Europe

The queues at the five Polish-Ukrainian border crossing points currently number more than 1,200 trucks due to the blockade by Polish farmers.

In a joint statement, the leaders of the Weimar Triangle expressed their determination to support Ukraine in defending its independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and in countering russian aggression.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday that defense companies can expect his government to increase military spending and that it will fulfill its commitment to spend 2% of GDP on NATO defense.

The number of deals that European Commission officials must review under new rules restricting the activities of companies receiving state subsidies has increased to 50, while they were initially expected to review only 30 deals a year.

Following the meeting with Macron, Tusk said that the positions of the parties are very similar, especially in the context of Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

For the first time since 2022, a cargo with pipes for gas production entered a Ukrainian port - American Journal of Transportation.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk plans to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to discuss increasing European military support for Ukraine.

Residents of Bessarabia have changed their traditional pro-Russian vector to pro-Ukrainian - The Economist explains the reasons.

Japanese-born singer Damo Suzuki, a former member of the influential German krautrock band Can, has died of cancer at the age of 74.

Ukraine and France are finalizing a security agreement; the treaty was discussed during a phone call between Presidents Zelenskiy and Macron.

Zelenskyy and Macron discussed the preparation of a bilateral agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine and thanked France for creating an artillery coalition to provide Ukraine with artillery systems and ammunition.

During a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Biden called the Republicans' delay in providing aid to Ukraine criminal negligence.

Ukraine's Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko said that deepening cooperation with American partners in the nuclear industry could help remove Russia from global nuclear markets.

The US Deputy Secretary of Energy assured the Senate Committee that the pause in issuing new permits for the export of liquefied natural gas will not affect the approved deliveries to the EU.

Ukraine is working to extend the economic and transport visa-free regime with the EU until June 2025.

The EU is expected to impose new sanctions on Russian technology and military companies, including those supplying munitions from North Korea, as part of the 13th package of sanctions to mark the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Nordic and Baltic lawmakers expressed concern over delays in providing military assistance to Ukraine and called for a clearer American strategy to counter Russian aggression.

EU diplomat Josep Borrell has warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin, who unleashed a war against Ukraine, has no intention of giving in.

Advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office emphasizes that for international partners, military support for Ukraine is an investment in reducing the risks of global war, according to the Advisor to the Presidential Office.

Today, on February 8, all lovers who want to unite their fates forever can join the World Marriage Proposal Day. The event originated in India but has become quite popular in many countries around the world.

The European Commission is preparing for a possible increase in trade restrictions and a more aggressive political style if Donald Trump wins the US presidential election.

Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia Küllike Sillaste-Elling to discuss the structure and thematic blocks of the future bilateral security agreement between Ukraine and Estonia.

Ukraine is pushing the EU to tighten sanctions against Russia by banning goods used in the production of missiles and drones in order to limit Russia's military potential.

The EU foreign minister called for three immediate steps to increase the supply of artillery shells to Ukraine: long-term contracts with defense companies, removal of regulatory barriers, and negotiations on supplies from third countries.

Farmers in Spain have blocked major roads and port terminals with tractors and burning tires to protest against EU environmental regulations that reduce their competitiveness in the agricultural market.

Chairman of the Munich Security Conference calls for greater European responsibility in security and cooperation.

VEON and Kyivstar announced investments of USD 600 million during 2024-2026 to restore the economy of Ukraine as part of its ongoing campaign to attract international business.

By October 2024, the Czech government will request the opinion of the National Economic Council on the feasibility of joining the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II) as a prerequisite for the introduction of the euro.

Despite sanctions on trade with belarus due to its support for russia's invasion of Ukraine, illegal tobacco from Belarus continues to be smuggled into the UK, with over £162 million worth of goods, including tobacco, imported in 2023.

Russia has launched a new hybrid war against Georgia, using various tools in response to its failure to break Ukraine, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has said.