The EU foreign ministers gave their approval on Monday for a gradual and comprehensive easing of the sanctions regime against Syria. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas emphasized that the political agreement must be followed by the technical implementation of the legal texts. This would be ready by the next meeting of foreign […]
Despite the interfering noises from Budapest, there is a high probability that Hungary will not stand in the way of an extension of the economic sanctions against Russia at the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels today. Viktor Orbán is probably just playing poker. Diplomats expressed this expectation in the run-up to the meeting. However, they […]
For once, there is a consensus: the Foreign Affairs Council is expected to give the political signal today in Brussels to ease or partially suspend the sanctions regime against Syria. This is important if the EU wants to be a player in the region and have an influence on the new rulers. As a gesture […]
It sounded like an original idea. But it turned out to be ill-conceived and had the potential to be a logistical nightmare: the EU heads of state and government will not be meeting in a remote castle in Wallonia for their “retreat” on Monday next week as originally planned but in the middle of Brussels.But […]
NATO chief spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah is moving to the WHO after less than a year. The British-Lebanese communications expert originally came from AstraZeneca and was hired under the then NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. As an outsider, Farah Dakhlallah is said to have struggled with the customs at the Alliance’s headquarters, according to NATO circles. The […]
Donald Tusk could hardly have issued a more urgent warning during his appearance before the EU Parliament: “I would like to tell you that this is a time when Europe cannot afford to save on security.” The head of government and current EU Council President called for every country to spend five percent of its […]
It all happened so quickly. Donald Trump is in office, and Viktor Orbán now seems poised to clear the way for the extension of economic sanctions against Russia. Poland, which currently holds the EU Council Presidency, plans to add the rollover to the agenda for the EU ambassadors’ meeting on Friday, expecting a consensus to […]
With Donald Trump’s return to the White House, the debate in Europe about greater personal responsibility for defense and higher arms spending is gaining momentum. It is clear to everyone that the two percent target for defense spending is the “absolute minimum,” said David McAllister ahead of a debate in the EU Parliament on the […]
An important new appointment in the office of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas is imminent: Danish EU diplomat Peter Sørensen is to become the new EU Special Representative for the dialog between Belgrade and Pristina. The appointment is to be formally confirmed next week at the ambassadorial level and then in the […]
In a meeting of EU ambassadors on Wednesday, Hungary also blocked the latest attempt to clear the way for the disbursement of funds from the European Peace Facility and the Ukraine Support Fund. As a concession to Budapest, the Polish EU Council Presidency’s proposal stipulates that Hungarian taxpayers’ money will not be used for arms […]