Page 18 - Europe

European troops, US support for Ukraine plan faces many challenges

As the US and Russia push ahead so far without Ukraine at the table on talks to end the war, political and military leaders in Europe are fleshing out details of a plan for European forces to help ensure Moscow does not attack again. After months of quiet discussions, the proposal has become increasingly public. It will likely be on the agenda when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, two major backers of the idea, visit Washington on separate days next week for talks with President Donald Trump. Starmer, who will visit Thursday, has stressed that the force won't work without US military might to back it up. Persuading Trump to provide it could be a tall order. What is the plan? The security guarantee that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy really wants is NATO membership. European members of the military alliance still back that goal, but the US looks to have taken it off the table, along with Ukrainian hopes of regaining the fifth of its territor

Illegal immigration is the 'greatest threat' to Europe and US: JD Vance

For decades, the issue of illegal immigrants has been a major concern in the US, shaping political debates, influencing elections, and driving policy changes on border security

Amid war of words, Trump calls Zelenskyy a 'dictator without elections'

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to meet with Trump's envoy, Keith Kellogg, in an effort to engage in constructive discussions. However, the Ukrainian President remains skeptical of negotiations

Oyo-owned European holiday home brand 'DanCenter' debuts in India

To begin with luxurious villas in Siolim, North Goa

HSBC to incur $1.8 bn in costs over next two years in CEO's revamp

Europe's largest bank, which has been deepening its push into Asia and some Middle East markets, reported fourth-quarter pretax profit of $2.3 billion

European leaders hold emergency talks, fear Trump leaving age-old allies

European leaders sought to form a united front Monday at emergency talks in Paris, called after a US diplomatic blitz on Ukraine which has thrown a once-solid alliance into turmoil and left the Europeans questioning the reliability of their key transatlantic partner. Shortly before the meeting, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with US President Donald Trump, but Macron's office would not disclose details about the 20-minute discussion. Leaders of Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark and the European Union met at the Elysee Palace for talks on Europe's security quandary. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was also there. Since last week, top US officials from the Trump administration, on their first visit to Europe, left the impression that Washington was ready to embrace the Kremlin while it cold-shouldered many of its age-old European allies. The US to leave Europe out of the negotiating table Gen Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy fo

European leaders want say in talks to end Russia's war; US brushes them off

European leaders insisted on Monday their governments must have a say in talks between the US and Russia to end the war in Ukraine, as both Moscow and Washington said there was no role for Europe in the negotiations that could shape the future of the continent. Leaders of Germany, the UK, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, NATO and the European Union met for over three hours at the Elysee Palace in Paris for emergency talks on Europe's security quandary after a US diplomatic blitz on Ukraine which has thrown a once-solid alliance into turmoil. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for US backing while reaffirming he's ready to consider sending British forces on the Ukrainian ground alongside others "if there is a lasting peace agreement". "There must be a US backstop, because a US security guarantee is the only way to effectively deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again," Starmer said after the meeting. Many EU nations are still undecided about whether to send troops .

European leaders regroup in Paris after Trump's push to end Ukraine war

French President Emmanuel Macron called leaders from key European Union nations and the United Kingdom to his ornate Elysee Palace on Monday for an emergency meeting on how to deal with the US, a once rock-solid partner. The move follows a weeklong diplomatic blitz on Ukraine by the Trump administration that seemed to embrace the Kremlin while it cold-shouldered many of its age-old European allies. Despite belligerent warnings for months ahead of Donald Trump's reelection as US president, EU leaders publicly ignored the ominous forebodings and somehow hoped Trump would stand side by side with Europe, as it would finally start to act on beefing up its defences and become less reliant on the firepower of Washington. But a flurry of speeches by Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during their initial visits to Europe last week questioned both Europe's security commitments and its fundamental democratic principles. Macron said their stinging rebukes and threats of

Trump shrugs off EU's reported plans for US-style import curbs on food

Early targets could include US crops such as soybeans grown using pesticides that EU farmers are not allowed to use

Ukraine, Europe fear being sidelined as Trump pushes talks with Russia

President Donald Trump's approach to ending Russia's war against Ukraine has left European allies and Ukrainian officials worried they are being largely sidelined by the new US administration as Washington and Moscow plan direct negotiations. With the three-year war grinding on, Trump is sending Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security advisor Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff to Saudi Arabia for talks with Russian counterparts, according to a US official who was not authorised to publicly discuss the upcoming diplomatic efforts and spoke on condition of anonymity. The outreach comes after comments by top Trump advisors this past week, including Vice-President JD Vance, raised new concerns in Kyiv and other European capitals that the Republican administration is intent on quick resolution to the conflict with minimum input from Europe. "Decades of the old relationship between Europe and America are ending," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an address at t

Aurobindo Pharma to begin supplies to Europe from China plant in April

Aurobindo Pharma will commence supplies to Europe from its China facility from April onwards, according to Chief Financial Officer Santhanam Subramanian. The Hyderabad-based drug maker commenced operations at the facility in the last week of November 2024 and is now ramping up the production. "The China plant will start billing sometime in the month of April, mainly to the European markets," Subramanian told analysts in a call. The company has received European regulatory approvals and can initiate product supply to the market, he added. "We are in the process of getting it (in China) and after that there may be an inspection for the US (market) also," Subramanian said. The company expects good traction coming out of the China plant over the next 2-3 years, he noted. When asked about revenue projections, Subramanian stated: "This being the first year, we may not like to, but certainly I see a significant revenue coming up in two to three years' time." On a query regarding the ..

Europeans to respond to US at Munich conference as Trump admin upends norms

European leaders trying to make sense of a tough new line from Washington on issues including democracy and Ukraine's future were set to express their reactions on Saturday, as the Trump administration continues to upend trans-Atlantic conventions that have been in place since after World War II. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were to speak on the second day of the Munich Security Conference, a day after US Vice President JD Vance all but scolded European allies over democracy and raised questions about the US commitment to help Ukraine's defence against Russian forces. US President Donald Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week in which he said the two leaders would likely meet soon to negotiate a peace deal. Trump later assured Zelenskyy that he, too, would have a seat at the table. The war was sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine three years ago. Already Friday, the Ukrainian leader said that his countr

Internal issues bigger threat than China or Russia: Vance warns EU leaders

In his first significant speech at the Munich Security Conference as vice president, Vance condemned European politicians, accusing them of suppressing free speech, mishandling immigration

Europe quietly plans to send troops to Ukraine for post-war security

Increasingly alarmed that US security priorities lie elsewhere, a group of European countries has been quietly working on a plan to send troops into Ukraine to help enforce any future peace settlement with Russia. Britain and France are at the forefront of the effort, though details remain scarce. The countries involved in the discussions are reluctant to tip their hand and give Russian President Vladimir Putin an edge should he agree to negotiate an end to the war he launched three years ago. What is clear is that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy needs a guarantee that his country's security will be assured until peace takes hold. The best protection would be the NATO membership that Ukraine has long been promised, but the US has taken that option off the table. I won't get into the particular capabilities, but I do accept that if there is peace then there needs to be some sort of security guarantee for Ukraine and the UK will play its part in that, British Prime Minister Ke

Europe's pharma, car giants most at risk from Trump's tariff threats

Trump ordered his administration on Thursday to consider imposing reciprocal tariffs on a country-by-country basis

Plane carrying Marco Rubio forced to return to US ahead of Europe trip

An Air Force plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Sen Jim Risch, to Germany for the Munich Security Conference was forced to return to Washington late Thursday after developing a mechanical issue. This evening, en route from Washington to Munich, the plane on which Secretary Rubio is flying experienced a mechanical issue, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said. "The plane has turned around and is returning to Joint Base Andrews, she said. The secretary intends to continue his travel to Germany and the Middle East on a separate air craft. The issue with what one official said had to do with the cockpit windshield on the C-32, a converted Boeing 757, occurred about 90 minutes after the flight took off from Joint Base Andrews outside of Washington. Although Rubio plans to resume his journey on a new plane it was not immediately clear if the delay would cause him to miss a scheduled Friday morning meeting with Vice Presid

Europe can't turn Uncle Sam into 'Uncle Sucker,' says US defence secretary

Hegseth on Thursday defended his remarks as acknowledgement of battlefield realities and left the door open for US moves during negotiations that could be seen as concessions

Nato allies insist Ukraine and Europe must not be cut out of peace talks

Several NATO allies stressed on Thursday that Ukraine and Europe must not be cut out of any peace negotiations, after US President Donald Trump signalled that he would hold talks soon with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Let's not forget, Russia remains a threat well beyond Ukraine, UK Defence Secretary John Healey after the United States rattled NATO by saying that Ukraine should never join the alliance and that European allies should take responsibility for Ukraine's security going forward. There can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine. And Ukraine's voice must be at the heart of any talks, Healey told reporters at NATO headquarters, as the organization's 32 defense ministers met for talks on Ukraine. Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson said European nations provided about 60% of the military support to Ukraine last year and must be involved, especially given US. demands that Europe take more responsibility for Ukraine's security in the longer term. It's very natura

ArcelorMittal considers shifting European biz support activities to India

The steel industry in Europe is facing several major challenges which are threatening the future of steelmaking on the continent

Europe to embrace AI on day 2 of Paris summit amid unclear global consensus

According to Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will announce on Tuesday a new AI strategy for the bloc