Global Europe
Czechs urge allies to expel Russian intelligence officers in act of solidarity
The Czech Republic will ask European Union and NATO allies to take action in solidarity with Prague in its row with Moscow, including expelling Russian intelligence officers from their countries, acting Foreign Minister Jan Hamáček said on Tuesday (20 April).
Arab League, UN, EU and AU demand foreign forces leave Libya
The Arab League, United Nations, European Union and the African Union on Tuesday (20 April) demanded an immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces from Libya.
Ukraine leader Zelenskiy urges Putin to meet on frontline
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday (20 April) invited Russian leader Vladimir Putin to meet in war-torn eastern Ukraine, stressing that millions of lives were at stake from fresh fighting in the separatist conflict.
Germany calls for closer cooperation with France over security threats
German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has called for closer bilateral cooperation with France in light of the tense security situation in Europe marked by the Russian "threat", the rise of China and spreading "Islamist terrorism" in the Sahel region. EURACTIV France reports.
Veteran Chad leader Deby dies, the military take over
Chad's President Idriss Deby Itno has died reportedly in combat just a day after securing re-election, opening a period of uncertainty in a country that is a key strategic ally of the West in a troubled region.
Mass pro-Navalny protests planned as Putin addresses Russia
Vladimir Putin delivers a state of the nation address on Wednesday (21 April) as Russia deals with a crisis in ties with the West and faces calls for mass protests in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
Calls for rallies threaten EU deal in Georgia
European Council President Charles Michel on Tuesday (20 April) declared a political crisis in Georgia resolved, but defiant opposition groups called for new protests and an ex-president announced his return from exile to oust the ruling party.
Russia does everything to incite provocations, Kyiv warns
Russia will soon have more than 120,000 troops on Ukraine’s border, the country’s foreign minister warned on Tuesday (20 April), after the EU, US and NATO allies denounced the large build-up of Russian troops alongside Ukraine’s eastern borders. “The situation...
Russia expels two Bulgarian diplomats in tit-for-tat move
Russia's foreign ministry on Tuesday (20 April) said it had expelled two Bulgarian diplomats in a tit-for-tat move after Sofia kicked out two Russian diplomats over a suspected spy network.
Ukrainian asylum applications tick up in EU
Applications in the European Union for asylum from Ukrainians have jumped in recent months, the EU agency involved in the claims said Tuesday (20 April), although it did not say why.
India’s PM Narendra Modi will not attend Porto summit
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the EU-India summit scheduled for 8 May in Porto, a source from the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the European Union told Lusa on Monday (19 April). “The preparatory work for...
EU to provide vaccines for Western Balkan frontline healthcare workers
The EU will provide 651,000 COVID-19 jabs from its joint procurement for frontline healthcare workers in the six partner countries in the Western Balkans, the European Commission announced on Tuesday (20 April). The announcement comes after China and Russia distributed...Editor's picks
Tsikhanouskaya: Repressions are escalating, EU should be ‘braver’ in its sanction policy
Actions of the international community, including European sanctions against the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, have to be ‘faster and braver‘ to support Belarusian civil society in its struggle, Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya told EURACTIV. “The protest mood hasn’t been...
Populism and cozy ties with Russia and China: Vucic takes Serbia further away from EU
European tolerance has greatly contributed to Serbian President Alexander Vučić and the ruling Serbian Progressive Party's establishing an authoritarian system that has nothing to do with the rule of law, writes Svetla Miteva.
EU set to send election observers to Ethiopia despite Tigray conflict
The European Union is set to send an election observation mission to monitor Ethiopia’s elections in June, the EU’s chief diplomat said on Monday (19 April), despite the ongoing war in the country’s northern Tigray province.
Russian military build-up near Ukraine numbers more than 150,000 troops, Borrell says
Russia has concentrated more than 150,000 troops on Ukraine's border and in annexed Crimea, the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell said on Monday (19 April) after EU foreign ministers were briefed by Ukraine's foreign minister.
Georgia ruling party, opposition sign EU-led pact to end crisis
Georgia's ruling party and the opposition on Monday (19 April) signed an EU-mediated agreement to end a months-long political crisis that raised concerns in the West over the Caucasus country's backsliding on democracy.
Putin to address Biden’s climate summit despite crisis in US-Russia ties
Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver a speech on Thursday (22 April) at an online climate change summit hosted by US President Joe Biden, the Kremlin said, despite a deep crisis in relations between Moscow and Washington.
Beijing huddles with autocratic friends, seeks to fracture US-led ‘clique’
China is shoring up ties with autocratic partners like Russia and Iran, as well as economically dependent regional countries, while using sanctions and threats to try to fracture the alliances the United States is building against it.
EU foreign ministers to meet on Navalny health as tensions with Russia soar
EU foreign ministers will meet for talks on the health of dissident Alexei Navalny, as the United States warned Moscow of "consequences" if the Kremlin critic dies in prison and tensions soared over a Russian military build-up on Ukraine's border.
EU, US call on Georgia lawmakers to sign compromise pact
The EU and US jointly called on lawmakers in Georgia to sign on to a compromise agreement to resolve a protracted political crisis in the Caucasus country.
Global Europe Brief: Western Balkan faultlines
Welcome to EURACTIV’s Global Europe Brief, your weekly update on the EU from a global perspective. You can subscribe here. /// EDITOR’s TAKE EU foreign ministers were scheduled to hold a debate with and about the Western Balkans during their meeting...
Radio Free Europe petitions Strasbourg court to block Russian fines
The US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty news website in Moscow said Friday (16 April) it was urgently appealing to Europe's highest rights court to stop Russia from heavily fining the media outlet for hundreds of alleged infractions.