57 h. ago The NATO island being turned into a floating fortress ready to repel a Russian invasion of Europe

As a furious Vladimir Putin plots his response to Ukraine's breathtaking drone attack, European leaders and defence chiefs are working to ensure their militaries can meet the Russian threat head on

Events

8 d. ago Dua Lipa and Gary Lineker join 300 other celebrities calling for Keir Starmer to stop all arms sales to Israel

The open letter urges the prime minister to "use all available means" to get humanitarian aid into the area

Politics

9 d. ago Zelenskyy to meet Merz amid German wrangling over weapons go

Chancellor’s coalition partners opposing any moves to allow Ukraine to use long-range Taurus missilesZelenskyy bound for Berlin with Merz boxed inRussian air defences destroyed or intercepted more than 100 Ukrainian drones over various Russian regions, including a swarm of drones heading for Moscow, officials said early on Wednesday, according to Reuters.Russia in the past week also sent waves of drones to attack Ukrainian cities, including what Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as the launch of more than 900 drones over a three-day period ending early on Monday morning. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago College leaders from all four UK nations unite to call for more cash from PM

College leaders in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have joined together to write to Sir Keir Starmer ahead of the spending review.

Politics

9 d. ago Zelenskyy bound for Berlin with Merz boxed in by German coalition

The German chancellor’s desire to lift restrictions on longer range weapons for Ukraine has been frustrated by his SPD and Social Democrat partnersThe German chancellor’s drive to keep a campaign pledge of more robust backing for Ukraine is running into blocks within his own government as he prepares to welcome Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Berlin.Friedrich Merz made a full-throated declaration on Monday, hours before Zelenskyy’s one-day visit was announced, that Germany was for the first time lifting previous range restrictions on weapons supplied to Kyiv, along with Ukraine’s other main western supporters. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Labour is taking the Pip – and disabled people have had enough | Cherylee Houston

I am in tears reading the stories of what might happen if these further cuts go ahead, which is why I’ve joined forces with others to demand actionDisabled celebrities urge Keir Starmer to scrap ‘inhumane’ benefit cutsWhy have so many deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent public figures pulled together to launch the campaign #TakingThePIP?Every area of life as a disabled person is difficult – employment, social situations, healthcare, education, transport and by far the most pervasive and arduous: other people’s attitudes. Everything is a fight, but this feels like a fight too far. If Labour goes ahead with its proposed benefits cuts to tighten the eligibility criteria for personal independence payment (Pip) and reduce or lose the health element of universal credit, many people in my community don’t know how they will survive. Make no bones about it: this could be a matter of life and death for some people. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago EU hopes for speedy deal to resolve US trade war after Trump delays 50% tariffs

European leaders call for ‘lowest possible’ border taxes after levies postponed from 1 June to 9 JulyEU leaders have expressed hopes of a speedy deal to resolve the trade war with the US after Donald Trump announced he was delaying his threatened 50% tariffs for the bloc until 9 July.The US president said on Sunday that he would pause the border tax due to be imposed on 1 June, which he had only announced two days earlier, after what he called a “very nice call” with the head of the EU executive, Ursula von der Leyen. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago EU hopes for quick deal to resolve US trade war after Trump delays 50% tariffs

European leaders call for ‘lowest possible’ border taxes after levies postponed from 1 June to 9 JulyEU leaders have expressed hopes for a quick deal to resolve the trade war with the US after Donald Trump announced he was delaying his threatened 50% tariffs for the bloc until 9 July.The US president said on Sunday he would pause the border tax due to be imposed on 1 June, which he had announced two days earlier, after what he called a “very nice call” with Ursula von der Leyen. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago Council of Europe chief warns against politicising court of human rights

Alain Berset says no judiciary should face political pressure after nine countries make intervention over migrationEurope’s leading human rights body has criticised nine governments that have urged a rethink of the interpretation of the European convention on human rights on migration issues.The Council of Europe secretary general, Alain Berset, spoke out against “politicising” the European court of human rights after nine European leaders signed a letter organised by Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen, calling for an “open-minded conversation” about the interpretation of the convention. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago 9 EU countries want a new interpretation of European rights to ease deportations

Leaders of 9 European Union countries say they want a reinterpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights in order to better tackle irregular migration to the continent and effectively increase deportations

Politics

2 w. ago Trump 'told Zelensky that Ukraine and Russia will need to reach a peace deal themselves' after his bombshell phone call with Putin in clearest sign yet he is ready to walk away from ceasefire talks

US president Donald Trump has reportedly told Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders they would have to find a solution to the invasion of Ukraine themselves. 

Politics

2 w. ago House passes Trump’s ‘big beautiful’ tax and spending bill after months of wrangling – US politics live

Sweeping legislation will now be sent to the SenateThe Kremlin said on Thursday that a report in the Wall Street Journal which said US president Donald Trump had told European leaders that President Vladimir Putin did not want to end the war in Ukraine contrasted with its own knowledge.The Journal said Trump had briefed European leaders after talking to Putin by phone on Monday and said Putin wanted to keep fighting in Ukraine because he thought he was winning.With a narrow 220-212 majority, House Speaker Mike Johnson could not afford to lose more than a handful of votes from his side.Republicans on the party’s right flank had pushed for deeper spending cuts to lessen the budget impact, but they met resistance from centrists who worried they would fall too heavily on the 71 million low-income Americans enrolled in the Medicaid health program. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Readers Letters: Starmer should have had UK join EFTA trade allies

Keir Starmer should have gone a different route in dealings with Europe, says reader

Politics

2 w. ago Ukraine war briefing: Pope opens Vatican door to peace talks, says Meloni

Zelenskyy says Putin ‘trying to buy time’ after phone call with Trump; EU lays on further sanctions and more coming up. What we know on day 1,183Pope Leo confirmed to Giorgia Meloni his willingness to host in the Vatican the next round of negotiations to try to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, the Italian prime minister said on Tuesday. “Finding in the Holy Father confirmation of the readiness to host the next talks between the parties in the Vatican, the prime minister expressed deep gratitude to Pope Leo XIV for his unceasing commitment to peace,” said a statement from Meloni. Leo, elected two weeks ago, said on 14 May that the Vatican could act as a mediator in global conflicts, without specifically mentioning Russia’s war against Ukraine.Separately the Italian prime minister said she had talks with other European leaders and the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, over next steps. “It was agreed to maintain close coordination between the partners with a view to a ne...

Events

2 w. ago Prime Minister Keir Starmer set to 'reset' relations with EU after Brexit

European leaders are set to travel to London this week for a summit

Politics

2 w. ago UK 'on cusp' of deal with EU to cut Brits bills and shorten holiday queues

As European leaders will come to London on Monday for the first annual UK/EU summit, talks have reached the 'business end', a source said

Economics

2 w. ago Week of geopolitical poker over Ukraine ends with no endgame in sight

Path to peace looks as unclear as it was before European leaders’ meeting with Zelenskyy in KyivRussia and Ukraine agree prisoner swap but peace talks fail to make progressThis week began with four European leaders, standing defiantly in Kyiv alongside Volodymyr Zelenskyy, issuing an ultimatum to Vladimir Putin: sign a ceasefire now, or together with Donald Trump we will force you to do so, with sanctions and other tough measures.Over the subsequent days, there followed a series of offers, counter-offers, ultimatums and deflections, in a dizzying week of high-stakes diplomacy that often seemed to resemble a geopolitical poker game. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago PM to discuss Russia sanctions with Zelensky and European leaders in Tirana

The summit comes as Ukrainian and Russian negotiators meet face-to-face for the first time in Istanbul.

Politics

3 w. ago Keir Starmer warns Putin must 'pay the price' after shameful peace talk snub

Keir Starmer will meet around 40 leaders at the European Political Community summit in Tirana, Albania, today, where they will discuss ways to turn the screws on Putin's war machine

Events

3 w. ago Starmer and European leaders in talks to ramp up pressure on Putin at summit

Starmer says Putin must ‘pay the price’ for delaying peace ahead of talks with European leaders.

Politics