Europe's East
Ukraine’s summer send-off
Est. 7minIn this week's edition: Ukraine looks towards autumn diplomacy, Mediterranean commissioner and post-EPC mood.
Azerbaijan’s president pledges to help French territories secure independence
Est. 2minAzerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pledged on Saturday (20 July) to help France's overseas territories secure independence, the latest in a series of incidents pitting his ex-Soviet state against Paris over long-running conflicts in the Caucasus region.
Slovak PM blasts Ukraine’s Lukoil sanctions as oil flow stops
Est. 2minSlovakia will not be a "hostage" to Ukraine-Russia relations, its Prime Minister Robert Fico told his Ukrainian counterpart in a call on Saturday (20 July), after Kyiv placed Russian group Lukoil on a sanctions list, leading to a halt in deliveries.
Zelenskyy attends UK cabinet meeting, renews calls to allow strikes inside Russia
Est. 3minUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed British government ministers on Friday (19 July), a rare appearance by a foreign leader at a cabinet meeting that new Prime Minister Keir Starmer hopes will underline London's support for Kyiv.
Ukraine rushes to create AI-enabled war drones
Est. 6minIn Ukraine, a handful of startups are developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems to help fly a vast fleet of drones, taking warfare into uncharted territory as combatants race to gain a technological edge in battle.
In show of support, Starmer invites Zelenskyy to attend cabinet meeting
Est. 3minBritish Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a meeting of his top ministers on Friday (19 July), a show of support for the Ukrainian leader who will welcome a new plan to try to disrupt Russia's attempts to evade shipping sanctions.
Germany to halve military aid for Ukraine despite possible Trump White House
Est. 4minGermany plans to halve its military aid to Ukraine next year, despite concerns that US support for Kyiv could potentially diminish if Republican candidate Donald Trump returns to the White House.
EU’s Michel blasts Orbán as row over Hungary’s diplomatic push on Ukraine intensifies
Est. 5minEuropean Council President Charles Michel issued a stinging reply to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Tuesday (16 July) to “set the record straight” on his rogue diplomacy over Ukraine, as the EU's boycott of meetings under the country's EU presidency continues to widen.
Ukraine’s mobilisation campaign picks up despite faltering enthusiasm
Est. 5minSeeing the military patrol handing out call-up papers on the outskirts of Kyiv, one man slipped into a nearby store. Another refused to even stop for the officers. Others, however, quietly obliged.
Zelenskyy eyes second peace summit, says Russia should attend
Est. 4minPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday (15 July) he aimed to have a plan ready in November to enable Kyiv to hold a second international summit on his vision of peace in Ukraine, and he said representatives of Russia should attend.
NATO allies brush off concerns over Biden’s shaky second-term bid
Est. 6minWhile NATO leaders hailed this week's summit in Washington as successful, they aimed to brush off concerns over the alliance's future following the outcome of the November US presidential elections.
Georgia’s ‘foreign agent’ law takes toll on NATO ties as leaders omit reference to future membership
Est. 3minFor the first time since 2008, NATO's final communiqué on Wednesday (10 July) did not refer to Georgia become a member one day, a step that is seen as consequence of the recent deterioration of relations between Tbilisi and Western partners.
Hungarian opposition leader to deliver aid to damaged Kyiv children’s hospital
Est. 2minHungarian opposition politician Péter Magyar, the main challenger to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, is en route to deliver aid on Wednesday (10 July) to the Kyiv children's hospital hit during Russian airstrikes this week.
NATO backs Ukraine’s ‘irreversible’ path to membership, but both remain ‘bridge’ apart
Est. 5minNATO leaders backed Ukraine's "irreversible" path into the Western military alliance as expected on Wednesday (10 July), but stopped short of providing a concrete timetable and framework.
EU member states lash out at Hungary over rogue Ukraine diplomacy
Est. 3minEU member states on Wednesday (10 July) blasted Hungary for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's solo diplomatic initiative on Ukraine but did not discuss ways to rein in Budapest's potential future efforts.
Hungary downplays concerns over potential EU presidency meeting boycotts
Est. 4minBudapest on Wednesday (10 July) downplayed mounting concerns that EU countries could boycott future informal meetings hosted by the Hungarian EU presidency.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy remains cautious to address potential Trump return
Est. 3minUkraine's allies cannot and should not wait until the US election in November to take action to repel Russia's President Vladimir Putin, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged on Tuesday (9 July).
NATO boosts Ukraine’s air defence as concerns over future course of war grow
Est. 5minNATO leaders on Wednesday (10 June) are expected to pledge more advanced air defence capabilities and offer more F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to counter Russia's intensified missile strikes on the country. On the eve of the NATO summit, Russia had …
Ukraine navy chief says Russia is losing Crimean hub in Black Sea
Est. 5minThe Russian navy's Black Sea Fleet has been forced to rebase nearly all its combat-ready warships from occupied Crimea to other locations, and its main naval hub is becoming ineffectual because of attacks by Kyiv, Ukraine's navy chief said.
On surprise China visit, Orbán backs Xi’s peace plan for Ukraine
Est. 5minHungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday (8 July) to discuss a potential Ukraine peace deal, paying the unexpected visit to Beijing days after his talks with Russia's Vladimir Putin angered some European Union leaders.
Russian missile attacks kill at least 41, hit children’s hospital
Est. 5minRussia blasted the main children's hospital in Kyiv with a missile in broad daylight on Monday (8 July) and rained missiles down on other cities across Ukraine, killing at least 41 civilians in the deadliest wave of air strikes for months.
EU member states to seek clarity on Hungary’s Russia, China shuttle diplomacy
Est. 6minAfter Hungary's solo diplomatic outreach to Russia and China, EU member states this week are expected to seek more clarity about its results, with some keen to explore options on how to reign in what they see as Budapest's 'destructive behaviour'.
Dutch ministers pledge ‘rock solid’ support for Ukraine on first visit to Kyiv
Est. 3minOn their first visit to Kyiv on Saturday and Sunday (6 and 7 July) , Dutch defence minister Ruben Brekelmans and foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp held meetings with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other senior Ukrainian officials.
Hungary defends ‘restoring communication channels’ with Russia’s Putin
Est. 7minHungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's controversial visit to Russia, condemned by most EU leaders as appeasement towards Moscow, aimed to ‘collect information’ about the possibility of a ceasefire, his chief foreign policy advisor told Euractiv.