On Tuesday, the Chair of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, addressed a formal sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Welcoming Mr Stefanchuk to the hemicycle, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said: “I am proud that this Parliament has stood with Ukraine from the very first moment – united, unwavering, and resolute. We will […]
The Commission and Kaja Kallas welcome a key step in holding Russia accountable for its aggression against Ukraine
Senior legal experts of the European Commission, the European External Action Service, the Council of Europe, Ukraine and 37 States laid down the legal foundations for the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. The participants also set out the key elements of the “Schuman draft Statute”, the core legal […]
“We must be better, stronger and faster”: European leaders’ defence conclusions
On 3 February a meeting took place at the Egmont Palace (Brussels, Belgium) between António Costa (President of the European Council), Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission), Mark Rutte (NATO Secretary General) and Keir Starmer (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom). At the event, several relevant aspects of current political affairs were […]
Council extends economic restrictive measures against Russia for another six months
The Council today extended EU restrictive measures for a further six months, until 31 July 2025, in the light of continued actions by the Russian Federation destabilising the situation in Ukraine. These economic measures, which were first adopted in 2014, have been significantly extended since February 2022 in response to Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified and […]
MEPs condemn Russia’s use of disinformation to justify its war in Ukraine
In a resolution adopted on Thursday, MEPs condemn the Russian regime’s systematic falsification of historical arguments to justify its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. The text adopted by Parliament rejects historical claims by the Russian regime to undermine Ukraine’s history and national identity as futile attempts to justify its ongoing illegal war. It also […]
EU provides €235 million humanitarian aid to Syrians
The European Commission will provide new humanitarian support to Syrians, both inside Syria and in neighbouring countries, for an amount of €235 million for 2025. Following the collapse of the former government in Damascus, the EU is working at all levels to boost humanitarian aid delivery, including through launching Humanitarian Air Bridge flights. On 17 November Commissioner […]
Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad: Council extends restrictive measures by one year
The Council decided yesterday to extend by one year, until 20 January 2026, the existing restrictive measures against those who support, facilitate or enable violent actions by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). All individuals and entities previously identified as responsible for participating in the financing of Hamas and PIJ, or enabling their violent actions will […]
New €148 million EU humanitarian aid package for Ukraine
As Russia’s war of aggression continues to devastate Ukraine, approximately 12.7 million people are in need of urgent assistance. New European Commission funding will be used to provide life-saving support and ensure that essential aid reaches the most vulnerable populations in Ukraine. The €148 million in new funding will continue to support vital humanitarian aid in both Ukraine […]
EDA seeks standardised framework for small arms ammunition
The European Defence Agency (EDA) has launched the Small Arms Ammunition Technologies (SAAT) project, a four-year initiative led by Belgian defence company FN Herstal and supported by a diverse European consortium to establish a common standard for small arms ammunition. The project, which brings together 18 partners from nine countries — including defence manufacturers, research organisations, […]