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).

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EU to push for sanctions on Israel ministers and suspend bilateral support

EU to push for sanctions on Israel ministers and suspend bilateral support

The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen stated she would push to sanction "extremist" Israeli ministers and curb trade ties over Gaza, as she warned famine should not be used as a "weapon of war". Addressing the European Parliament on 10 September in the annual State of the Union, von der Leyen lamented that divisions among member states were holding back a European response but insisted the European Commission "will do all that it can on its own". "What is happening in Gaza has shaken the conscience of the world. People killed while begging for food. Mothers holding lifeless babies. These images are simply catastrophic," von der Leyen said. The German politician said the Commission would put its bilateral support to Israel on hold, stopping all payments, but without affecting work with civil society groups and Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial.
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Opinion
What role for the EU in the post-Washington South Caucasus?

What role for the EU in the post-Washington South Caucasus?

The agreements reached in the US-mediated summit of the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders in Washington on August 8 are poised to fundamentally reshape the region's future. Particularly, the deal concerning the Zangezur corridor – rebranded as the “Trump Route for Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) – holds significant geopolitical importance. If implemented, the TRIPP agreement would deal a severe blow to the regional standing of Russia and Iran. More importantly, it would pave the way for a strategic U.S. presence in this critical geography. This outcome represents a success that few would have predicted for the United States, especially for the Trump administration, given the region's notoriously complex and volatile geopolitics.

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"Trio countries" push for closer relations with EU

"Trio countries" push for closer relations with EU

At a meeting with EU Council president, Charles Michel, the prime ministers of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine reaffirmed their common position that the forthcoming Eastern Partnership summit should offer the partner states new opportunities on the path toward further EU integration based on the differentiation and more for more principles. The parties also discussed the priorities and directions important in terms of deeper cooperation between the three countries and the EU.
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First Swedish female prime minister returns after one week

First Swedish female prime minister returns after one week

The Swedish leader of the Social Democratic Party, Magdalena Andersson, regained the position of prime minister on Monday (29 November) with 101 votes in favour in the 349-member Swedish parliament (Riksdag), 75 abstentions and 173 votes against. Andersson was supported by her Social Democrats Party and an independent.
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Opinion
Opinion: Brussels should develop a customised platform to take forward a trialogue with Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Opinion: Brussels should develop a customised platform to take forward a trialogue with Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"In their active search of new approaches and strategies, European officials should keep in mind that antagonizing Russia would result in unexpected developments in the region. Instead, stabilization of the situation requires cooperation with Moscow", writes Alexander Petrosyan in this op-ed