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".
The European Union will continue to increase military aid to Ukraine, despite a possible change in the US position on peace talks. EU members have already allocated 23 billion euros to support.
A European Commission spokeswoman said that Russia can stop its aggression in Ukraine immediately. Ukraine has already agreed to a ceasefire, so the EU supports a just peace.
Agro Ukraine Summit will take place on June 6 in Kyiv, featuring 120 speakers, including ministers, heads of agricultural companies, and experts. More than 2,500 participants are expected.
A state of emergency has been declared in Spain due to a nationwide power outage. An emergency government meeting is addressing the situation, with millions of people without electricity.
The Spanish Central Bank reported that online payments in the country are available during the blackout, and the TARGET system is working. CaixaBank assured that their online services are working, but incidents occur in branches and ATMs.
Power outages in Spain and Portugal will be resolved faster. REN denied information about a week-long network restoration, promising a quick solution.
Ursula von der Leyen has announced the European Commission's readiness to help restore energy supplies to the Iberian Peninsula following a massive power outage. The Commission will coordinate recovery efforts.
The largest blackout in history occurred in Spain and Portugal, paralyzing infrastructure. A cyberattack is being investigated, but there is no official confirmation yet.
Giorgia Meloni and Ursula von der Leyen discussed transatlantic priorities and resuming dialogue with Donald Trump. They also spoke about support for Ukraine and security.
Ursula von der Leyen assured support for Ukraine on the path to peace and discussed with Volodymyr Zelenskyy steps to join the European family. Zelenskyy's meeting with Trump was also mentioned.
The head of the European Commission and the US President exchanged handshakes at the funeral of Pope Francis and agreed on a future meeting. The date of negotiations has not yet been announced.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in Rome on Saturday afternoon. The meeting will take place as part of the funeral of Pope Francis.
