European Union

Michael Roth, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag, will visit Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, on May 13-15 to meet with the government, parliament, opposition and civil society activists, expressing support for Georgia's European aspirations and democratic values.

Ukraine is preparing meetings and documents that will make news in the coming weeks, including new visits by partners, new security agreements, the start of negotiations with the European Union in June, and preparations for the first Global Peace Summit in Switzerland.

According to members of the European Parliament, Georgia's status as an EU candidate is under threat because of the ruling party's ties to the Kremlin and the suppression of protests.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal held an online meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart Dimitar Glavchev to discuss Ukraine's military needs and Bulgaria's support for Ukraine's integration into the EU and NATO.

Ukraine and Poland discussed strengthening cooperation in cyber defense against Russian cyberattacks that affect both countries.

The Cabinet of Ministers held a meeting to prepare for the supply of generators to critical infrastructure facilities for the next heating season, which will help decentralize the energy system and make it less vulnerable to Russian attacks.

President Zelenskyy held phone conversations with the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium, who confirmed their participation in the inaugural Peace Summit in Switzerland on June 15-16, and discussed defense cooperation and Ukraine's integration into the EU.

Ukraine's international reserves decreased by 3. 1% to $42.4 billion in April due to the NBU's foreign exchange interventions and foreign currency debt repayments, partially offset by inflows from international partners.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on the European Union to mobilize at least 100 billion euros for defense and create a joint air defense system to counter Russian aggression.

The EU Council has approved the first-ever law on combating violence against women and domestic violence, which provides for harsh penalties for perpetrators and comprehensive support for victims across the EU.

The European Union has proposed to impose restrictions on 11 vessels that contribute to Russia's war against Ukraine, including banning them from entering EU ports, prohibiting European companies from providing services, and limiting insurance and technical assistance.

The European Union is proposing to ban political parties, think tanks and other groups from accepting funding from Russia, as well as to ban the use of the Russian central bank's financial messaging system as part of the next package of sanctions against Russia.

The European Commissioner and the Ukrainian minister discussed strengthening Ukraine's energy resilience, increasing electricity production for next winter, EU support for infrastructure rehabilitation, terminating the Russian gas transit contract, and integrating Ukrainian energy markets into European ones.

The European Union is ready to use all trade tools to protect its economy if China fails to offer fair access to its markets, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

During his inaugural speech, Putin said that Moscow “does not refuse to engage in dialogue with Western countries” and spoke about the Russian Federation.

The EU will discuss a recovery plan for Ukraine, mobilizing 50 billion euros to support reforms and help Ukraine.

France will send its ambassador to Putin's "inauguration" ceremony in Moscow, but this does not mean that it considers his election legitimate or recognizes it.

Brussels is considering allowing neutral EU countries to opt out of using frozen Russian assets to purchase weapons for Ukraine, while G7 members such as Germany, France and Italy remain cautious due to legal and financial risks.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz supports the use of up to 90% of frozen russian assets to finance arms purchases for Ukraine.

The United States and 20 EU member states will boycott putin's inauguration for a new term as president of russia, while 7 countries, including France, Hungary and Slovakia, will send representatives.

The European Union is hesitant to attend Vladimir Putin's inauguration ceremony, but EU High Representative Josep Borrell opposes the EU's participation in the event.

During the Ukrainian Defense Industry Forum in Brussels, Ukraine discussed the creation of joint ventures with European defense companies and financing the production of priority weapons for the Armed Forces at Ukrainian defense companies.

The European Commission has sent the EU countries a draft of the 14th package of sanctions against Russia, which includes restrictions on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas, a ban on transshipment of Russian LNG in European ports, sanctions against the Russian "shadow fleet" transporting oil, restrictions on trade with more than 50 non-EU companies that help Russia avoid sanctions, and a ban on Russian funding of political parties and non-governmental organizations in the EU.

Von der Leyen and Macron expect China to use all its influence on Russia to stop its aggressive war against Ukraine and limit the supply of dual-use goods to Russia that end up on the front line in Ukraine.

In Spain, far-right groups are using farmers' protests against EU agricultural policies to gain support ahead of the June elections.

Russia's plans for provocations in Transnistria have failed due to lack of support. In turn, Ukraine continues to strengthen its borders with Moldova.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for greater strategic coordination and partnership between China and the EU amid disputes.

No one in Europe will be safe as long as the war in Ukraine continues, so Europe must support Ukraine militarily and economically to achieve peace, says Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysh.

Some members of the European Parliament earn extra money by working part-time for private companies, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest and influence on EU policy-making.

Chinese President Xi Jinping takes part in a trilateral meeting with the leaders of China, France, and the European Union.