Israel’s armed forces have crossed another dangerous red line in Lebanon by firing on positions of the UN peacekeeping force (Unifil), said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell after the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. The ministers had expressed their full support for the UN mission and no one was in favor of […]
Marta Kos comes from a country that stands for the early success of the EU enlargement process. The Slovenian wants to build on this success story if the EU Parliament confirms her as Commissioner for Enlargement at the hearings in November. The Slovenian will also coordinate the reconstruction of Ukraine with international partners, as stated […]
Is it a suitable trick to override Viktor Orbán’s veto power? At today’s meeting of EU foreign ministers, Josep Borrell plans to present a proposal on how Hungary’s blockade of the European Peace Facility could be circumvented.The trick goes like this: The member states’ contributions to the common pool would no longer be obligatory, but […]
Ursula von der Leyen has never been so clear in her criticism of Viktor Orbán. Step by step, the Commission President took apart the presentation by Hungary’s head of government, who had previously presented the agenda for Hungary’s EU Council Presidency. For example on the topic of competitiveness, the focus of the informal summit on […]
It sounds like a difficult mission. Andrius Kubilius, as the EU’s first-ever defense commissioner, will face high expectations. The Lithuanian will have limited authority and will need to ensure he asserts himself, given overlaps with other commissioners’ portfolios. Limited resources and debates over additional funding could quickly become obstacles to his ambitious goals.However, as a […]
It takes a certain amount of courage to appoint a representative of the largest net beneficiary country as Budget Commissioner. Piotr Serafin will focus on the preparations for the next MFF, said Ursula von der Leyen at the presentation of her team on Tuesday. In order to dispel any reservations in Berlin, the Commission President […]
In view of the geopolitical environment, the EU states’ defense spending is still inadequate, while Europe’s defense industry is also struggling with access to private investment and market fragmentation. Mario Draghi is unsparing in his analysis of the status quo, but ultimately unsurprising. Duplicate structures, fragmentation and major deficits in the standardization of defense equipment […]
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba set the tone alongside Josep Borrell: The gap between the announcement of military support and the effective delivery was a handicap for Ukraine. Given the excessively long period, it is difficult for the armed forces to plan and know what they can rely on on the battlefield. At the informal meeting […]
Annalena Baerbock will have a lot of explaining to do at today’s informal meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels: All eyes are on Germany, diplomats said in the run-up to the meeting. Is German support for Ukraine wavering? Some member states are alarmed after the letter from Minister Christian Lindner with the question marks over […]
Ursula von der Leyen announces a “new era for security and defense” in her political guidelines. The new top topic comes closest to the “man-on-the-moon moment” of 2019 when the Green Deal took center stage. For the Commission President, support for Ukraine goes hand in hand with the new priority for the EU. The best […]