The EU appears to have seized the opportunity left by Donald Trump’s diplomatic feud with president Cyril Ramaphosa to rebuild its relationship with South Africa ahead of a two day G20 summit in Johannesburg which starts on Saturday.

Belgian unions began a three-day general strike on Monday, bringing public transport to a near standstill in a demand for the government to abandon plans to cut pensions, raise the retirement age, and slash unemployment benefits.

The EU has hardened its position on keeping a strong Ukrainian army, amid US president Donald Trump's third attempt to get a Moscow-Kyiv peace deal. 

EU states are struggling with upcoming border rules that critics say could led to detention-like centres. Under the new regime authorities will have only seven days to screen a prospective asylum seeker.

Today, we kick off an anniversary campaign to convince new supporting members to join EUobserver's mission of providing the information citizens need to safeguard EU democracy.

Russian spies are still active in the EU capital and have a "higher risk appetite" than before the Ukraine war — despite Belgium's efforts to push back against their plots.