Brussels 09.05.2026 This year Russian President Vladimir Putin has used the commemoration event to denounce NATO. He didn’t mention Ukraine once in his speech, referring to it as an “agressive force”, supported by the North Atlantic Alliance. Speaking in front of hundreds of military personnel and flanked by invited world leaders, the President said that…
Author: Europe correspondent
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Rome: Rubio visits Meloni
Brussels 09.05.2026 This week Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni received the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a moment of maximum strain between her government and President Trump’s administration, caused by the war of choice with Iran. Rubio headed to Italy for a two-day trip on May 7-8 aimed at easing tensions with Pope…
Vatican: Rubio pays visit to Pope
Brussels 08.05.2026 The U.S. Secreatry of State Marco Rubio assessed positively his visit to Vatican. As he arrived in Italy on May 7 he headed to the Vatican, where he met in the Apostolic Palace with Pope Leo XIV. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that he and Pope Leo XIV had "a very…
EU-USA trade tensions
Brussels 08.05.2026 Trump offers the EU two months reflection time until July 4 amid trade tensions remain high. (Image above: Brussels, archive) President Donald Trump has given the European Union until July 4 (U.S. Independence Day) to proceed with approval of the US EU trade agreement, temporarily easing concerns over an immediate escalation in auto…
Trump criticises Italy and Spain
Brussels 01.05.2026 President Donald Trump said “probably” when asked whether he would consider pulling U.S. troops out of Italy and Spain, a day after announcing that Washington was looking at reducing the number of military personnel in Germany. BREAKING: President Trump says he'll consider pulling U.S. troops out of Italy and Spain after hinting he…
Baltic Sea blockade plans
Brussels 01.05.2026 The EU and NATO intend to use the Baltic Sea to test mechanisms for restricting international shipping, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Artem Bulatov told RIA Novosti. “The goal is to test unilateral mechanisms for controlling and blocking international shipping in the Baltic Sea, which could subsequently be used by the EU and NATO…
Ursula: German CDU/CSU losing patience
Brussels 27.04.2026 The conservative bloc of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) intends to demand that European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen (pictured) weaken EU regulations in the form of an ultimatum. Otherwise, they may seek to reduce the EC’s powers, Politico newspaper reported, citing sources. Ursula didn’t build…
U.S. halts arms delivery to Estonia
Brussels 23.04.2026 The United States has suspended arms deliveries to NATO ally Estonia as its aggression on Iran has put a major strain on US weapons stockpiles. NEW: The U.S. paused ammunition deliveries to Estonia (especially HIMARS rockets) due to the war with Iran, likely for months, not weeks. Estonia says it has enough anti-tank…
EC endorses €90 bn loan to Ukraine
Brussels 22.04.2026 Today the EU countries on have given a preliminary green light to unblocking a 90-billion-euro loan for Ukraine, with Hungary given 24 hours to sign off definitively as it waits for Russian oil to arrive via the Druzhba pipeline, diplomats said. (Image: illustration) The bitter feud over the pipeline pitted Hungary’s nationalist premier…
Michel: von der Leyen “extremely authoritarian”
Brussels 21.04.2026 Charles Michel led the European Council for five years. In his interview to Brussels Times he is reflecting upon his experiences, and offers his vision of the state of the European Union, and the leadership. “I have my own opinion about her (Ursula von der Leyen) personality and it is not my intention…