Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić backed Ukraine's EU accession bid during President Volodymyr Zelensky's historic first official visit to Serbia on August 7-8, 2026. The two countries also agreed to finalize a free trade agreement by year's end, marking a significant diplomatic engagement between Ukraine and the traditionally Russia-friendly Balkan nation.
Spain announced it will establish border controls on all flights and ships from Italy from midnight Saturday until September 7, retaliating after Rome imposed similar measures following a mass influx of tens of thousands of migrants from Morocco into Spain's North African territory of Ceuta.
The European Union received €1.4 billion ($1.6 billion) in windfall profits generated from interest on immobilized Russian Central Bank assets held in EU depositories, with the funds earmarked for Ukraine's defense and reconstruction. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Russia must pay for the destruction it has caused.
The European Union has provided €3.47 billion ($4 billion) to Ukraine for procurement of military equipment including drones, missiles, air defence systems, and Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets, according to the European Commission.
The European Union approved its 21st package of sanctions against Russia on July 23, 2026, imposing transaction bans on 14 cryptocurrency platforms and operators accused of helping Russia evade sanctions, including entities tied to the A7 Network. The package also targets 48 individuals and 170 organizations across energy, financial services, and shipping sectors.
The European Union approved its 21st sanctions package against Russia on July 23, 2026, imposing transaction bans on 14 cryptocurrency service platforms across six jurisdictions and blacklisting the A7 cross-border payments network and its A7A5 stablecoin for alleged sanctions evasion.
The European Union has issued an ultimatum to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia, demanding they phase out their citizenship-by-investment programs by June 2028 or face the loss of visa-free travel to the Schengen zone.
The European Union has issued an ultimatum to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia, demanding they phase out their citizenship-by-investment programs by June 1, 2028, or face the loss of visa-free travel to the Schengen zone.
Greece vetoed the EU's 21st Russia sanctions package to shield Dynagas, a Greek LNG shipping company owned by George Prokopiou, from a proposed ban on transporting Russian LNG to third countries. Athens' objection delayed the package by at least a week after three days of failed negotiations.
The European Union and United Kingdom announced coordinated sanctions on nine Russian military intelligence officers, hackers, and four private entities over a years-long cyberespionage campaign that has targeted European governments and critical infrastructure including heating and power plants since 2010.
European leaders convened an emergency late-night meeting in Brussels to discuss managing a breakdown in relations with America, as the United States marked its 250th Independence Day anniversary amid unprecedented domestic divisions and international tensions.
The European Union has released an initial payment of approximately €3 billion as the first installment of a €90 billion loan commitment to support Ukraine's post-war recovery and defense capabilities. The announcement was made at a conference on Ukraine's recovery held in Poland.
The United Kingdom, France and Germany issued a rare joint statement expressing concern over Chinese military actions in waters east of Taiwan, marking an unusual coordinated European response to tensions in the Taiwan Strait region.
French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for talks in Antibes on the French Riviera, marking a rapprochement between the two leaders after Meloni's recent fallout with US President Donald Trump. The meeting represents Meloni's first bilateral summit in France amid her distancing from Trump.
A Taliban delegation met with European Union officials in Brussels for closed-door technical discussions focused on the return of Afghan nationals to Afghanistan, marking the first such meeting despite no EU country recognizing the Taliban government. The talks have drawn fierce criticism from rights groups and MEPs who warn against normalizing a regime that has banned girls' education beyond sixth grade.
Hungary has delayed a key procedural step in the EU membership applications of Ukraine and Moldova, while EU officials are considering separating the two countries' accession processes that have been informally linked since the beginning.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a planned US trip after President Trump claimed Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had 'begged' him for a photo at the G7 summit. Meloni called the claim 'totally invented' and said she was 'stunned' by Trump's remarks, marking a sharp deterioration in their once-close relationship.
Austria's current chancellor called for Europe to engage in dialogue with Putin, while former chancellor Sebastian Kurz's AI and cyberdefense company Dream raised $260 million in a funding round that valued the firm at $3 billion.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced he is cutting all contact with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas after she reportedly compared Israeli policy to apartheid-era South Africa. Kallas has called for maintaining constructive dialogue with Israel.
French President Emmanuel Macron was caught on a live microphone at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains telling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump had been "difficult." European leaders at the summit also urged Trump to host talks between Zelensky and Putin to break the deadlock over ending the Ukraine war.
The European Union officially began membership negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on June 15, 2026, marking a decisive step forward in both countries' bids to join the bloc. The process was delayed by Hungarian vetoes but has now advanced to the first substantive phase of negotiations.
Slovenia has revoked a 2025 ban on weapons trade with Israel and lifted entry bans on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and two Cabinet ministers. The Defense Ministry said the arms trade restrictions, introduced in July 2025, are no longer necessary as trade is already governed by national and EU law.
The European Commission announced plans to ban current and former Russian soldiers from entering EU territory as part of its next sanctions package, which also targets Russian banks, cryptocurrency firms, and oil revenues. The proposal has sparked debate about why the measure is limited to military personnel rather than all Russian citizens.
The European Union has proposed its 21st package of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, targeting the country's banks, cryptocurrency networks, drone production, oil traders and refiners. The package includes 80 proposed listings aimed at Russia's military industrial complex, human rights violators and propagandists, adding to what the EU estimates is a $1.5 trillion cumulative economic hit on Russia.
The European Union sanctioned two Iranian individuals and an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unit for restricting maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway handling approximately one-fifth of global oil flows. The blockade has escalated tensions amid broader conflict with Israel and reports of vessels evading restrictions through covert routes.
Germany, France, and the UK have backed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's call for direct ceasefire talks with Russia, with European leaders signaling readiness to take a leading role in negotiations with Vladimir Putin in coordination with the United States.
Leaders of Ukraine, the UK, France, and Germany issued a joint statement outlining five conditions that must be met to achieve a 'just and lasting peace' to end Russia's war in Ukraine. The statement emerged from bilateral talks held in London on June 7, 2026.
Thousands have protested in Tirana against a planned luxury resort development on Albania's southern coast backed by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The project, spanning a protected island and former military base, has drawn criticism from environmental campaigners and prompted EU warnings, while Prime Minister Edi Rama alleges 'hybrid war' interference.
At an EU-Western Balkans summit in Montenegro, European leaders unveiled a Franco-German proposal for gradual integration of candidate countries, with Commission President von der Leyen stating Montenegro is on track for membership by 2028. The initiative aims to accelerate the accession process for six Western Balkan nations amid ongoing debates over EU enlargement.
Russia has recalled its envoy to Armenia and a Moscow-led economic grouping is threatening to suspend the country as tensions escalate over Armenia's bid to join the European Union ahead of a key vote.
Four major European powers issued a joint statement condemning Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, warning that Israeli government policies are undermining prospects for a two-state solution.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed President Trump's disappointment with NATO allies' refusal to join attacks on Iran, as the EU separately announced plans to sanction Iranian officials over the Strait of Hormuz blockade. The disputes are expected to dominate an upcoming NATO summit.
The European Union signed a memorandum of understanding with Ukraine on May 20, 2026, conditioning portions of its €90 billion aid package on unpopular tax reforms demanded by the IMF. An initial €3.2 billion budgetary support payment is expected in mid-June pending Ukrainian parliamentary ratification, with €5.9 billion allocated for drone purchases.
EU foreign ministers agreed to sanction Israeli settlers over violence against Palestinians, ending a years-long deadlock after Hungary's new government dropped its veto. The decision also includes sanctions on Hamas leaders.
EU foreign ministers formally green-lighted sanctions targeting violent Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stating 'extremisms and violence carry consequences.' Israeli PM Netanyahu condemned the move as 'moral bankruptcy.'
EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels are set to approve sanctions on Israeli settlers, with the breakthrough coming after Hungary's new Prime Minister Péter Magyar replaced Viktor Orbán, who had previously blocked such measures.
European Union officials are preparing for possible negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, while the Kremlin responded that Putin is ready to talk with Europeans but will not initiate contact first.
Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez called on the EU to activate its blocking statute against US sanctions, specifically targeting those imposed on officials defending international justice. The blocking law was previously applied against US sanctions during the Trump administration.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will attend the EPC summit in Yerevan, making Canada the first non-European nation to participate in the meeting focused on security and geopolitical tensions amid uncertainty over US policy.
The European Union formally approved its 20th package of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, targeting additional Russian banks, cryptocurrency operations, and trade restrictions. The package includes measures to cut sanctioned banks from SWIFT and further restrictions on financial services.
EU member states gave preliminary approval to unlock a €90 billion loan for Ukraine after Kyiv repaired the damaged Druzhba oil pipeline, resolving a dispute with Hungary that had blocked the funding. Formal procedures expected to conclude Thursday.
French President Macron and UK PM Starmer are hosting a coalition summit to discuss deploying a multinational defensive force to ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Over 30 nations are participating, with neither the US, Israel, nor Iran invited.
Italy has denied US military planes carrying weapons for the Iran war access to an airbase in Sicily, with the defense ministry stating the US failed to request parliamentary authorization as required by international treaty. The move follows Spain's earlier closure of its airspace to US combat aircraft.
Spain has closed its airspace to US military planes involved in attacks on Iran, escalating beyond its previous denial of jointly-operated military base access. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described the US-Israel war on Iran as 'profoundly illegal and unjust'
