The country’s new Labour government is more enthusiastic about forging deeper defense co-operation with European allies than its Conservative predecessor, and moved quickly to sign a cooperation deal with Germany on Wednesday. As part of a whistle stop tour of Europe, including France, Poland and Estonia over 48 hours this week, British Defense Minister John … Read more
The Estonian parliament on Monday voted for Climate Minister Kristen Michal to take over as prime minister, with 64 votes in favor and 27 against. Michal will succeed Kaja Kallas, who resigned as prime minister on July 15 to become the European Union’s new chief diplomat. Following her resignation, Kallas named Michal as a possible … Read more
Who wants what? France and Italy are the biggest European powers eying a portfolio that includes one or more of the following: Competition, trade, industry and economic policy, several EU diplomats said, much to the despair of northern, more budget-disciplined EU governments. Ireland and Luxembourg are interested in a financial portfolio, while Spain wants an … Read more
Representatives from Reform, the liberal Estonia 200 party and the center-left Social Democrats already began coalition negotiations on July 8, with Michal leading the discussions. All parties hope to reach an agreement by the end of July, and the new government will likely take office at the beginning of August. EU leaders picked Kallas for … Read more
“I don’t think it’s pretty impressive that Lithuania is spending 3 percent; Estonia spends 3 percent. If I were them, I would spend 10, if they’re serious about how threatening the Russians are,” he said. “I think what Europeans need to understand is that they need to build up their military as soon as humanly … Read more
On the contrary, the majority of Ukrainians (58 percent) remain confident their troops can win, and that they can continue to count on the support of their international allies. Only 1 percent of Ukrainians believe Russia will win the war, while 30 percent see a negotiated settlement as the most likely outcome. The study also … Read more
Beijing has already prohibited exports of rare earth refining and magnet manufacturing technologies. In January, it banned the export of gallium and germanium, both highly sought after by the computer-chip industry. Fears that China is looking to exert control over the industry, and could disrupt critical technology, automotive and renewable energy supply chains, have sparked … Read more
Listen on Spotify Apple Music Acast Straight from the European Council summit, we bring you the latest news and analysis on a range of tough issues on the leaders’ agenda. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO colleagues Barbara Moens and Aitor Hernández-Morales to discuss how EU leaders agreed on who they want to lead … Read more
European governments and spy-catchers have grown increasingly concerned about an uptick of espionage in the bloc since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. From France to Bulgaria, Russian snoops, often working under diplomatic cover, have been expelled en masse. Last week, the foreign ministers of eight EU countries wrote to the bloc’s top … Read more
In the past, the EU executive has let the bloc’s second-largest economy off the hook, even when its spending burst past the limits. But as populist governments across the Continent pull at the fabric of the European establishment and more fiscally disciplined governments accuse the Commission of turning a blind eye, things are changing. “Increased … Read more
