The European Union's lending arm, the European Investment Bank (EIB), has signed agreements to mobilize close to 1 billion euros ($1.03 billion) in investments into Ukraine’s public and private sectors as the U.S. moves to cut funding to development projects in the country. U.S. President Donald
The European Commission criticized the decision as "unlawful and economically counterproductive," arguing that the deeply integrated supply chains between the EU and the U.S. would suffer under such restrictions.
Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said that Tiraspol rejected the EU's financial assistance allegedly due to conditions attached to the aid package. He attributed the decision to Russian influence.
The news comes as 19 EU member states have proposed expanding financing for arms production through the EIB on Jan 31.
The EU "should boost independence even further and end all Russian energy imports," Karis said on Feb. 9. "We should even seriously consider a full trade embargo on Russia."
Bulgaria has provided Ukraine with old Soviet-era military equipment, with funds received from NATO and EU allies being reinvested into purchasing modern Western weapons.
Belgian clearing house Euroclear said in a statement on Feb. 5 that the second payment is expected to be made in March and should amount to approximately 2 billion euros.
The tribunal, set to operate within the Council of Europe, will focus on Russia's political and military leaders, including President Vladimir Putin.
The project, funded by the Italian government, aims to make Ukraine's energy system "more resilient and decentralized" in accordance with the "Build Back Better" principle.
The European Commission and Moldova signed a two-year strategy for energy independence and resilience, allocating 250 million euros ($258 million) to Chisinau in 2025, the commission said on Feb. 4.
A key focus of the meeting is geopolitics and EU relations with the United States, with U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs expected to dominate the agenda.
Zelensky said that the first step for Ukraine is to hold a high-level meeting with Trump, before moving on to a format for peace talks that includes Ukraine, Russia, the U.S., and the EU.
Earlier the same day, the Financial Times (FT) reported that EU officials are discussing the possibility of resuming purchases of Russian gas as part of a potential settlement of Russia's war in Ukraine.
Half of Poles believe Ukraine should not join NATO or the EU until the issue of exhuming Volyn massacre victims is resolved, according to a new poll published on Jan. 30.
Ukraine expressed "deep disappointment" over Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's statements after he called President Volodymyr Zelensky "the enemy" of Slovakia.
The proposal's advocates, including Hungarian and German officials, argue that the move could give both Russia and Europe incentives to maintain a ceasefire while stabilizing the continent's energy market, the Financial Times wrote.
The European Commission will not propose implementing a ban on Russian liquified natural gas (LNG) imports in its upcoming sanctions package amid concern among member states about first securing an alternative from other countries, including the United States, EU diplomats told Reuters on Jan. 29.
The sanctions will also cut off more Russian banks from the SWIFT banking system, and target an additional 70 vessels suspected to be part of Russia’s "shadow-fleet."
EU Chief Diplomat Kaja Kallas spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Jan. 28 in their first official phone conversation since the Trump administration took office.
Earlier, the Italian Senate approved the measure with 192 votes in favor and 41 against.
While the European Commission allegedly does not plan to reinstate pre-war trade rules, it is considering alternatives within the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) framework, including quotas for agricultural products and additional safeguards.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski believes Trump's recent threats of sanctions against Moscow played a role in Hungary's decision to withdraw its veto.
"While we aim to move fast, the lifting of sanctions can be reversed if wrong steps are taken," EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas posted on X, adding that the EU plans to scale up humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts in Syria.
"Fundamental rights and democratic values are core principles of EU integration. Officials that represent a country which trample down these values should not benefit from easier access to the EU," said Tomasz Siemoniak, Poland's interior minister.
"The (European) Commission is ready to continue discussions with Ukraine on the supply to Europe through the gas pipeline system in Ukraine," the statement said.
If Ukraine fulfills all the requirements, the Commission expects the launch of cluster negotiations, starting with Cluster I, "Fundamentals," "as soon as possible" in 2025.
"This will continue to deprive Moscow of revenues to finance its war. Russia needs to pay for the damage they are causing," EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas said.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a statement that his country has "received the requested guarantees" regarding energy security.
Without unanimous support from all 27 EU countries, EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas issued her own statement, declaring that the January 26 election in Belarus was "neither free nor fair."
Speaking at a European Defense Agency meeting on Jan. 22, EU's chief diplomat Kaja Kallas stressed that the bloc must act decisively to counter Russia's growing militarization. "We are running out of time. The Ukrainians are fighting for their freedom and ours. They are buying us time."
The EU has reduced Russian gas imports by 75%, while only 3% of its oil is imported from Russia, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Jan. 21.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has urged Chancellor Olaf Scholz to avoid politicizing aid to Ukraine during Germany's election campaign, n-tv reported on Jan. 20.
