Region

EU plus

Stories in this section cover the EU-27 countries plus the UK, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Andorra and the Balkan Countries (Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia).

Editor's choice
News
European leaders set out their plan for Ukraine

European leaders set out their plan for Ukraine

The leaders of Germany, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and United Kingdom, together with the President of the European Council, and the President of the European Commission, o  Monday (15 December) issued a statement, outlining their plan for Ukraine. In their statement, Chancellor Merz, Prime Minister Frederiksen, President Stubb, President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, Prime Minister Schoof, Prime Minister Støre, Prime Minister Tusk, Prime Minister Kristersson, Prime Minister Starmer, as well as President Costa and President von der Leyen spoke about "Peace for Ukraine". The Leaders welcomed significant progress on President Trump’s efforts to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. They also welcomed the close work between President Zelenskyy’s and President Trump’s teams as well as European teams over the recent days and weeks. They agreed to work together with President Trump and President Zelenskyy to get to a lasting peace which preserves Ukrainian sovereignty and European security. Leaders appreciated the strong convergence between the United States, Ukraine and Europe. Leaders agreed that ensuring the security, sovereignty, and prosperity of Ukraine was integral for wider Euro-Atlantic security. They were clear that Ukraine and its people deserved a prosperous, independent, and sovereign future, free from fear of future Russian aggression. Both the US and European leaders committed to work together to provide robust security guarantees and economic recovery support measures for Ukraine in the context of an agreement on ending the war. This would include commitments to: Provide sustained and significant support to Ukraine to build its armed forces, which should remain at a peacetime level of 800,000 to be able to deter conflict and defend Ukraine’s territory. A European-led ‘multinational force Ukraine’ made up from contributions from willing nations within the framework of the Coalition of the Willing and supported by the US. It will assist in the regeneration of Ukraine’s forces, in securing Ukraine’s skies, and in supporting safer seas, including through operating inside Ukraine. (Click the image to read the statement in full).

Filter archive

Publication date
Editor's choice
Opinion
Opinion: Is this the end for the post-cold war world order?

Opinion: Is this the end for the post-cold war world order?

The G7 and Shanghai Co-operation Organisation summits last week highlighted the decline of western dominated post-cold war order, and a growing role for regional powers in their respective zones of influence, says Benyamin Poghosyan in this op-ed
Editor's choice
Opinion
Opinion: Pashinyan's timely visit to Georgia

Opinion: Pashinyan's timely visit to Georgia

Armenian-Georgian relations are friendly, regardless of some tensions under the surface. During his visit to Georgia this week Nikol Pashinyan should focus on pragmatic issues related to transport corridors, argues Benyamin Poghosyan in this op-ed.
Editor's choice
Commentary
Monday Commentary: The 1918 republics in the South Caucasus lit a beacon which has never been extinguished since

Monday Commentary: The 1918 republics in the South Caucasus lit a beacon which has never been extinguished since

The festivities marking the centennial of the first republics in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia were well deserved, and not without present-day significance, for regardless of the managed narratives the powerful messages from a hundred years ago still resonate throughout the region, argues Dennis Sammut.