” with Ukraine by mid-2025.

Trumpโ€™s TikTok bailout is worse than it looks

Trump has effectively created a precedent for ignore laws that he believes are politically or personally unhelpful to him.

Serbiaโ€™s PM Vuฤeviฤ‡ steps down over mega student-led protests

โ€œIn order not to further raise tensions in society, I made this decision,โ€ says departing leader as pressure grows on President Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ‡.

Ukraine is pinning hopes on Putin exasperating Trump

Washington and Kyiv are holding fast to separate assumptions about the prospect of ending the ongoing war โ€” but both could be wrong.

Trump vs. Xi: Who Will Win the Trade War?

Donald Trump launched a two-year trade war against China during his first term in the White House, and heโ€™s poised to do it again. Even before being sworn in, Trump threatened China with 60 percent tariffs to cut its trade surplus, 10 percent tariffs if it didnโ€™t halt fentanyl shipments and 100 percent tariffs if [โ€ฆ]

Hungary backs down in EU Russia sanctions standoff

Before relenting, Budapest had threatened to allow billions of dollars to flow back to the Kremlin in a row over energy imports.

Slovakia leads EU charge to rein in supermarket power

Slovakiaโ€™s right-wing government is spearheading a push to strengthen EU rules on unfair trading practices, saying the current reforms donโ€™t go far enough.

Trump administration takes first anti-abortion move on world stage

Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a directive Friday to rejoin a global anti-abortion pact.

Trump promised some tariffs immediately. Theyโ€™re not here โ€” yet.

The president likely hasnโ€™t made up his mind on which tariffs to enact.

Germanyโ€™s Trump problem

The country’s perennial yearning for reassurance is still dominating discourse โ€” but this time around, itโ€™s likely to be in vain.

Hungary wobbles on sanctions threat after Trump calls out Putin

Viktor Orbรกn has flirted with killing the EU’s Russia sanctions. But he didn’t get the ally he might have expected in Donald Trump.

German opposition leader ramps up immigration rhetoric after knife attack

Friedrich Merz says he will boost border controls if he wins power in next monthโ€™s electionsGermanyโ€™s opposition leader has pledged to strengthen border controls and step up deportations if he becomes chancellor after elections next month, a day after …

UK politics: โ€˜Itโ€™s not a customs unionโ€™: No 10 leaves door open to joining pan-Europe scheme โ€“ as it happened

Downing Street says EUโ€™s suggestion of UK joining agreement would not cross its โ€˜red linesโ€™ for closer tiesWhat is the pan-Europe customs area?Here is Downing Street news release on the governmentโ€™s plans to limit the extent to which judicial review ca…

Nato chief urges โ€˜step upโ€™ in support for Ukraine

Vladimir Putin victory would lead to blocโ€™s members spending โ€˜trillionsโ€™ more on defence, says Mark RutteBusiness live โ€“ latest updatesThe head of the Nato military alliance has called for a โ€œstep upโ€ in support for Ukraine, to put Kyiv in the stronges…

NATOโ€™s Rutte: Trump โ€˜is rightโ€™ and Europeโ€™s defense spending is a โ€˜problemโ€™

Transatlantic military alliance chief echoes Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy in stinging remarks at the World Economic Forum.

Letโ€™s get creative to protect undersea cables from sabotage

We canโ€™t count on the stars aligning every time a cable or pipeline suffers mysterious damage, and must find ways of incentivizing ship crews to obey maritime rules.

Why Trumpโ€™s AI plan made Elon Musk flip out

A feel-good photo op just triggered a billionaire slapfight. Hereโ€™s whatโ€™s really at stake.

EU sugar industry frets as Commission looks to step up trade talks with India

The WTO ruled in 2021 that New Delhi’s financial support to the sugar industry heavily exceeds the maximum allowed under trade accords
The post EU sugar industry frets as Commission looks to step up trade talks with India appeared first on Euractiv.

EU regulator backs away from allowing lone pilots to fly airliners

Airlines want to cut the number of pilots to save money, while unions are opposed. The EU Aviation Safety Agency is in the middle.

Zelenskyy excoriates Europe in Davos speech

Ukrainian president calls on European politicians to “be more than just bystanders” who are “reduced to posting on X after an agreement has already been made.”

As Trump arrives, Macron hints NATO spending target is too low

The French president warned Europe should prepare for a U.S. withdrawal from Europe.

โ€˜If You Compromise With Totalitarian Systems, You Will Pay a High Priceโ€™

In a new book, Axel Springer CEO Mathias Dรถpfner urges the U.S. and Europe to join together in a โ€œFreedom Trade Allianceโ€ against China, Russia and other autocracies.

The Davos Man is back

… and heโ€™s running America.

UK parliament bar closed after drink โ€˜spikingโ€™ incident

Strangers’ Bar โ€” at the center of a report of drink-spiking in UK parliament โ€” will close while ‘security and safety arrangements are reviewed.”

Defiant Starmer declares he wants 10 years as UK PM

After Elon Musk’s call for him to be ousted, Britainโ€™s prime minister reveals his thinking on the next election date and vows to complete a full second term in No. 10.

Europe needs to step up to defend Ukraine now Trump is back, Starmer saysย 

British PM looks ahead to Donald Trumpโ€™s second term, telling POLITICO the U.K. will โ€œplay a full partโ€ in any future peacekeeping initiative in Ukraine.ย 

European Parliament finally devises plan to force lawmakers to actually turn up

Debate after debate, MEPs often speak to an empty chamber. A trial next week could change all that.

EU leaders urge Israel and Hamas to abide by new cease-fire deal

Multiple officials underlined the fragility of the agreement and stressed the importance of how it is implemented. The fighting continues.

German farmers fear โ€˜massiveโ€™ hit from foot-and-mouth outbreak

Several countries have already taken precautionary measures or imposed bans, as the German livestock sector braces for longer-term impact.