Europe

Colombia's Congress has passed a bill banning bullfighting across the country from 2027, with a three-year transition period to help those whose livelihoods depend on the practice.

Poland will re-introduce the 200-meter buffer zone on the border with Belarus early next week.

Sweden's new aid package, worth almost 1. 2 billion euros, aims to provide critical military assistance to Ukraine, including air defense, artillery ammunition, armored vehicles, radar surveillance aircraft and command vehicles, which are crucial to Ukraine's defense and resilience.

According to a report by Amnesty International, at least 1,153 people were executed worldwide in 2023, up 31% from the previous year, with a sharp increase in Iran and Saudi Arabia.

An unnamed European country has ordered millions of euros worth of AHEAD 35mm ammunition from Rheinmetall for the Skynex air defense system.

Putin threatens the West with serious consequences and a potential “global conflict” if Ukraine is allowed to strike Russia with long-range weapons supplied by the West.

President Zelenskyy discussed with King Philippe of Belgium the upcoming Global Peace Summit in Switzerland and Ukraine's expectations from it.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that "we see no signs" that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin plans to end the war.

Telegram's lack of accountability and lax content moderation policies make it a popular platform for pro-Kremlin accounts to spread disinformation, which poses a challenge for European officials fighting fake news, as it remains outside the scope of the EU's Digital Services Act due to the size of its user base.

Ukraine and Belgium have signed a security agreement providing Ukraine with €1 billion in military aid and 30 F-16 fighter jets, opening a new chapter in relations between the two countries that are crucial to European stability and security.

EU defense ministers will discuss military aid to Ukraine and strengthening the European defense industry, but Hungary delays payments from the European Peace Fund.

NATO foreign ministers will discuss the creation of a €100 billion fund to provide long-term military support to Ukraine when they meet in Prague on May 31, ahead of the July NATO summit in Washington.

French President Emmanuel Macron warned against weakening support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression, emphasizing the need for continued military assistance and respect for international law to achieve a lasting peace.

Poland will impose restrictions on the movement of Russian diplomats, limiting them to the Mazovian Voivodeship, where Warsaw is located, and consuls to the respective provinces, citing evidence of the Russian state's involvement in subversive activities in Poland.

Every month, the Russian army uses more than 3,000 guided aerial bombs against Ukrainian frontline positions and peaceful towns and villages.

North Korea and China are the most significant supporters of Russia's war against Ukraine, providing military aid, microelectronics for missiles and tanks, and more than a million artillery shells, while Russia shares with the DPRK technologies that allow them to develop their missile and nuclear programs.

Some NATO countries are discussing expanding their support for Ukraine by providing military training, logistics, air defense, and possibly protecting the skies over western Ukraine.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged EU ministers to allow Ukraine to strike military targets in Russia and provide additional air defense systems, such as Patriot, to protect against Russian attacks on civilians.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of using traditionalism as a weapon to influence the Western right and called him “an absurd leader of international conservatism”.

Gitanas Nausėda was re-elected for a second term as President of Lithuania, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated him on his victory.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni spoke out against the use of Western weapons provided to Ukraine to strike targets in Russia, disagreeing with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's proposal to allow such strikes.

According to French President Emmanuel Macron, Europe is facing numerous internal and external threats, making this an existential moment when European democracy may perish.

Six NATO countries-Norway, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania-agreed to build a “drone wall” along their borders to protect against Russian aggression and potential provocations involving migrants.

Russia is conducting a sabotage campaign across Europe to disrupt arms shipments to Ukraine, setting fires and recruiting locals to carry out attacks in order to slow down military aid to Kyiv.

Moldova's pro-European parties have signed a pact to speed up the country's accession to the European Union and promote the rule of law and social cohesion around the goal of EU integration.

Denmark and seven other EU countries propose an action plan for Ukraine's integration into the European defense industry.

French President Emmanuel Macron will make a three-day state visit to Germany, the first by a French president in 24 years, to demonstrate unity with Germany ahead of the EU elections and amid challenges such as the war in Ukraine.

Russia produces artillery shells three times faster and four times cheaper than Ukraine's Western allies, leading to a significant gap in artillery power at the front.

The national archery team of Ukraine won 2 silver and 2 bronze medals at the European Archery Championships held in Rome, Italy, from May 17 to 24, 2024.

Russia attacked a crowded shopping mall in Kharkiv, killing and wounding civilians, prompting EU representative Joseph Borrell to strongly condemn the horrific attack and call for increased air defense support for Ukraine.