European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen avoided a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the COP30 conference due to Brussels' demands for London to pay billions of euros. The British leader wanted to discuss dissatisfaction with EU demands for a payment of up to 6.5 billion euros to participate in the "credits for weapons" program and contributions to the EU budget.
The European Union plans to establish a Center for Democratic Resilience to counter disinformation from Russia and other authoritarian regimes. This step is a response to the intensification of hybrid attacks and the spread of fake materials on social networks.
Ukraine lacks $750 million out of the $2 billion needed for gas imports. The European Union will allocate about 127 million euros in additional support to Ukraine for gas purchases.
President Zelenskyy held a conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding Ukraine's progress towards EU membership. Energy support for Ukraine and coordination of efforts to increase it were also discussed.
Norway, the Netherlands, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are forming a coalition to support Ukraine's energy sector. The Netherlands will also allocate 25 million euros for energy support.
The European Commission will propose other options for supporting Ukraine after the EU summit failed to agree on a "reparation loan. " The main focus remains on frozen Russian assets, said European Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU is considering all options to respond to the threat from China regarding rare earth elements. China has tightened export controls on these elements and battery materials, which poses a significant risk to European industry.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the swift presentation of options for a reparations loan for Ukraine. European countries also agreed to continue pressure on Russia through sanctions.
Russian propaganda is spreading fake news about Ursula von der Leyen's "Nazi ancestors" to discredit the President of the European Commission. The propaganda's "evidence" consists of name substitutions and photo collages without sources.
EU member states supported the idea of introducing a minimum age for access to social networks. The European Commission is working on the technical basis for implementing age restrictions.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer supported US President Donald Trump's decision to impose sanctions against Russian oil companies. These sanctions were imposed by the US Treasury Department against Rosneft and Lukoil due to Russia's lack of commitment to the peace process.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders, including Merz, Macron, and Starmer, advocated for an immediate ceasefire. They propose considering the current line of contact as a starting point for negotiations, supporting Trump's position.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Ukraine has Europe's full support on its path to peace. He emphasized the importance of creating a realistic peace plan after the meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone conversation with a group of European leaders and representatives of the "Coalition of the Willing" after a meeting with Donald Trump. Among the participants were Ursula von der Leyen, António Costa, Alexander Stubb, the Prime Minister of Norway, Keir Starmer, Meloni, NATO Secretary General Rutte, and Tusk.
The European Commission has presented the "Preserving Peace - Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030" to strengthen European defense capabilities. It includes four flagship areas and sets goals for achieving full defense readiness by 2030.
The European Union is considering a ban on filtered cigarettes and electronic tobacco products. This initiative aims to reduce tobacco consumption and protect the environment.
The European Commission aims to launch a "drone wall" by the end of 2026, with full functionality expected by the end of 2027. This initiative is part of a roadmap aimed at preparing the bloc for a potential attack from Moscow.
The European Commission will propose rules for short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb to counter the social crisis of affordable housing. The EU's first housing commissioner, Dan Jørgensen, noted that this issue is within the EU's competence.
The European Commission intends to expand the "drone wall" initiative – a defense project initially aimed at protecting the EU's eastern border – to cover the whole of Europe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy plans to ask European allies for help in raising salaries for Ukrainian military personnel. This comes against the backdrop of reduced spending on military salaries in the draft State Budget for 2026.
Europe's first rare-earth magnet factory, owned by Neo Performance Materials, has opened in Estonia. The enterprise is capable of annually producing magnets for 1 million electric vehicles and 1,000 wind turbines, reducing dependence on China.
A European defense roadmap will be presented this week, outlining goals and development stages for capabilities in key areas. It will include counter-drone systems, as stated by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that incidents involving MiGs and drones in EU airspace are part of a hybrid war. She presented the "Preserving Peace - Readiness Roadmap 2030" with three main points to counter threats.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof has expressed support for using frozen Russian assets to provide a loan to Ukraine, despite financial and legal risks. He emphasized the need for risk sharing to enable swift action.
The European Union is developing a new "AI Application" strategy to promote its own artificial intelligence tools. This will reduce dependence on China and improve the use of AI in healthcare, defense, and manufacturing.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU will increase pressure on Russia after the attack on the railway station in Shostka. Russia attacked the station, hitting the Shostka-Kyiv passenger train, which resulted in about 30 casualties.
EU Special Representative for Sanctions David O'Sullivan stated that Europe is on the verge of a potential major conflict and does not have the resources to resolve it. Threats are escalating due to the war in Ukraine and drone flights over EU countries.
The NBU Board discussed with the heads of Ukraine's 30 largest banks expectations regarding a new program with the IMF. NBU Governor Andriy Pyshnyy emphasized the need to develop a new program design to ensure regular inflows of external financing and to take into account Ukraine's European integration movement.
Munich International Airport has resumed operations after an overnight closure caused by the appearance of unknown drones in its airspace. The incident led to the cancellation and diversion of dozens of flights, affecting approximately 3,000 passengers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Council, and the Prime Minister of Denmark. They discussed European integration, the "Drone Wall" initiative, and the 19th package of EU sanctions against Russia.
