89 m. ago US says it is ‘ready to sign’ minerals deal if Ukraine scraps ‘last

US treasury secretary says he expects Ukraine to ‘reconsider’ changes it made to agreement as deputy PM Yulia Svyrydenko will reportedly be in Washington to sign agreement todayIn Spain, harrowing stories have continued to emerge after much of the Iberian Peninsula was plunged into an hours-long blackout earlier this week.Jonathan Bernal, a window washer in Madrid, has detailed how he and a co-worker were cleaning the outside windows of a skyscraper when the power went out. For four hours they ended up stranded on hanging scaffolding, some 240 metres above the city. Continue reading...

Economics

4 h. ago Europe live: Kyiv ready to sign US minerals deal within 24 hours, Ukrainian PM says

Deputy prime minister and economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko will reportedly be in Washington later today to sign the agreementIn Spain, harrowing stories have continued to emerge after much of the Iberian Peninsula was plunged into an hours-long blackout earlier this week.Jonathan Bernal, a window washer in Madrid, has detailed how he and a co-worker were cleaning the outside windows of a skyscraper when the power went out. For four hours they ended up stranded on hanging scaffolding, some 240 metres above the city. Continue reading...

Economics

6 h. ago Europe live: Ukraine ready to sign US minerals deal today, government source says

Deputy prime minister and economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko will reportedly be in Washington later to sign the agreementIn Spain, harrowing stories have continued to emerge after much of the Iberian Peninsula was plunged into an hours-long blackout earlier this week.Jonathan Bernal, a window washer in Madrid, has detailed how he and a co-worker were cleaning the outside windows of a skyscraper when the power went out. For four hours they ended up stranded on hanging scaffolding, some 240 metres above the city. Continue reading...

Politics

6 h. ago Ukrainian officials say Kyiv 'ready to sign minerals deal' with US today

Ukraine and the US are said to be close to agreeing a landmark rare earth minerals deal which will allow the Americans to plunder the eastern European nation's mines

Politics

10 h. ago Europe live: Germany’s SPD approves coalition deal with conservative CDU/CSU to form next government

The conservative-SPD coalition was the only path to a majority government after both major parties suffered steep losses in the February federal electionMarion Muehlberger, economist and political analyst at Deutsche Bank Research:“SPD members have approved the coalition agreement, as hoped, and cleared the way for the election of the next German chancellor on 6 May.Markets will now be focused on the new government’s 100-day programme, which is expected to be announced next week. Continue reading...

Economics

50 h. ago Spain and Portugal power cut live: Spanish PM hopes power will return soon and tells public to minimise travel and not speculate

Electricity consumption in Spain gradually going back up as grid operator restores energy in more parts of the countryExplainer: what happened and what caused it?Have you been affected by the power outages?We are just getting a line from Reuters news agency saying that the Conclave to elect new pope will start on 7 May, according to its source.We have not independently verified this report. Continue reading...

Politics

51 h. ago Spain and Portugal power outage live: Spanish electricity supply slowly returning as officials rule out cyber

Electricity consumption in Spain gradually going back up as grid operator restores energy in more parts of the countryHave you been affected by the power outages?We are just getting a line from Reuters news agency saying that the Conclave to elect new pope will start on 7 May, according to its source.We have not independently verified this report. Continue reading...

Politics

52 h. ago Spain and Portugal power outage live: warnings of six to 10 hours to restore supplies across Spain

Official from Spanish grid operator says outage is an unprecedented incident and declines to comment on causesHave you been affected by the power outages?We are just getting a line from Reuters news agency saying that the Conclave to elect new pope will start on 7 May, according to its source.We have not independently verified this report. Continue reading...

Events

53 h. ago ‘A lot of Russians have been killed. We like this’: on the frontline with a Ukrainian artillery unit

Soldiers expect Moscow to launch summer offensive and dismiss US efforts to bring peace as ‘pretty disappointing’Europe live – latest updatesFrom a line of trees the Ukrainian gun team prepared to fire. An artilleryman, Yurii, loaded a 152mm shell into an old Soviet-made howitzer. “We are ready!” Yurii said. He moved away from the barrel. “Fire!” the unit’s commander replied. There was an almighty boom.White smoke filled the dugout, which was hidden beneath camouflage nets and cut pine branches. From the undergrowth, a chiffchaff resumed its spring warbling. Continue reading...

Events

54 h. ago Spain and Portugal power outage live: warnings of six to ten hours to restore supplies across Spain

Official from Spanish grid operator says outage is an unprecedented incident and declines to comment on causesWe are just getting a line from Reuters news agency saying that the Conclave to elect new pope will start on 7 May, according to its source.We have not independently verified this report. Continue reading...

Events

54 h. ago Major power outages across Spain and Portugal hit transport systems, mobile networks, traffic lights and more – Europe live

Cities across Spain and Portugal experience blackouts and transport chaos after power outageWe are just getting a line from Reuters news agency saying that the Conclave to elect new pope will start on 7 May, according to its source.We have not independently verified this report. Continue reading...

Events

55 h. ago Conclave to choose new Pope to start on 7 May, Vatican confirms – Europe live

Process to decide on successor to Pope Francis will begin next weekWe are just getting a line from Reuters news agency saying that the Conclave to elect new pope will start on 7 May, according to its source.We have not independently verified this report. Continue reading...

Economics

56 h. ago Russia claims it is ‘ready’ for Ukraine talks but demands recognition of occupied territories – Europe live

Comments from foreign minister Sergei Lavrov about ‘ownership’ follow suggestions from Trump that Ukraine could cede CrimeaAt the European Commission’s midday press briefing, the chief spokesperson Paula Pinho has just been asked about the EU’s reaction to Donald Trump’s comments over the weekend after he met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral.She said:President Zelensky has been very much aligned with the EU position, and vice versa, we’ve been very much aligned with President Zelensky on the position with regard to peace and negotiations regarding a ceasefire agreement, where absolutely the position of Ukraine is the determining position.We’ve also heard, indeed, the comments by President Trump after these talks, and we welcome those comments that go in the sense of also acknowledging that the attacks of Russia on Ukraine, which, by the way, continued over the weekend, cannot be accepted. Continue reading...

Events

58 h. ago Europe live: Russia claims it is ‘ready’ for Ukraine talks but demands recognition of occupied territories

Comments from foreign minister Sergei Lavrov about ‘ownership’ follow suggestions from Trump that Ukraine could cede CrimeaIn other European developments over the weekend, the National Rally leader Jordan Bardella said he would be ready to step in as the French far-right’s presidential candidate in 2027 if Marine Le Pen is ultimately barred from running.Le Pen was handed a five-year public office ban after a court found her and some members of her party guilty in March of misappropriation of funds. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Steve Witkoff arrives in Moscow for further talks with Russia about Ukraine peace plan – Europe live

US peace envoy to meet Vladimir Putin to discuss Donald Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine ahead of US president’s 100 days in office next weekAnd the Interfax news agency has now reported that Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow, where he is expected to meet Vladimir Putin.Reuters noted that Witkoff has emerged as Washington’s key interlocutor with Putin as Trump pushes for a deal to end the war in Ukraine, and has already held three long meetings with the Kremlin leader. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says US minerals deal could come today but attacks Witkoff for ‘spreading Russian narrative’ – Europe live

Comments come as Macron welcomes US envoy and Marco Rubio at Élysée palace in Paris for Ukraine talksAs we await further updates from the talks taking place at the Élysée, let me bring you some other stories from around Europe.Meanwhile, Russia’s top economic negotiator claimed that some countries were trying to “derail” Moscow’s talks with the United States, as the two sides work towards normalising ties. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago Zelenskyy says Witkoff ‘spreading Russian narrative’ as US envoy holds talks in Paris – Europe live

Ukrainian president says US minerals deal could be signed today as Macron welcomes US’s Steve Witkoff and Marco Rubio at Élysée palace in ParisAs we await further updates from the talks taking place at the Élysée, let me bring you some other stories from around Europe.Meanwhile, Russia’s top economic negotiator claimed that some countries were trying to “derail” Moscow’s talks with the United States, as the two sides work towards normalising ties. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Emmanuel Macron meets Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff for talks on Ukraine – Europe live

French president welcomes US representatives as meeting to discuss Ukraine gets under way at Élysée palace in ParisFrench president Emmanuel Macron has just formally welcomed Rubio and Witkoff, accompanied by France’s foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot.Their meeting is about to get under way, and the French presidency said that Macron spoke with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy just before meeting the US delegation. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Paris talks with allies focused on ‘paths to fair and lasting peace’, Ukraine’s foreign minister says – Europe live

Andrii Sybiha meets with British, French and German ministers as US representatives expected to meet French president Emmanuel MacronUkrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has just posted on update on his separate talks with British, French and German partners at the Élysée earlier today.He said they “discussed the paths to a fair and lasting peace, including full ceasefire, multinational contingent, and security guarantees for Ukraine.” Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Hungary ‘rapidly going in wrong direction’, EU lawmakers warn after visit – Europe live

Delegation of European parliament lawmakers raise concerns about ‘number of worrying developments’ concern country’s compliances with EU valuesUS state secretary Marco Rubio and White House envoy Steve Witkoff will visit France in the coming days, the French government’s spokesperson Sophie Primas confirmed.Politico and Le Monde earlier reported that the pair would come to Paris later this week with the intention of hosting high-level talks on Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, and trade. Continue reading...

Events