Author: Press Room
It was so bold that, at times, it seemed impossible — and in the end, it was. The European Union’s attempt to channel the immobilised assets of the Russian Central Bank into a zero-interest reparations loan failed when the bloc’s 27 leaders, faced with a leap into the unknown, chose to support Ukraine’s resistance with the tried-and-tested method of joint debt. “If you take money from (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, you are exposed,” said Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, the chief opponent of the reparations loan, explaining its failure. “If you’re exposed, then people like certainty, and where can…
France’s President Emmanuel Macron discovered news of his own supposed overthrow, after he received a message of concern, along with a link to a Facebook video. “On Sunday [14 December] one of my African counterparts got in touch, writing ‘Dear President, what’s happening to you? I’m very worried’”, Macron told readers of French local newspaper La Provence on 16 December. Alongside the message, a compelling video: showing a swirling helicopter, military personneland crowds gathering, as a woman — who looks just like a news anchor —goes on to deliver a piece to camera. “Unofficial reports suggest that there has been…
Misleading claims online have skewed and simplified the causes of mass protests in Bulgaria to fit anti-EU narratives. One post circulating on X, viewed more than 80,000 times, claims that Bulgaria’s “pro-EU government has just resigned” after mass protests, while also alleging the country’s planned eurozone accession has been cancelled. Another post hails the fall of the “socialist government” of Bulgaria, while others claim that the government’s resignation shows that power belongs to the people of Bulgaria, rather than Brussels. However, these posts mislead about the nature of Bulgaria’s Gen Z-led anti-corruption protests, which last week led to the resignation…
European leaders will raise €90 billion in joint debt to fund Ukraine for the next two years after hitting a wall on a plan to issue an unprecedented reparations loan. Faced with a stalemate over Belgian demands to obtain unlimited guarantees before tapping into the immobilised Russian assets hosted in the country, EU leaders turned to issuing joint debt to keep Kyiv afloat next year and in 2027 against the bloc’s common budget. Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia will not participate in the scheme. Euronews first reported plans drafted by the three countries that would see Budapest, Prague and Bratislava benefiting…
Published on 18/12/2025 – 23:27 GMT+1 •Updated 23:35 Following tense negotiations among the 27 member states, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday pushed the signature of the contentious Mercosur agreement to January to the frustration of backers Germany and Spain. The trade deal dominated the EU summit, with France and Italy pressing for a delay to secure stronger farmer protections, while von der Leyen had hoped to travel to Latin America for a signing ceremony on 20 December after securing member-state support. Without approval, the ceremony can no longer go ahead. There is not set date. “The Commission…
The European Union, under the helm of the Danish Presidency, made notable progress on policies considered priorities for Copenhagen, the country’s European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre said on Euronews’ flagship interview programme 12 Minutes With. The Danish government has held the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU since 1 July 2025, allowing it to set the agenda in Brussels. One of its priorities was tackling “bureaucracy” and “over-regulation” in a bid to restore the EU’s competitive edge, faced with China and the US. “We said from the beginning that we wanted a stronger Europe in terms of security…
A former sheriff from Florida, a member of the French military and a Swiss intelligence officer were among 12 individuals sanctioned by the European Union on 15 December. The measures initiated by France also led a host of Russian nationals to be sanctioned, in light of Russia’s continued hybrid warfare targeting the EU’s member states and its partners. The three Westerners have used their former careers in Western police forces, military or intelligence to gain credibility, according to experts. “Their past careers in intelligence and the military conjure up ideas of secrecy, as well as the notion of the ‘deep…
Published on 18/12/2025 – 10:50 GMT+1 Rumour has it only the sharpest students can tell the difference between the Council of the EU, the Council of Europe and today’s suspect, the European Council. I am sure you know, but let us recap. Today’s summit runs for two days. Inside, they need 30 chairs: 27 for the national leaders, plus three special seats for Antonio Costa, Ursula von Der Leyen and Kaja Kallas. Officially, there are 24 languages. This creates over 500 possible language combinations. Though in reality, most negotiations happen in English — even though the English have left the…
By Jorge Liboreiro & Alice Tidey & Vincenzo Genovese & Eleonora Vasques & Peggy Corlin & Marta Pacheco Published on 18/12/2025 – 7:00 GMT+1 The 27 leaders of the European Union are gathering in Brussels to make a decision that could redefine the continent’s security architecture: how to raise at least €90 billion to meet Ukraine’s financial and military needs for 2026 and 2027. With the United States pushing for a fast deal between Ukraine and Russia, diplomats and officials are framing today’s summit as a make-or-break moment for Europeans to maximise their collective leverage and prove they still have skin in the game. “This…
European Union membership alone is insufficient to guarantee Ukraine’s future security as part of a peace settlement, although it’s “undoubtedly” a key part of the answer, Danish European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre has told Euronews’ flagship interview programme, 12 Minutes With. Ukraine would be slated to join the European Union as early as January 2027 as part of security guarantees reportedly put forward in peace negotiations mediated by the United States. However, the deadline has been met with scepticism by the EU, which repeatedly emphasises that accession is a “merit-based” process. “I think it is fair that EU accession is…