Cyprus, which holds the EU presidency, is proposing a long-term budget that is 2 percent lower than the European Commission's initial offer. However, Sweden wants deeper cuts. "I am as upset as I am disappointed. The cuts are barely visible and far from sufficient," says Sweden's EU minister, Jessica Rosencrantz (M), in a statement.
BusinessAlexander Stubb or Mario Draghi? Or even Angela Merkel? Pressure is mounting on EU talks with Russia about the war in Ukraine. But who will speak, and about what?
WorldGermany wants to make Ukraine an "associate member" of the EU - without voting rights but with a seat at summits and in the European Parliament. "We do not have time for further delays," writes Chancellor Friedrich Merz in a letter to EU leaders.
WorldCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been invited to the European Cooperation Organization (EPC) summit in Armenia.
WorldEU leaders are calling for de-escalation and cooperation in a meeting with colleagues from the Middle East. But far from everyone is on board - and the EU's political and military influence in the region is weak.
WorldThe EU loan is complete and new sanctions have been imposed. Ukraine now hopes for further progress. We want to join the EU as soon as possible, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says.
WorldEU countries agree to develop an accession agreement with Montenegro - a major step on the path to membership.
WorldUkraine, Iran, the energy crisis and the next long-term budget will all be discussed when the heads of state and government of EU countries gather for a summit next week.
WorldAre four years of war finally starting to wear on the patience of Ukraine's president? Volodymyr Zelenskyy's harsh remarks are drawing criticism from both supporters and opponents.
WorldIt's an "acceptable" solution, even though it sends an unfortunate signal. This is how Sweden views the EU offering Ukraine help to repair a pipeline through which Russian oil will flow to Hungary - in order to get Budapest to stop blocking the EU's multi-billion-euro loan to Ukraine.
WorldWe need to talk to Russia - but not yet, says EU Council President António Costa ahead of another fateful summit in Brussels. He expects Hungary to stop blocking EU loans to Ukraine - but cannot say how.
WorldEU chief Ursula von der Leyen promises that Ukraine will receive the promised 90 billion euros "one way or another." - Today we stand in Kyiv on a cruel anniversary. But the resilience of the Ukrainian people is unbroken, she said in Kyiv on the fourth anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the European countries for their support.
WorldPrime Minister Ulf Kristersson met with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in Kyiv on the anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion in 2022. The good news is that they are holding the Russians at bay at the front, Kristersson said.
SwedenThey had hoped to bring gifts in the form of a new sanctions package and clarity on the EU's billion-euro loan. But when EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa visit Kyiv on the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion, they are essentially empty-handed.
World“Decisions taken in the European Council must be respected.” European Council President António Costa lashes out at Hungary's Viktor Orbán after he threatened the EU's multi-billion-euro loan to Ukraine.
WorldOne Europe, one market - with significantly simpler rules. The strategy will be implemented by 2027 at the latest, Council President António Costa promises. This comes after "excellent" discussions at the castle with EU leaders that are ultimately about strengthening the Union in a threatening and unpredictable world.
WorldDonald Trump's tariff threat against countries that support Greenland was a real eye-opener. When EU heads of state and government meet now to talk about competitiveness, it is actually about how EU countries will stand on their own in a new, threatening world. There are fears that Europe will become a kind of kickball in world politics, says Europe expert Göran von Sydow.
WorldHow can the EU stand firm in a world of offensive actions and threats from the East and the West? This question is the focus as Council President António Costa gathers EU heads of state and government for a "reflection meeting" at a Belgian castle.
SwedenWhile U.S. President Donald Trump constantly issues new tariff threats, the EU and India hope for the opposite. Together, two of the world's four largest economies create a gigantic market of two billion people.
BusinessWhen things are going badly with the United States, the EU is instead aiming for a gigantic trade agreement with India. It's an important signal to the outside world, says Jan-Olof Jacke, CEO of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, on the ground in Delhi.
BusinessEU leader António Costa has landed in India, hoping to secure a huge trade deal this week. In an obvious nod to US tariff policy, the deal is being called “the mother of all deals”.
BusinessThe EU is breathing a sigh of relief after Donald Trump backed down on his tariff threats regarding Greenland - but the EU promises to stand up to future pressure. The EU has the power and the tools to do so, Council President António Costa said after Thursday's summit in Brussels.
WorldEU Council President António Costa has called an EU summit over the Greenland crisis. The EU is considering imposing retaliatory tariffs on the US worth nearly SEK 1,000 billion, sources tell the Financial Times (FT).
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