Politico Europe
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Europeans back Zelenskyy after Trump calls for new Ukrainian leader
The United Kingdom, Germany and Poland have reaffirmed their support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after U.S. President Donald Trump said the country needed a new leader
I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,
- Politico Europe politico.eu
- The Jerusalem Post jpost.com
- Fox News foxnews.com
- South China Morning Post scmp.com
- Newsweek newsweek.com
- The News International thenews.com.pk
- International Business Times ibtimes.com
- Saudi Gazette saudigazette.com.sa
- Hindustan Times hindustantimes.com
- Aljazeera aljazeera.com
- Aljazeera aljazeera.com
- The News International thenews.com.pk
We need continued consistency and clarity on the side of Ukraine,
We stand with Ukraine. We stand with President Zelenskyy,
I have assured [Zelenskyy] that he can count on Poland’s and Europe’s full solidarity with the Ukrainian nation,
Man arrested in connection with alleged assassination plot against Donald Tusk
Month after month, year after year, more and more threats and worrying messages are reaching the police,
Strikes killing 17 are Russia’s ‘thanks’ for US diesel sanctions lift, Zelenskyy says
The strike took place just one day after Ukrainian officials met with European and U.S. officials in Miami on Oct, 9 in a fresh diplomatic push to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine
This night was another confirmation that Russia perceives any easing of pressure as a signal that it is supposedly possible to continue fighting, that it is supposedly possible to drop bombs on cities,
People continue to be searched for under the rubble of destroyed houses. Rescue operations continue,
‘Putin will drag you into the war,’ former Ukrainian foreign minister tells Europeans
They don’t just want to turn out the lights in Ukraine. They want to paralyze the country.”
For him, a solution that benefits both sides is not the best option. For him, the world works on the principle of victory and defeat. One side has to win and the other has to lose,
I believe Ukraine is too large, too mobile and too adaptable. That’s why I think we’ll get through this winter,
He’s not looking for a solution, for a pause, and there will be no moment when he will start looking for it,... Putin is a guarantee of war: anyone after Putin is a chance for peace.”
The bombing of cities is a direct consequence of Russia’s failure to defeat Ukraine on the battlefield.”... The main target of Russian drones and missiles is the Ukrainians’ will to resist — but also the will of Ukraine’s friends abroad to keep supporting it.”
Anti-European hysteria is being fueled in Russia, which I interpret as the preparation for a broader conflict with the rest of Europe,... We [Ukrainians] don’t have to drag you — Putin will drag you into the war.”
The truth is that Russia does not need 400,000 more people to wage that war. It needs five drones,... [Europeans] can call for NATO consultations… can call for restraint. But this will only encourage Putin to make the next step … He will always have enough drone and missile capabilities.”
They see how your intelligence operates. They see how your security forces operate. They see how you react and they draw conclusions,
The sooner we come to terms with reality, the better policies we can develop to address it,
Russians face EU travel curbs to prevent hybrid attacks
Last year, some 478,000 Schengen area tourist visas were issued to Russian citizens, many of which were multiple-entry visas, which enable holders to come and go repeatedly without needing to apply for documentation each time
I think a large number of these ex-combatants will come, supported by the Russian secret services, to Europe,
It’s obvious I think for everyone that we have vulnerabilities in our system that can be used by our enemies,
You never know who these tourists actually are,
We urge the member states there to do a better job and to give less visas … to Russian citizens,
A restrictive visa policy towards Russian citizens is essential to safeguard the security and integrity of the Schengen area,
Germany warns EU that €159B budget cuts are not enough
Nobody's going to get everything that they wanted in any proposal, but we think that there is something there for all of the member states,... We are still far from an agreement. The size of the new proposal is not a basis for agreement,
It’s an excellent starting point to have recovered the money for the CAP [Common Agricultural Policy], but we’re still not satisfied,
The negotiating box acts to bridge the many differences between the Member states,
There was a strong support for heading one [agriculture and cohesion] from almost all of the member states, including some of the countries who would be considered to be net contributors” to the budget,
They’re cutting the future to protect the past,
EU budget slashed by €159B in new Irish proposal
The bloc is split between frugal countries demanding cuts of several hundred billions to the nearly €2 trillion proposal on the table and a rival camp of southern and eastern states, known as the Friends of Cohesion, opposing reductions
The Irish proposal is a disappointment and not even close to a landing zone. The steep increase in MFF spending compared to today is unaffordable and financially not viable at all. By favouring policy priorities of the 20th century the proposal fails to prepare the EU for the 21st century,
This negobox is no basis for an agreement among member states. We urgently need more financial realism and less financial La La Land.”
UK bans Protestant march from Catholic area in Northern Ireland
Street fighting over those traditional marches helped to trigger the onset of Northern Ireland’s three-decade conflict, known as “The Troubles,” which left nearly 3,700 dead before a 1998 peace accord
I call for all protests, rallies and demonstrations to be stood down. There is no excuse for a continued ratcheting up of tensions,
For the last 13 days they’ve been living with this constant fear and a cloud hanging over them that this unwanted sectarian march was going to be forced down that road,
October 2026
Turkey bans social media for kids under 15
The law was published today following the Turkish Parliament’s adoption of the bill last April
Arrested German spy chief lashed out at his old agency over allegations he spied for Russia
A letter sent weeks before August Hanning’s arrest adds to concerns over the BND’s credibility among allies
Dutch PM slams ‘absurd’ US decision to livestream execution
As far as I’m concerned, it is really up to the social media platforms in Europe to prevent this from being circulated and broadcast on their channels. But I fear it will be impossible to prevent,
I haven’t discussed this with the US myself recently, but I can imagine that if there is contact with them, for instance, at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we would certainly make our dissatisfaction known
Personally, I find it truly absurd to broadcast a death penalty execution live,
Video-sharing platforms that allow video content displaying scenes of gratuitous violence must use effective age assurance so that children cannot normally see this content,
France, Germany try to save face on joint tank project
I can only wholeheartedly agree, dear Catherine. The MGCS project is not over, it is not dead, it has not been terminated by anyone,
Defense cooperation with Germany is at an all-time low, since Germany is going it alone,
The crucial point is that we learn from our mistakes. That is why MGCS is in no way at risk and remains an important future project for our two nations and our two armed forces,
EU and China clinch deal to curb hybrid car exports
Chinese car exports had been steadily ramping up, and in August accounted for one in eight cars sold in the bloc, mainly thanks to a boom in sales of hybrid electric vehicles
Following intensive consultations, both sides have reached an understanding on the trade of hybrid vehicles in a manner consistent with World Trade Organization rules,
Andy Burnham vows to ease non-compete clauses
Drive — first reported by POLITICO Thursday — comes after intense lobbying from the startups sector
Finance ministers strike market supercop deal despite Brussels’ objections
Most finance ministers backed the Council’s position on MISP, a package of bills to integrate and police financial markets
We deeply regret that the compromise now on the table falls significantly short of the level of ambition needed,
The carve-out is temporary,
The Commission cannot accept a significant increase in the EU budget contribution in light of the difficult discussion at [the Multiannual Financial Framework],
We cannot support the carve-outs. The package includes as many ins as there are outs,
Hitler Mussolini wins local election
The unusually named candidate for the center-left Ahora Nación party won 34% of the vote
I’m the good Hitler,
As a child I saw it as a totally normal name,
EU’s new list of critical mineral projects focuses on clean energy metals
Exactly one year ago, we experienced firsthand why this matters. On Oct. 9, 2025, China announced new export restrictions on rare earths,
With the projects selected in 2025 and 2026, we could now fully meet our European extraction target for lithium, nickel, rare earths, magnesium and tungsten,
EU faces gas supply shortage as winter looms
The shortfall raises the prospect of a winter of soaring power bills and forced energy saving measures if the bloc fails to find adequate supplies elsewhere
There is not much demand to destroy in Europe,
Green Leader Polanski vows to fight on after Westminster gamble fails
‘Not great, not terrible’: Why nobody trusts Russia to tell the truth about plague
As whispers circulate of plague in faraway Siberia, it’s worth remembering that Russian obfuscation is so ingrained that it’s become a meme
We don’t yet have the full picture of this event, and we are not able to conduct a full risk assessment,
The whole world is waiting for the information from Russia,
We don’t know exactly how this person died,
Not great, not terrible,
Russia should make information about the plague available as soon as possible,
This fuels speculation into all directions. It also renders preventive [and] precautionary action difficult, if not even meaningless,
EU cyber and science researchers are testing Chinese AI models
Models from different origins are included in a comparative scientific evaluation of their capabilities, performance, limitations and risks,
EU’s fight to break China’s raw material dominance isn’t going well
On Friday, EU industry chief Stéphane Séjourné will unveil a new list of critical mineral projects that will receive privileged access to funding, accelerated permitting and help from Brussels to find buyers
We are more than 80% dependent on China for many critical raw materials [and] 90% for some rare earths,
At least one in three mining and processing strategic projects is either late, stalled, at risk, or no longer exists, and only about a quarter are clearly on track,
Unless something happens that is absolutely not foreseen today, we will be far, far away from reaching the targets, even if they are quite low,
These projects had strategic status, EU money and fast-track permits, and it still wasn’t enough,
In Sweden you have different authorities that can basically object to a permit process and that in itself creates way longer time than 27 months, just the legislation,
I don’t think the strategic project stamp and the [Critical Raw Materials Act] have been absolutely essential, but it wasn’t also supposed to be. It was supposed to, in my understanding, be important to set a framework under which Europe can do the right thing faster, better, and for the better benefit of the next generation of Europe,
I’m still to be convinced that it makes any difference,
Europe’s biggest spy scandal since the Cold War centers on an octogenarian German suspect
He’s reflecting the Germany between 1998 and 2011, so he has not the feeling of having done something evil,
It’s not only sad, it’s damaging the reputation of Germany,
It’s catastrophic for Germany and for Western intelligence services. Everyone is in shock. The scale of it is enormous, especially at a moment like this,
In intelligence services, everything is logged — who accesses which documents and when. If an analyst working on right-wing extremism suddenly started looking at intelligence on China, that would raise red flags. But the position of chief of staff has access to virtually everything, so it wouldn’t look suspicious because of the seniority of the position,
He was in possession of confidential documents. Incorrect, however, is the accusation that he had passed on information contained therein to the detriment of the Federal Republic of Germany — let alone [for] payment. Further investigations will show that,
Every intelligence service will now be looking at what information it shared with the BND and assessing what damage may have been done,
EU countries brace for €100B-€200B smaller budget
We are very concerned that Ireland would decide to smash funding for research and external action, which is a major issue for development, our economic interests and migration,
NATO attempts to cool tensions with Russia ahead of key nuclear exercise
But this year, the exercise follows a tense exchange of letters between Moscow and NATO after allies conducted exercises near Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave in August
We have been doing this every year and … this is also a clear message to nations like Russia that there is no need to worry,
Our intention is to really keep things calm,
Its purpose is really essentially to train our allied forces so that we are ready and prepared, and we ensure the safety and security of our nuclear capability,