Page 4 - Europe

Kremlin says Russia-Ukraine talks paused, blames Europe for delays

"The Russian side remains ready to pursue the path of peaceful dialogue. But the fact that the Europeans are hindering this is indeed true," said Peskov

EU Commission President seeks sanctions against Israel over war in Gaza

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday said she plans to seek sanctions and a partial trade suspension against Israel over the war in Gaza. The 27-nation EU is deeply divided in its approach to Israel and the Palestinians, and it's unclear whether a majority will be found to endorse the sanctions and trade measures. Von der Leyen added that the commission will set up a Palestine donor group next month, part of which will focus on Gaza's future reconstruction. Von der Leyen said that the events in Gaza and the suffering of children and families has shaken the conscience of the world. Man-made famine can never be a weapon of war. For the sake of the children, for the sake of humanity. This must stop, she added, to applause in the European Parliament at its meeting in Strasbourg, France.

Zelenskyy warns Europe after Russian 'Shahed' drones breach Nato airspace

Zelenskyy said rescuers worked in Volochysk after a missile hit a workshop, injuring 3, as Russia launched 415 drones and over 40 cruise and ballistic missiles in a massive attack

US, European officials meet to discuss new sanctions, tariffs on Russia

US and European officials met at US Treasury Department on Monday evening to discuss various forms of economic pressure to exert on Russia, including new sanctions and tariffs on Russian oil purchases, a person familiar with the meeting told The Associated Press. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the meeting, said US officials emphasised to their European counterparts that President Donald Trump is willing to exert significant actions to end the war but expects full cooperation from European partners in whatever actions are taken. The meeting, which lasted less than two hours, highlighted tariff actions, the need for collective action on whatever is determined on sanctions, and how to manage Russian sovereign assets that are still immobilised largely in Europe, among other issues. Officials with the White House, State Department and US Trade Representative participated in Monday's meetings. The European team includes staff focused on energy, sanctions, .

France faces more political upheaval as PM Bayrou's fate hangs in balance

France risks losing its third prime minister in 12 months on Monday, with incumbent Francois Bayrou facing a parliamentary confidence vote that he called but is widely expected to lose, heralding more instability for the European Union's second-largest economy. The 74-year-old centrist prime minister, appointed by President Emmanuel Macron just under nine months ago, is gambling that the vote will unite lawmakers in the sharply divided National Assembly behind proposed public spending cuts that Bayrou argues are needed to rein in France's spiralling state deficit and debts. But opposition lawmakers are vowing to instead use the opportunity to topple Bayrou and his minority government of centrist and right-wing ministers, an upheaval that would force Macron to begin what could be another arduous hunt for a replacement. A key vote The National Assembly of 577 lawmakers is interrupting its summer recess for the extraordinary session that Bayrou requested, starting at 3 pm (1300 GMT; 0

US, EU plan to discuss fresh Russia sanctions as Ukraine war drags on

A team of European officials, led by EU sanctions envoy David O'Sullivan, will visit the US Treasury on Monday to discuss various forms of economic pressure to exert on Russia, including new sanctions, a person familiar with the meeting told The Associated Press. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the meeting, said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spoke with the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Friday ahead of the meeting as a follow-up to Vice President J D Vance's conversation with the top European official a day earlier. The meeting comes as President Donald Trump has grown increasingly frustrated by his inability to end the 3 1/2-year Russian war in Ukraine prompted by Moscow's invasion. Trump has tried in vain to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to sit down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for direct talks aimed at ending the war despite holding a summit with the Russian leader last month in Alaska.

US set to cut security funds for European allies along Russian border

The move may result in shaving off hundreds of millions of dollars worth of financial support for equipment and weapons training for armies across Europe

European leaders face tough choices as UK, France host meeting on Ukraine

European countries are stuck between a rock and a hard place as a coalition of countries meets in Paris on Thursday to discuss security guarantees for a postwar Ukraine. The war is raging unabated, with no ceasefire in sight and the crucial question of American involvement in ensuring Ukraine's future security remains unresolved. For months, the so-called coalition of the willing has been meeting to discuss aid for Ukraine, including sketching out plans for military support in the event of a ceasefire to deter future Russian aggression. The coalition leaders French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer have insisted that any European reassurance force in Ukraine needs the backing of the United States. But while US President Donald Trump has hinted his country will be involved, he has moved away from calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine and refrained from implementing tough additional economic measures to punish Moscow. Although Trump said he is disappointed

European bonds face volatility as Dutch pension reform nears €2 trn mark

The Dutch central bank warned earlier this year of a risk to financial stability, and the complexity of the underlying mechanics means it's hard to get a grasp on the extent of any disruption

Tesla's sales rout in some European markets extends to eighth month

Registrations of new Tesla cars in France were down 47.3% in August from August 2024, while the overall car market grew nearly 2.2%, data showed on Monday

Chinese hybrids, EVs set to storm Munich in latest European expansion

BYD Co., Xpeng Inc. and Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology Co. are among manufacturers showing off new models at the IAA Mobility 2025 expo

Europe is hindering Trump's peace efforts on Ukraine, says Kremlin

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media reporters that the "European party of war" was continuing to hinder U.S. and Russian efforts on Ukraine

European defence leaders meet amid outrage over Russian airstrike on Kyiv

European defence ministers are meeting in Copenhagen to discuss the war in Ukraine, the day after a Russian air assault on Kyiv killed 23 people and badly damaged a European diplomatic compound. Outrage over the attack propelled the political leaders of Europe's armed forces to condemn Russia even before Friday's meeting and call for stronger measures on Moscow like seizing frozen assets, further sanctions and increasing support for Ukraine's military and membership in the European Union. They will also discuss European troops' deployment in Ukraine to guarantee security and monitor a peace that seems distant as American efforts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia appear stalled. Everybody understands that, considering how (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is mocking the peace efforts, the only thing that works is pressure, said Kaja Kallas, foreign policy chief for the European Union. Two missiles landed about 50 metres from an EU diplomatic mission in Kyiv, shattering the

Europe battles record wildfires in 2025 as climate change fuels devastation

More than one million hectares have been destroyed by wildfires in the European Union so far this year, a surface area larger than the entirety of Corsica

Tesla EU sales plunge 40% in July as anger at Musk drives 7th monthly drop

Europeans angry at Elon Musk still aren't buying his cars months after the billionaire predicted a major rebound in Tesla sales, data released Thursday shows. Tesla sales plunged 40 per cent in July in the 27 European Union countries compared with the year earlier even as sales overall of electric vehicle soared, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association. Meanwhile sales of Chinese rival BYD continued to climb fast, grabbing 1.1 per cent market share of all car sales in the month versus Tesla's 0.7 per cent. Tesla stock fell 1.5 per cent in afternoon trading Thursday. Musk angered many Europeans by wading into politics there, embracing far-right candidates, calling a British prime minister an evil tyrant who belongs in prison and telling Germans things will get very, very much worse in their country if they didn't vote for the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party. Protests broke out in several cities, including a hanging of the billionaire in effigy in

Kremlin disapproves of European proposals on security proposals for Ukraine

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to end the war in Ukraine as "very important" however, and said Moscow hoped they would continue

Denmark summons US diplomat over alleged 'covert operation' in Greenland

Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said that any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom (of Denmark) will be unacceptable

European postal services suspend shipment of packages to US over tariffs

The end of an exemption on tariff duties for low-value packages coming into the United States is causing multiple international postal services to pause shipping as they await more clarity on the rule. The exemption, known as the de minimis" exemption, allows packages worth less than $800 to come into the U.S. duty free. A total of 1.36 billion packages were sent in 2024 under this exemption, for goods worth $64.6 billion, according to data from the US Customs and Border Patrol Agency. It is set to expire on Friday. On Saturday, postal services around Europe announced that they are suspending the shipment of many packages to the United States amid confusion over new import duties. Postal services in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Italy said they will stop shipping most merchandise to the U.S. effective immediately. France and Austria will follow on Monday. The U.K.'s Royal Mail said it would halt shipments to the US on Tuesday to allow time for those packages to arrive before duties

Climate change drives rise of 'coolcations' as tourists flee heatwaves

Heatwaves forced closures of sites like the Acropolis and Eiffel Tower, with Europe facing a growing tourism divide as climate change impacts north and south differently

Europe will have to take lion's share of burden for Ukraine security: Vance

European countries have formed a coalition of the willing that would commit forces to guarantee Ukraine's security