19 EU leaders back foreign deportation centres for rejected asylum seekers
Return hubs rallied mass support in the EU Parliament, and are now being pushed ahead by most European leaders at the council summit – though not everyone is onboard
EU summit
-
-
Leaders press EU Commission to draft Israel trade restrictions, after three-month ‘frustration’
EU leaders have nudged the European Commission to draft legal texts to restrict imports from Israeli settlers, following three months of inertia, which diplomats said caused “frustration”.
-
Dutch PM calls out Spain’s lack of Ukraine funding, amid speculation on peace talks
Arriving at the Council building flanked by European Council and EU commission presidents Costa and von der Leyen, Zelensky celebrated “a really great moment for Ukraine”, which saw negotiations on future EU membership unblocked this week.
-
Ahead of EU summit and election, Brussels is backing the wrong horse in Armenia
The EU has built its identity around the export of democratic norms: rule-of-law conditionality, election-monitoring, civil society support. In Armenia, six weeks before the country’s most consequential parliamentary elections in a generation, the EU is deploying all of those tools — and aiming every one of them at the wrong target.
-
EU officials sidestep ‘Pentagon memo’ on booting Spain from Nato
“We don’t discuss internal issues of Nato”, said the EU’s Costa in Cyprus on US threat to Spain, as most EU leaders also ignored Trump ‘squeaky toy’ Pentagon memo.
-
EU leaders enraged as summit ends with Orbán vetoing €90bn Ukraine aid
EU leaders failed to convince Hungary to lift its veto on Ukraine support, as president Volodomyr Zelensky lamented the blockage.
-
Croatia readies oil for Hungary, as Orbán sticks to EU-Kyiv loan veto
Croatia says 13 tankers carrying non-Russian oil are ready to supply Hungary, even as Budapest presses Ukraine to deliver cheaper Russian fuel in exchange for lifting its veto on a €90bn loan for Kyiv at Thursday’s EU summit.
-
Listen: Will the EU keep its promise of financial assistance to Ukraine?
Ukraine faces a financial crisis as Hungary blocks the EU’s €90bn loan. Can Brussels convince Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán to lift his veto?
-
Hungary veto on Ukraine and carbon market to hijack EU summit
Hungary’s veto on Ukraine money is to hijack the spotlight at Thursday’s EU summit in Brussels, alongside disagreements over Europe’s carbon market — overshadowing what was meant to be a key debate on turning Europe into a truly economic powerhouse.
-
THIS WEEK: EU summit on Iran war and support for Kyiv, plus Slovenia election and ‘EU Inc’ top agenda
All 27 EU leaders meet on Thursday in Brussels to discuss Ukraine support, energy prices, security risks from the Iran war and competitiveness. At the start of the week, foreign affairs ministers will address Iran sanctions, maritime security and Lebanon. Also this week, the EU commission will unveil its “EU Inc” proposal, while MEPs are expected to finally vote on the US-EU trade deal from July. Slovenia has national elections on Sunday.
-
‘Two-speed Europe’ and ‘Made in EU’ form core conclusions of leaders’ retreat
A “two‑speed Europe” plus a “European preference” took centre stage at the EU leaders’ informal retreat in Alden Biesen, Belgium — with a new roadmap of competitiveness reforms expected ahead of the March Brussels summit.
-
THIS WEEK: EU leaders’ retreat on competitiveness, Munich Security Conference, and UkraineThis week, EU leaders will meet in Alden Biesen to discuss economic reforms and competitiveness, while the Munich Security Conference takes place from Friday to Sunday. In Strasbourg, MEPs will vote on housing, defence, climate, migration, and Ukraine aid.