Preserving this Greek carve-out sends precisely the wrong signal. It tells companies that sufficiently valuable commercial interests may eventually secure exemptions. It tells member states that delaying agreement can produce favourable outcomes. And it tells Moscow that Europe’s political unity remains negotiable when influential industries are affected.
The FBI chief Kash Patel is heading to Moscow, where he is to be hosted by the Russian security service, the FSB. Nothing wrong with that in principle: under the previous administration the then CIA chief Bill Burns regularly acted as message-carrier to the Kremlin. But news of the visit comes as allies’ trust in American spookdom is hitting new lows, warns Edward Lucas.
The Azerbaijani regime has arrested investigative journalists and dismantled independent media, leaving virtually no one on the ground to report on corruption and trade violations. And yet the EU Commission and German government are placing their trust in the authoritarian petro-state.
Sacked Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov warns about exhausted soldiers, chaotic command and lies to the public.
Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy team may feel nervous about briefing the boss this week. Among recent bad news, the Chinese Communist Party has delivered a double snub to the Kremlin, writes Edward Lucas.
Kyiv dismissed the reformer who was making the concept of speed its defence ministry’s organising principle – just as Russia begins to copy the model, and days after Europe signed up to build on it. So what now?
The EU has probably missed the boat in imposing trade measures against solar panels or electric vehicles (EVs) without China viewing this as a direct, offensive measure (and in turn, incurring harsh retaliation)
Vladimir Putin’s envoy to the EU had a strange career path, a spy-linked uncle, spy friends, and allegedly played a role in pre-Brexit dirty tricks in the UK.
As the EU finalises its 21st sanctions package, two sanctioned vessels carrying critical oil and gas infrastructure are sailing towards Russia. Europe still has time to act.
The alliance avoided disaster in the Turkish capital – but it is becoming increasingly irrelevant, writes Edward Lucas.
A ceasefire in name only, a blocked civilian committee in Cairo, and EU threats of sanctions that may not materialise — this episode unpacks why Gaza’s path to peace keeps slipping away.
Crystal ball: EU will do nothing about Israel on MondayWadephul, Tajani, and other EU friends of Israel will say Lebanon peace talks and Israeli elections mean there should be no sanctions.
Drawing on months of research and consultations with lawyers, trade experts and former and current EU officials, we propose a regulation under the EU’s Common Commercial Policy. Such regulation should aim at ensuring that EU trade complies with international law and does not help sustain the illegal settlements economically.
If the Sakharov prize I hold is to mean anything, it must mean that Sudan matters to Europe, that the lives of Sudanese people are worth the same as those in Ukraine or Gaza. It cannot possibly mean that the same institutions who awarded me this prize are cutting deals with those funding the genocide of my own people.
Recent answers from the European Commission to parliamentary questions we submitted confirm what journalists, humanitarian organisations and Palestinians themselves have documented for years
Russia is too weak militarily to invade any Nato country. It is building some military infrastructure, notably on the border with Finland, but it has no soldiers to put there. Whatever Russia is planning is in a different domain, a war of nerves, aimed at our brains, not our territory.
The EU seems to be fully caught up in what has been defined as the “deterrence trap”: a full focus on restrictive measures that might offer short-term political relief but that will prove ineffective in the long run, providing extremist movements the tools to erode the political centre.
The EU methane regulation “has become a defining test of Europe’s ability to maintain ambitious climate and energy policies” the US lawmakers wrote.
Last year, Frontex contracted out €163m on return operations to eTravel SA, a Poland-based company. The agency’s budget and powers are now set to expand in September, including on deportations.
Iran and the United States signed an interim agreement two weeks ago. Yet hostilities between the two countries have not completely stopped. So starting the summer holidays, what should we expect for oil and gas prices?
