Belgium has purchased autonomous Blaze drones from the Latvian company Origin Robotics to detect and neutralize enemy aircraft. This is part of a 50 million euro package of measures aimed at countering drones after a series of incidents.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sent a letter to EU leaders assessing Ukraine's funding needs for 2026-2027. This amount is 135.7 billion euros, based on the assumption that the war will end in 2026.
The European Union has offered Ukraine €90 billion in funding in the form of a grant or a loan backed by EU debt. This will happen if countries fail to approve the desired plan to use frozen Russian assets.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili believes that "bureaucrats from Brussels" should reimburse the costs of former President Mikheil Saakashvili's 3. 5 years in a civilian clinic. He also accused "Eurobureaucrats" and the presidents of Ukraine and Moldova of "lying" about Saakashvili's torture.
Google has offered the EU measures to avoid splitting its online advertising business after a €2. 95 billion fine. The company announced changes to its advertising services, but Brussels has yet to decide whether to accept these commitments.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the possibility of issuing joint EU debt to support Ukraine. This will happen if the plan to use frozen Russian assets fails due to Belgium's blocking.
The European Union is developing a plan as part of the next stage of the trade agreement with the United States. Key aspects of the plan include: customs tariffs, investments in strategic areas, elimination of technical barriers, and the creation of economic security working groups.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban publicly criticized the Ukrainian authorities over corruption scandals in the energy sector. Official Kyiv quickly reacted, stating that Ukraine does not need "lectures on corruption" from Orban.
Norway is considering supporting the EU's plan to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine. However, the country will not use its sovereign wealth fund as the sole financial support.
The European Commission has begun establishing a new intelligence body to improve the use of information from national intelligence services. The unit, being formed within the European Commission's Secretariat-General, will recruit staff from the EU intelligence community.
The European Commission proposes to permanently freeze Russian assets in the EU and use the proceeds to finance Ukraine. Rejection of this plan could lead to annual EU expenditures of 5.6 billion euros, affecting the deficit and debt of individual states.
The Belgian Ministry of Defense sent 149,000 letters to 17-year-olds, urging them to join the army.
Representatives of the EU and the Belgian government have not reached an agreement on the use of frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine. Belgium demands legal guarantees and fears lawsuits, while the EU insists on a plan to use 140 billion euros.
Flights at Sweden's Gothenburg Landvetter Airport were temporarily suspended due to the detection of drones in the airspace, leading to an investigation into possible sabotage. Air traffic was closed but resumed at 9:00 PM, and similar incidents have been recorded in other European countries.
Due to unknown drones in the Belgian capital, the airport's operations were paralyzed, leading to a delay in the flight of Saxony-Anhalt Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff. He was supposed to discuss gaps in the anti-drone defense system with Germany's permanent representative to NATO.
European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis stated that the EU must provide Ukraine with "credible" financial commitments to unlock new IMF funds. This would allow for an IMF aid package of approximately $8 billion over the next three years, which is expected in January.
The European Commission has urged Serbia to restrict the issuance of passports to Russian citizens who use them for visa-free entry into the EU. This poses a threat to European security, so Serbia must align its visa policy with EU norms.
The Kremlin has created a network of agents for hybrid warfare against Europe, involving marginalized individuals, often Russian-speaking men with criminal records. This was revealed by GLOBSEC and ICCT experts in a joint report presented to the European Parliament.
Five Norwegian political parties have called on Oslo to intervene to overcome Belgium's concerns about using frozen Russian assets to finance a €140 billion 'reparations loan' to Ukraine. The Norwegian Prime Minister has ordered a full review of the country's possible participation.
On November 4, Belgian airspace was partially closed for security reasons after reports of several groups of UAVs flying over the country, including in the vicinity of Brussels and Liege airports. Flights were diverted to Maastricht.
The European Commission has published reports on political developments in 10 EU candidate countries, positively assessing most but sharply criticizing Georgia. The report points to a significant democratic backsliding in Georgia due to repressive measures against civil society, media, and the opposition.
Despite falling sales, Audi announced an ambitious plan for 2026, which includes three new models. Among them are the next-generation Q7, the first Q9 with gasoline engines, and a new "affordable" electric city car.
On November 4, a "EU enlargement summit" will be held in Brussels with the participation of leaders of candidate countries, including Ukraine. The future of European integration will be discussed live at the event.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Brussels to meet with EU foreign policy and intelligence officials. The purpose of the visit was to reaffirm Washington's commitment to intelligence sharing amid European concerns about US foreign policy.
Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken stated that Moscow would be "leveled to the ground" if Russia dared to attack the capital of a NATO country.
Belgium is facing an organized threat from drug trafficking, which is undermining its institutions. An Antwerp judge states that the country meets the conditions of a narco-state due to its illegal economy, corruption, and violence.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that his government will never sign a loan guarantee for Ukraine for military expenditures. Slovakia will not spend a single cent from its own budget for these purposes, but is ready to help Ukraine with humanitarian issues.
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.
German Economy Minister Katharina Reiche arrived in Kyiv to discuss the restoration of Ukraine's energy infrastructure and the expansion of German-Ukrainian defense cooperation. She promised to explore how Germany can provide more concrete support in this area.
The European Union faces the risk of a severe supply crisis for critical materials. China has introduced new export restrictions on rare earth magnets and the raw materials for their production.
