Saturday

26th Feb 2022

Tusk turns on former partners over Ukraine 'disgrace'

Donald Tusk, the Polish president of the EU Council until 2019 and current chair of the European People's Party broke with normal diplomatic niceties to lambast Germany, Hungary and Italy as having "disgraced themselves."

Does Draghi have a Russia problem?

While much of the infatuation with Russia among some Italians may be hard to explain, it's still a factor that its leaders, like prime minister Mario Draghi, must contend with.

News in Brief

  1. Poland closes airspace to Russian airlines
  2. EU calls snap summit on Ukraine crisis
  3. Commission: Poland should adopt rule-of-law bill 'soon'
  4. Ukraine foreign minister asks for future EU membership
  5. UK: 'Inconceivable' to hold football final in Russia
  6. UNHCR: Greek pushbacks 'legally and morally unacceptable'
  7. African Union wants 'transition period' on climate
  8. Bulgarian MEP faces sanctions procedure over Nazi salute
Russian banks, oil refineries to face EU freeze

Russian banks and oil refineries to be hobbled by new EU sanctions, as civilian deaths mount in Ukraine. US wanted to exclude Russia from SWIFT, but Germany and France favoured incremental approach.

Opinion

Has the EU gone far enough on sanctions?

This is how sanctions work: to be credible, those who put these measures in place must be willing to accept negative effects on both sides. To make a difference, EU countries will have to be ready to bear the costs.

Weapons to Ukraine? It may be too late

Weapons shipments may not be much of a quick fix for Ukraine in the face of an integrated and well equipped invasion force like Russia's.

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Analysis

What the Russia conflict might mean for gas prices

In the worst-case scenario gas suppliers wouldn't be able to rebuild their inventories over the summer, industries would have to shut down, and energy rationing may be inevitable.

Russia launches full-scale attack on Ukraine

EU leaders immediately condemned the invasion, with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen calling on Russia to withdraw its forces and vowing further sanctions.

Russian media darlings hit by EU sanctions

"Ban the liars", Polish MEP Radek Sikorski said, as the EU slapped sanctions on some of Russia's most prominent TV broadcasters in response to their warmongering against Ukraine.

Latest News

  1. Cyberattacks loom as EU stiffens sanctions on Russia
  2. Solidarity with Ukraine refugees, but there may be limits
  3. Has the EU gone far enough on sanctions?
  4. Does Draghi have a Russia problem?
  5. Ex-ambassador in Kyiv: EU leaders should be 'ashamed'
  6. Tusk turns on former partners over Ukraine 'disgrace'
  7. EU plan to make supply chains greener, less abusive
  8. Russian banks, oil refineries to face EU freeze

EU and US strike at Russian state bonds

"Who in the Lord's name does Putin think gives him the right to declare what he called new countries on the territories of his neighbour?", US president Joe Biden said.

Opinion

Today's the day to declare Ukraine an EU candidate country

A silly idea, when Russia has just amputated parts of Ukraine's territory? On the contrary — it would be a historic chance for the EU become again an agenda-setter rather than following a playbook set by others.

Opinion

The pandemic EU billions? Follow the money (or don't)

This is the first time the EU has raised money collectively – some called it Europe's New Marshall Plan – and if the process is seen to fail, it could shatter the frail trust in the European project.

Analysis

African push to invest in gas met with caution by EU

Unsurprisingly, given the sensitivities surrounding energy issues in Africa and Europe, leaders did not appear to be in a hurry to announce big, new financing deals for fossil fuels at the summit.

China backs shutting Ukraine out of Nato

In Munich, Volodymyr Zelensky voiced his concerns that the chances of Nato membership for his country may already have been diminished, because of the pressure from Russia.