About: Barack Obama

EU-US relations: In search of common ground?
The message of US President Joe Biden’s first overseas Europe tour has been clear: America is back, and Western alliances are not broken. But for Europeans, the realisation has come that after four acrimonious years under the Trump administration, Biden’s...
US discourages foreign companies from doing business in Cuba
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned foreign businesses Wednesday (16 January) to steer clear of formerly private properties seized by Cuba -- and said he was considering allowing lawsuits over such assets in US courts.
EU puzzled by downgrade of its ambassador to Washington
The EU is currently discussing “possible implications” of a change in the diplomatic protocol in the US, which resulted in the Union having been downgraded in the precedence list to the level of an international organisation, together with the African Union.
US accepts Assad staying in power but won’t give aid
The United States said Monday (17 December) it was no longer seeking to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad but renewed warnings it would not fund reconstruction unless the regime is "fundamentally different."
America’s ‘other half’ steps up climate efforts
On Tuesday (14 November) at COP23, America’s “other half” presented its efforts to fight climate change in spite of the Trump administration’s decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement.
Landmark EU-Cuba deal to take effect from November
A landmark cooperation deal between the EU and Cuba will take effect on 1 November, Brussels said on Thursday (12 October), a major step towards normalising ties as tensions run high between Havana and the US.
Mogherini, Lavrov agree to disagree on EU-Russia issues
EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday (11 July) said both sides could cooperate on key international issues but traded barbs over Syria at the same time.
Starbucks set to hire 2,500 refugees in Europe
US coffee chain Starbucks Corp said yesterday (20 June) it will hire 2,500 refugees in Europe as part of a wider worldwide hiring plan, months after the policy prompted a backlash from some customers.
Axios: Trump pulling US out of Paris climate deal
US President Donald Trump has decided to withdraw from the Paris climate accord, Axios news outlet reported on Wednesday (31 May), citing two unidentified sources with direct knowledge of the decision.
No bluffing: US preparing to attack North Korea
The United States is advertising its preparations for war. North Korea assumes the attack is inevitable, writes George Friedman.
What a US president wants and what he must do are two different things
Donald Trump may want the United States to be less involved in the world but the reality is that the US is deeply involved, writes George Friedman.
Merkel and Trump clash over refugees in first meeting
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump found little common ground on Friday (16 March) on the management of the refugee crisis, but promised to work out compromises to overcome the dispute over the trade relations.
Merkel to also meet Trump ‘as envoy of Europe’
Donald Trump hosts Germany's Angela Merkel at the White House today (17 March), a meeting delayed by a snowstorm and still clouded by a storm of words between the two ostensible allies.
Pope Francis to share wisdom with EU leaders ahead of Rome summit
EU heads of state and government are planning to meet with Pope Francis in Rome on 24 March, ahead of the summit expected to provide a vision for the future of the EU after Brexit, diplomats told EURACTIV.com.
Trump suddenly likes the EU?
Donald Trump expressed support for the European Union on Thursday (23 February), which is surprising against the background previous remarks.
Resilient but shaky Bosnia marks a year since EU application
In the year since Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) submitted its formal application to join the European Union, little has gone according to plan for the fragile country, writes Sanford Henry.
Visegrád on Trump: Anxious but optimistic
Depending on which country you ask, in Central Europe, the new US government is either a source of unease in matters concerning Moscow or, in the case of Hungary, newfound confidence. Euractiv's Central European partners report.
Dutch to set up global abortion support fund to counter Trump’s cuts
The Netherlands is launching a global fund to help women access abortion services to compensate for US President Donald Trump's ban on US federal funding for foreign groups providing abortions or abortion support for family planning abroad.
Unhealthy divisions don’t help access to best healthcare
In the wake of the Brexit vote and Donald Trump being sworn in as US president, the divisions in crucial parts of the Western world are clear and stark, warns Denis Horgan.
Snowden lawyers explore EU asylum options
Edward Snowden has asylum in Russia until 2020 but his lawyers have said it's time EU countries “pay back” for exposing the extent of American snooping by giving him legal protection.
Attali: Europe is world’s biggest power but does not recognise it
Other world powers would be happy to see the EU fall apart. A defence union would stop this from happening and prevent Europe sliding back into conflict, Jacques Attali said in an interview with EURACTIV.com.
Obama shores up Paris Agreement with last-minute $500m payment
Barack Obama has heeded calls to help secure the future of the historic Paris Agreement by transferring a second $500 million instalment to the Green Climate Fund, just three days before he leaves office. That leaves $2 billion unpaid as Donald Trump takes office.
European leaders react to Trump bombshells
Europe should face Donald Trump with "confidence", German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said Monday (16 January), after the US president-elect had predicted that more EU members would leave the bloc and charged that NATO was "obsolete".