German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed hope for a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine in the coming weekend. He discussed this issue with allies and stressed the importance of supporting Ukraine.
A step towards formalizing the tribunal will be taken at the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Technical work on draft legal instruments has been completed.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that the EU White Paper opens up new opportunities for Ukraine's integration into European security policy. This became known after a meeting with European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius.
The European Commission has begun consultations on countermeasures and is preparing for proceedings in the WTO because of US duties. American bourbon and wine, as well as steel scrap and chemical products from the EU, are under threat.
The European Parliament voted to renew the suspension of tariffs and quotas on steel imports from Ukraine. The European Commission is working on a long-term solution for trade.
EU countries are considering redirecting €400 billion from regional aid funds to the defense industry. The funds will go to bomb shelters, military-civilian technologies and military infrastructure.
The European Parliament has supported changing the protection status of wolves in the EU, downgrading it to "protected" to give countries more flexibility. States are obliged to ensure the conservation status of the wolf and can take stricter measures.
Minister of Energy German Galushchenko and ACER Director Christian Zinglersen discussed the integration of Ukraine's energy system into EU markets. Ukraine plans to adopt the necessary package of laws this year and fully implement the changes from 2027.
The European Commission has sent the draft 17th package of sanctions against Russia to EU countries. It includes restrictions on the export of chemical substances and pressure on the shadow fleet.
The European Commission stated that without China's support, Russia would not be able to wage war against Ukraine on such a scale. The EU-China summit, scheduled for July, is an opportunity to develop relations with Beijing.
Robert Fico stated that a complete abandonment of Russian energy carriers would harm the competitiveness of both the EU and Slovakia. He rejected this idea at the negotiations.
Ursula von der Leyen said that a bad deal with Russia could provoke it to new aggression. A just peace presupposes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Ursula von der Leyen called for speeding up Ukraine's accession to the EU, calling it a guarantee of peace. The EU is working to open the first cluster of accession negotiations in 2025.
Friedrich Merz has been elected Chancellor of Germany. The NATO Secretary General and EU leaders congratulated him, emphasizing the importance of leadership for European security and cooperation between countries.
The European Commission has presented the REPowerEU plan for complete energy independence from Russia. It is planned to gradually remove Russian oil, gas and nuclear energy from EU markets.
Only 14 EU countries have formally requested increased defense spending, casting doubt on the European Commission's €800 billion ReArm Europe plan due to limited budgetary capacity.
The head of the European Commission criticized Trump for suppressing science and urged scientists to choose Europe. She announced a program worth 500 million euros to attract foreign researchers.
Anthony Albanese has become Prime Minister of Australia again, his party has won a majority in parliament. Opposition leader Dutton has conceded defeat in the election.
The European Commission stated that it always seeks to coordinate sanctions against Russia with the United States.
The European Union intends to increase purchases of American goods by 50 billion euros to resolve trade differences. However, the EU will not agree to maintaining US tariffs as a fair solution.
Marta Kos declared her support for the opening of Cluster 1 for Ukraine and Moldova in the EU. The European Commission positively assesses Ukraine's progress in reforms for accession.
The Trump administration has struck a deal with Ukraine giving the US privileged access to its natural resources, including aluminum, oil and gas. The agreement provides for an investment fund to finance military aid.
Experts believe that the Spanish power grid could not cope with the large amount of solar energy, which led to the shutdown of 15 GW. The need for more stable energy sources is being considered.
EU countries cannot agree on a "Buy European" position in the joint defense procurement program. Industry insists on prioritizing European manufacturers, with an exception for Great Britain.
Microsoft will defend the interests of cloud service consumers in the EU and resist government overreach. The company is ready to sue if ordered to suspend its cloud business.
The European Commission is investing 910 million euros in the European Defense Fund. For the first time, the Ukrainian defense industry will be able to join the fund's projects, strengthening cooperation.
The spokesperson for the European Commission emphasized that Russia must be held accountable for war crimes committed against Ukrainians, including the torture and murder of journalist Victoria Roshchina. Her courage will forever remain in our memory.
Gas consumption in the EU has fallen by 20% since 2021, which has allowed to reduce gas imports, and the bloc will be able to meet demand without additional infrastructure or imports.
Ukraine has the right to decide under what conditions and in what format to negotiate with Russia. Brussels supports this position, emphasizing the sovereignty of Ukraine.
The European Court has ruled that Malta's citizenship-for-investment program violates EU law. Malta is now obliged to stop issuing "golden passports".
