Europe's East
Ukraine’s own Green Deal aims to slash energy imports
Ukraine’s long-term climate plan could significantly cut reliance on energy imports, its energy ministry suggested last week. But a 2050 phase-out date for coal power has provoked disappointment.
Azerbaijan: remembering red carnations and looking into the future
Hikmat Hajiev, Head of the Foreign Affairs Department of Azerbaijan's Presidential Administration talks about the state of play of EU-Azerbaijan relations, geopolitics, trade and violent Soviet repression.
Ukraine PM Honcharuk given one more chance
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy rejected on Friday evening (17 January) the prime minister's resignation letter and told him to stay on and tackle the unpopular issue of high salaries of some public officials and multimillion-dollar bonuses paid to executives at the state gas company.
A Ukrainian story: leaks, PM resignation, vermicelli and Zelenskiy
The new political season in Ukraine kicked off with audio tapes leaked on Wednesday (15 January), suggesting that the prime minister, finance minister and deputy central bank governor had criticised President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's incompetence in the fields of economy and finance.
Trump impeachment trial opens as watchdog faults White House on Ukraine
The Senate impeachment trial on whether to remove US President Donald Trump from office formally began on Thursday (16 January) even as a congressional watchdog found that the White House broke the law by withholding security aid for Ukraine approved by Congress.
Polish PM condemns Putin for ‘lies’ about Second World War
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Sunday (29 December) condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin for blaming Poland for the outbreak of the Second World War, saying Moscow was lying to deflect attention from recent failures.
Ukraine and Donbas separatists exchange 200 prisoners in controversial swap
Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists in the country's war-torn east exchanged 200 prisoners on Sunday, swapping detained fighters for civilians and servicemen held captive in some cases for years in two breakaway regions.
Russia, Ukraine agree ‘in principle’ new gas deal, signature expected in Minsk
Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission, after hours-long talks on Thursday, agreed in principle on a new gas deal starting after 1 January 2020, European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič told a briefing. Ukraine is a key transit route for...
Trump becomes third US President to be impeached
Donald Trump on Wednesday (18 December) became the third US president to be impeached as the House of Representatives formally charged him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in a historic step that will inflame partisan tensions across a deeply divided America.
Ukraine gas transit: What’s at stake
By building the Nord Stream 2 and Turkish Stream gas pipelines, Russia is seeking to circumvent Ukraine for the transit of billions of cubic meters of gas bound to European countries. EURACTIV looks at the issues Europe faces with gas transit at its border.
‘Ukraine at its worst’: Is the new president targeting his predecessor?
Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has opened a new pre-trial criminal investigation into former President Petro Poroshenko, in an act seen by many as politically motivated and a symbol of Ukrainian politics at its worst.
US readies sanctions against Nord Stream 2 and Turkish Stream
The US House and Senate agreed on Monday (9 December) a defence bill that would force Donald Trump's administration to impose sanctions on companies involved in the Russian-sponsored gas pipelines Nord Stream 2 and Turkish Stream.
Normandy summit upholds ‘Steinmeier formula’ for Eastern Ukraine
Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in their first face-to-face meeting, took part in nine hours of talks in Paris on Monday (9 November), brokered by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The Brief, powered by BP – The year of living dangerously in Ukraine
Ukraine's political scene is probably among the world's most interesting at the moment, not only because of the ongoing attempt to impeach Donald Trump over a telephone conversation with his Ukrainian colleague Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Azerbaijan braces for early elections, banks on ‘modernisation’
Azerbaijan will hold early elections on 9 February, eight months ahead of schedule, after President Ilham Aliyev agreed to the ruling party's request to dissolve parliament. The move is in line with a recent major government shakeup and the country's drive to modernise and rebuild EU ties.
Belarus crowds rally against closer Russia ties, wave EU flags
Roughly 1,000 Belarusians joined an unauthorised demonstration on Saturday (7 December) against the prospect of a closer union with Russia.
Don’t cede too much to Putin, Ukrainians tell Zelenskiy ahead of Paris summit
Thousands of people gathered in the center of Kyiv on Sunday (8 December) to send a message to Ukraine’s president, who meets his Russian counterpart on Monday, that Ukrainians will not accept a peace deal at the cost of the country’s independence and sovereignty.
Did Hungary turn to the Russian Duma for support against Ukraine?
Hungary has a deep controversy with Hungary over minority rights. In this context, a heated controversy has unfolded over reports that Budapest asked the Duma, the lower chamber of Russia's parliament, for joint efforts to uphold minority rights in Ukraine.
Azerbaijan: Snap elections are coming – and a new generation of politicians
The expected snap parliamentary elections will likely launch a new democratic era in Azerbaijan, giving the voters a further possibility to advance the reform process, writes Dr. Ceyhun Osmanli.
Ukraine: Pro-western opposition sets ‘red lines’ ahead of ‘Normandy’ summit
Three Ukrainian opposition factions have proposed their red lines, including the return of Crimea to Ukraine's full control, ahead of a four-way Normandy summit to be held on in Paris on Monday (9 November).
Zelenskiy offers curtain-raiser ahead of ‘Normandy summit’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met with representatives of foreign media ahead of the 9 December summit in Paris, which will return to the effort of finding a solution to the crisis in Eastern Ukraine after a long break.
What should the EU do about South Caucasus? Here are some proposals
It appears the South Caucasus is not a foreign policy priority of the new European Commission. But it should be, write Dennis Sammut and Amanda Paul.
Unsurprisingly, Russia refuses Dutch request to hand over MH17 suspect
Russia has refused a Dutch request to hand over a suspect in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, in violation of European law, prosecutors said on Monday (2 December). Until recently the suspect was in Ukrainian custody, but was sent to Russia in a prisoner swap.