Page 25 - European Union

EU leaders open Ukraine talks, seek to adapt to new security demands

European Union leaders plan to hold emergency talks on Thursday to agree ways to quickly increase their military budgets after the Trump administration signalled that Europe must take care of its own security and also suspended assistance to Ukraine. In just over a month, President Donald Trump has overturned old certainties about US reliability as a security partner, as he embraces Russia and withdraws American support for Ukraine. On Monday, Trump ordered a pause to US military supplies to Ukraine as he sought to press President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to engage in negotiations to end the war with Russia, bringing fresh urgency to the EU summit in Brussels. Europe faces a clear and present danger on a scale that none of us have seen in our adult lifetime. Some of our fundamental assumptions are being undermined to their very core," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned in a letter to the EU's 27 leaders, who will consider ways to access more money for defence ...

EU mulls 800 bn euro plan to beef up defences to counter 'US disengagement'

The chief of the European Union's executive on Tuesday proposed an 800 billion euro (USD 841 billion) plan to beef up defences of EU nations to lessen the impact of potential US disengagement and provide Ukraine with military muscle to negotiate with Russia following the freeze of US aid to the embattled nation. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the massive REARM Europe package will be put to the 27 EU leaders who will meet in Brussels on Thursday in an emergency meeting following a week of increasing political uncertainty from Washington, where President Donald Trump questioned both his alliance to the continent and the defence of Ukraine. I do not need to describe the grave nature of the threats that we face," von der Leyen said. Key to the quandary of EU nations has been an unwillingness to spend much on defense over the past decades as they hid under the US nuclear umbrella and a sluggish economy, which creates challenges for a quick ramp-up of such ...

PM Modi meets Belgium's Princess Astrid, discusses trade and tech ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met Princess Astrid of Belgium and said he looks forward to "unlocking limitless opportunities" for the people of the two countries through new partnerships in trade, technology, defence and agriculture. Astrid is in India leading an economic mission that is aimed at shoring up bilateral trade and investment cooperation between the two nations. "Pleased to meet HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium. Deeply appreciate her initiative to lead a 300-member Economic Mission to India," Modi said on X. "Look forward to unlocking limitless opportunities for our people through new partnerships in trade, technology, defence, agriculture, life sciences, innovation, skilling and academic exchanges," the prime minister said. The overall trajectory of India-Belgium ties has witnessed a steady expansion in the last few years. The focus of the relations has traditionally been on trade and investment. India is Belgium's 14th largest export destination and the 16th

Indian exports under mounting pressure from US, EU trade policies

Indian trade minister Piyush Goyal started on a trip to the United States on Monday to pursue trade talks, ahead of Trump's planned tariff measures

UK will play leading role in securing peace: Starmer on Russia-Ukraine war

Starmer expressed his discomfort over the clash as 'something nobody in this House wants to see' but went on to assert that the UK-US alliance remains 'indispensable'

Between Trump snub and EU meet, Zelenskyy secures £2.26 billion for Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to the UK was markedly different from his tense encounter at the White House with US President Donald Trump

Friendless EU suddenly wants India's approval amid shifting global ties

Europe's leaders have correctly decided that they now need as many friends: Japan, the South Americans, India, the Gulf kingdoms as they can possibly cobble together

European leaders vow to support Ukraine after Oval Office clash with Trump

European leaders pledged late Friday to stand by Ukraine in the wake of the contentious Oval Office meeting between US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with their statements in support of their neighbour on the continent ensuring a deepening transatlantic rift. European leaders already were shaken by Vance's speech to the Munich Security Conference two weeks ago in which he lectured them about the state of their democracy. As prime ministers and presidents across the continent scrambled to respond, they have held a series of emergency summits to discuss security. Another major summit is scheduled for Sunday in London, hosted by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. More than a dozen European and EU leaders, including Zelenskyy, will gather for a meeting meant to drive forward action on Ukraine and security. The leaders' comments Friday largely did not mention Trump or Vance, but rather sought to assure Ukraine of their support as

India and EU decide to conclude free trade agreement by end of 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Friday issued directions to conclude an ambitious free trade agreement by end of this year as the two leaders vowed to expand India-EU strategic partnership in areas of defence, security and critical technology. In his media statement after talks with Von der Leyen, Modi described India-EU strategic partnership as "natural and organic" and one that it is based on "trust" and shared belief in democratic values. We have directed our teams to conclude a mutually beneficial bilateral free trade pact by the end of this year, he said, in a hugely significant decision that came amid growing global concerns over the Trump administration's policy on trade and tariff. The prime minister said both sides are also looking at forward movement on negotiations for an investment protection pact as well as an agreement on Geographical Indications. On connectivity, Modi said concrete steps will be taken to take ...

India, EU discuss ways to strengthen collaboration on climate change

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Friday met with EU commissioners Jessika Roswall and Wopke Hoekstra and discussed issues of mutual interest in the field of environment, forest and climate change. In a post on X, Yadav said they discussed opportunities to further strengthen the scientific and technical collaboration in fields of resource efficiency, circular economy and recycling of waste, including battery waste. Yadav told Roswall and Hoekstra that India is well on its path to achieving its updated nationally determined contributions (climate action plans). European Union President Ursula von der Leyen and her college of commissioners or senior political leaders of the bloc is on a two-day visit to India which began on Thursday.

Vigorously fight 25% US tariff: EU pushes back against Trump's threats

The European Union's executive branch said Thursday that the 27-nation bloc wasn't out to undermine the United States, as US President Donald Trump put it, but instead was the world's largest free market that has created an economic windfall for American companies working on and with the continent. The bloc also added it would vigorously fight a wholesale tariff of 25 per cent on all EU products headed for the US, as Trump has threatened in the latest round of vitriolic comments aimed at an age-old ally and economic partner. Thursday's EU pushback came after Trump told reporters that the European Union was formed in order to screw the United States. That's the purpose of it, and they've done a good job of it, adding it would stop immediately under his presidency. He said that the tariffs would be on cars and all other things. The moment the tariffs would be announced, the EU has said it would trigger tough countermeasures, on iconic US industries like bourbon, jeans and ...

European Commission Prez arrives in Delhi, says India is trusted friend

On her arrival, the President of the European Commission was accorded a warm and special welcome and was received by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya S Patel

'India, EU to discuss preventing banned goods from going to Russia'

Kimmo Lähdevirta, Finland's ambassador to New Delhi, said Indian cos should not circumvent sanctions on providing Russia with items such as electronics that have commercial and military applications

India-EU trade talks: Tariffs, market access, regulatory clashes in focus

Talks for an India-EU free trade agreement, stalled for eight years, resumed in 2021, now cover investment protection and geographical indications.

EU signals no concession for India on CBAM, deforestation regulation

Calls some of India's concerns on carbon tax 'illegitimate'

US to announce EU tariffs very soon, says Trump at cabinet meeting

Trump said that US administration would soon be announcing tariffs on EU

EU pushes for tariff cuts on whiskey, wine, cars in India trade talks

The EU seeks lower tariffs as India's biggest FTA nears finalisation after nine rounds of talks, with the next set for March 10-14, boosting access for textiles, leather, and marine exports

EU seeks stronger commitment from India on reducing 'high' import tariffs

The discussion on the FTA will signal the 'broader political commitment' from both leaders and set the stage for the 10 round of negotiation in Brussels during 10-14 March, after a six months hiatus

US refuses to blame Russia for Ukraine war, splitting with European allies

In a dramatic shift in transatlantic relations under President Donald Trump, the United States split with its European allies by refusing to blame Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in votes on three UN resolutions Monday seeking an end to the three-year war. In the UN General Assembly, the US joined Russia in voting against a Europe-backed Ukrainian resolution that calls out Moscow's aggression and demands an immediate withdrawal of Russian troops. The US then abstained from voting on its own competing resolution after Europeans, led by France, succeeded in amending it to make clear Russia was the aggressor. The voting was taking place as Trump was hosting French President Emmanuel Macron in Washington. It was a major setback for the Trump administration in the 193-member world body, whose resolutions are not legally binding but are seen as a barometer of world opinion. The US then pushed for a vote on its original draft in the more powerful UN Security Council, where resolutions

Who is Friedrich Merz, Germany's conservative leader and next chancellor?

Friedrich Merz's party and its ally, the Christian Social Union, won 28.5 per cent in Germany's general election, defeating Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats