36 m. ago Zelenskyy calls for Ukraine to join EU before 2030 after commission delivers warning on corruption

EU says reforms needed ‘with regards to the fundamentals, in particular rule of law’ to have a chance to ‘provisionally close accession negotiations by the end of 2028’We will formally get the EU’s commentary on the enlargement ratings (9:26) in just over an hour – when EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and EU enlargment commissioner Marta Kos are due to speak to journalists – but we have just had a brief glimpse of what’s coming during Kos’s appearance in the European parliament.She said these have been “significant advances on the EU path achieved so far by Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine,” stressing that “reforms pay off.”I can say that these four candidates have matched their ambitions with concrete actions. Continue reading...

Events

2 h. ago EU says Ukraine must accelerate reforms on rule of law and other ‘fundamentals’ if it wants membership

EU says reforms needed ‘with regards to the fundamentals, in particular rule of law’ to have a chance to ‘provisionally close accession negotiations by the end of 2028’We will formally get the EU’s commentary on the enlargement ratings (9:26) in just over an hour – when EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and EU enlargment commissioner Marta Kos are due to speak to journalists – but we have just had a brief glimpse of what’s coming during Kos’s appearance in the European parliament.She said these have been “significant advances on the EU path achieved so far by Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine,” stressing that “reforms pay off.”I can say that these four candidates have matched their ambitions with concrete actions. Continue reading...

Politics

6 h. ago European Union to reveal ratings for candidate countries – Europe live

Kaja Kallas to issue update this afternoon on progress countries are making towards becoming union memberIn other news, Czechs are mourning the archbishop emeritus of Prague, Dominik Duka, who has died overnight at the age of 82.Cardinal Duka – whose father flew in the British RAF during the second world war – was one of the most influential religious leaders in the Czech Republic, serving as a dissident priest under communism who eventually got imprisoned alongside playwright turned president Václav Havel. Continue reading...

Politics

24 h. ago Ukraine Russia war latest: Trump claims Moscow is carrying out ‘secret’ underground nuclear weapons tests

Trump told reporters he was N’not really” considering a deal to sell Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, but could change his mind

Events

29 h. ago ‘I can’t go on anymore’: Mazón resigns as Valencia leader and acknowledges mistakes during deadly 2024 floods – Europe live

Mazón faced daily calls for his resignation after flooding in October 2024 killed 229 peopleFor more on the anger towards Mazón and the calls for consequences after Spain’s worst natural disaster this century, it’s worth reading this report from our Spain correspondent, Sam Jones.Resigning his post, Mazón said “I can’t go on anymore” as he lamented “brutal” criticism he faced, while “acknowledging” mistakes made in an “unprecedented” situation. Continue reading...

Events

69 h. ago European live updates: Tottenham host Chelsea in London derby

European live updates: Tottenham host Chelsea in London derby  ESPN

Politics

4 d. ago Russia deploys 170,000 troops for push in Ukraine's Donetsk region, Zelenskyy says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia has deployed about 170,000 troops in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, aiming to capture the city of Pokrovsk

Politics

4 d. ago Rob Jetten celebrates ‘historic result’ as his centrist D66 party is projected to win Dutch election – Europe live

Although final results are yet to be announced, analysis by the Netherlands news agency ANP suggests D66 has unassailable lead over Geert Wilders’ far-right PVVThe ANP news agency offered a bit more colour on how they reached their conclusion, via De Telegraaf.The agency looked at various scenarios of what could happen with the outstanding votes – in Venray and from overseas postal voters – and concluded that, accounting for historical patterns, the PVV could no longer catch up D66, which currently leads by just over 15,000 votes. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Dutch media report centrist D66 party has won most votes in Netherlands election – Europe live

Although final results are yet to be determined, analysis by the Netherlands news agency ANP suggests Rob Jetten’s party has unassailable lead over Geert Wilders’ far-right PVVCentrist party D66, led by charismatic 38-year-old Rob Jetten, has won the most votes in this week’s Dutch parliamentary election, the country’s news agency ANP said.The agency collects the results from all municipalities in the Netherlands, and its provisional figures show that D66 now has an unassailable lead over Geert Wilders’s far-right PVV party, AD and De Telegraaf reported. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Ukraine reports fresh Russian attacks and says Moscow has used ‘secret’ missile in recent months – Europe live

The development of the 9M729 cruise missile prompted Donald Trump to abandon a nuclear arms control pact with Moscow during his first termOver in Lithuania, Vilnius airport had to briefly close again last night after more smuggling balloons were reported, causing further disruption for passengers – just days after the Lithuanian government vowed to do whatever it takes to stop them from coming.The restrictions were in place for around three hours, disrupting several flights; the fifth incident in the last 10 days. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago Ukraine reports fresh Russian attacks amid reports Moscow used ‘secret’ missile in recent months – Europe live

The development of the 9M729 cruise missile prompted Donald Trump to abandon a nuclear arms control pact with Moscow during his first termUkraine has reported another series of attacks from Russia overnight, including a strike on the north-eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, which injured at least 11 residents, local authorities said.The Sumy region borders Russia and has been under constant attack from drones and missiles, Reuters reported. The emergency services said on the Telegram messenger service that Russia had struck a residential multistorey building, private houses and infrastructure facilities. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Centrist D66 party expected to win most seats in Netherlands election – Europe live

Exit poll suggests Geert Wilders’ far-right PVV could finish second, but election is deemed ‘too close to call’The Anne Frank House is not the only unusual place where voters can cast their votes today.The Dutch Vogue has a list of 11 special locations, including a children’s zoo in Amsterdam, the marine museum in Rotterdam, the miniature park in The Hague. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Netherlands braced for exit poll in parliamentary election – Europe live

Polls suggest Geert Wilders’ far-right Freedom party (PVV) could finish first in vote triggered when he pulled out of rightwing coalition in JuneThe Anne Frank House is not the only unusual place where voters can cast their votes today.The Dutch Vogue has a list of 11 special locations, including a children’s zoo in Amsterdam, the marine museum in Rotterdam, the miniature park in The Hague. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Voting under way in Netherlands parliamentary election – Europe live

Polls suggest Geert Wilders’ far-right Freedom party (PVV) could finish first in vote triggered when he pulled out of rightwing coalition in Junein AmsterdamThere was an interesting interview with a Dutch taxi driver on NPO Radio 1 earlier, who characterised his job as “modern slavery,” working all hours to make ends meet, and has totally lost faith in democracy. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Von der Leyen says EU ‘cannot tolerate’ disruption of airspace, calling balloons over Lithuania a ‘provocation’ – Europe live

She also added they back plans to step up EU investment in military equipment and they are ready to cover the financing needs of UkraineEU’s von der Leyen also gets asked about the balloons disrupting the Lithuanian airspace.She says she wants to “express my full solidarity” with Lithuania, and calls it “a provocation, a hybrid threat,” which “we cannot tolerate.”We’re in for the long haul. We are ready to cover the financing needs of Ukraine, so that we are standing by Ukraine for as long as it takes. Continue reading...

Society

7 d. ago Zelenskyy says Ukraine ready for peace talks anywhere besides Russia and Belarus – Europe live

The Ukrainian president also stressed that they still need European financial support to continue fighting As mentioned earlier, we are expecting a press conference on the sidelines of the Nordic Council meeting today in the next twenty minutes or so, with regional leaders – including Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway – joined there by the EU’s Ursula von der Leyen.I will keep an eye on this for you and bring you all the latest lines here. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Lithuania closes border with Belarus after balloons shut down Vilnius airport – Europe live

66 objects spotted on radars overnight as prime minister says ‘no hybrid attack will be tolerated’ and pledges to shoot down any more balloonsMeanwhile over in the Czech Republic, the country’s president Petr Pavel has tasked the populist billionaire Andrej Babiš with leading talks on forming the new government after recent parliamentary election.Babiš told the president – who defeated him in the 2023 presidential elections – that the coalition talks were already under way, and “promised to hand over the text of the coalition agreement and programme priorities” later this week, according to a readout issued by the presidential office. Continue reading...

Society

8 d. ago Lithuania to close border with Belarus after balloons shut down Vilnius airport – Europe live

66 objects spotted on radars overnight leading to fourth closure of airport in a week as prime minister says any more balloons will be shot downLithuania’s Ruginienė also said that the country was not ruling out the possibility it could call for Nato’s Article 4 consultations, Reuters reported.The Article 4 – not to be mistaken with much more serious Article 5 provision – allows countries to call for Nato talks “whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the parties is threatened.” Continue reading...

Society

8 d. ago Luke Humphries swears on live TV after European Championship final heartache

Luke Humphries was left devastated after losing to Gian van Veen in the European Championship final, admitting he was hoping his Dutch rival would 's*** himself' on the oche

Sport

1 week ago ‘Ukraine’s future is our future’, says Starmer, as he vows coalition will take Russian oil and gas off market to choke funding – Europe live

Zelenskyy, Starmer and members of ‘coalition of willing’ give press conferenceA forthcoming trip by German foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, to China has been cancelled amid growing fears that Beijing’s restriction on semiconductor and rare earth exports could paralyse the country’s car industry.“We are postponing the journey to a later time,” the spokesperson told a regular press briefing on Friday. “The Chinese side was ultimately able to confirm only the appointment with the Chinese foreign minister, and could not confirm any other additional appointments,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said. Continue reading...

Society