All articles tagged with #european union
The European Commission asks member states to consider voluntary demand-saving measures to curb oil and gas use, especially in transport, as it prepares for a potentially prolonged energy disruption from the Iran war, citing Gulf dependence and urging cross-border coordination and actions such as homeworking, lower speeds, and more biofuels.
Investigative reporting links the Israeli private intelligence firm Black Cube, with former Mossad figures on its advisory board, to covert operations in Slovenia intended to influence the national elections and undermine the government, prompting scrutiny from Slovenia and the EU over foreign interference and hybrid threats to democracy.
Viktor Orbán vetoes the €90 billion EU loan to Ukraine at the final stage, tying it to the Druzhba oil flow, and forces António Costa, as European Council president, to defend EU unity and past commitments while Kyiv aid hangs in the balance ahead of elections.
EU leaders at a Brussels summit condemned Viktor Orbán's veto of the €90 billion Ukraine loan and urged that the December deal be honored, while Orbán insisted on the blockage and accused Brussels of meddling, tying aid to political aims as energy-security tensions over the Druzhba pipeline loom ahead of Hungary's elections.
Ukraine accepted the EU’s offer of technical help and funding to repair the Druzhba oil pipeline and restore flows to Hungary and Slovakia, with EU experts available immediately and the Brody pumping station expected to be back online in about six weeks absent further Russian attacks. Kyiv also considers underground storage as a longer‑term solution and will pursue alternative non‑Russian crude routes; Hungary and Slovakia had accused Kyiv of supply restrictions amid tensions as the EU coordinates the response.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says Brussels is weighing changes to naval missions Aspides and Atalanta and could pursue UN-backed or coalition options to secure the Strait of Hormuz, in response to US pressure; however several member states, including Luxembourg, push back on NATO involvement and broader bloc-wide action, signaling a desire for consensus before any expanded mission.
France has mounted an unprecedented naval deployment to the Eastern Mediterranean, moving about half its major surface ships—including the carrier Charles de Gaulle, eight frigates, and two helicopter carriers—to protect shipping, French citizens, and regional partners as Iran targets the region and the Strait of Hormuz remains tense. Macron says the move demonstrates France’s reliability and Europe’s willingness to share security burdens, a stance analysts say could reshape Gulf security ties as Gulf states question U.S. commitment. The operation boosts EU deterrence and could aid evacuations, but it also risks entanglement if the conflict widens, with France also backing EU missions to secure Red Sea shipping and support reopening Hormuz.
EU leaders and Hungary’s opposition blasted Zelensky’s comments toward Viktor Orban as “not acceptable” amid tensions over Russian oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline and Hungary’s blocking of sanctions and a 90‑billion‑euro Ukrainian loan. Brussels urged de‑escalation, with EU Council President Costa working to move the loan forward and Commission officials echoing the call for calmer rhetoric. The row was compounded by Hungary detaining seven Ukrainian bank staff over money‑laundering suspicions and expelling them, which Kyiv condemned as state terrorism; Zelensky’s suggested language‑based communication with Orban drew the backlash.
Amid soaring energy bills and volatile markets driven by Middle East conflict and disruptions to Russian supplies, the EU held an emergency meeting to defend its plan to replace imported fossil fuels with homegrown green energy, while also signaling short-term measures to cut bills and improve supply using existing rules, amid political pressure from national leaders and populist opposition.
Anatol Lieven argues that European leaders' support for the U.S.-Israel war on Iran and their acquiescence to Israel’s Gaza actions undermine Europe’s global influence and democratic legitimacy, while intensifying internal polarization: center-left collapse, rising far-left and far-right blocs, and shifting Muslim minority and white working-class voters toward more extreme positions, risking social peace and democratic stability amid immigration and economic strains.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez rejects Donald Trump’s threats to cut trade over Madrid’s refusal to allow U.S./Israeli strikes on Iran, saying Spain won’t abandon its values or international law. EU leaders urge unity against unilateral action as Madrid warns of economic risks from the crisis, including energy costs and inflation, while maintaining strong U.S.–Spain ties.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez denounces Trump’s Iran strikes as unjustified and illegal, bars U.S. bases from supporting the attack, and pushes the EU toward de-escalation and multilateral diplomacy, while Trump threatens to cut trade with Spain — a confrontation that reshapes Spain’s international role and tests EU unity.
Ukraine seeks rapid EU membership as a security guarantee, but accession is a lengthy, obstacle-filled process with economic and governance hurdles; negotiators are weighing options such as phased benefits and limiting Kyiv’s veto on key decisions.
The European Commission urged Ukraine to accelerate repairs to the Druzhba pipeline after Russian attacks and Hungary’s double veto blocked a €90 billion loan and new sanctions, while Croatia’s Adria (JANAF) pipeline is identified as a viable alternative to keep oil flowing to Hungary and Slovakia. Croatia is examining whether it can legally receive non-Russian crude at its port; EU officials say there is no immediate risk to supply and Adria could meet the two countries’ annual needs, though no fixed timeline for Druzhba repairs exists amid ongoing political wrangling.
Hungary's Viktor Orbán vows to veto the EU's €90 billion Ukraine loan until Kyiv restarts oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline, arguing the move requires a political decision by Ukraine and citing new circumstances. EU Council President António Costa presses Kyiv to unblock the loan and warns that delay could undermine EU decisions, as Kyiv faces a cash shortfall with an April deadline. Costa will travel to Ukraine with Ursula von der Leyen amid Hungary's election season.