Author: Press Room
Published on 21/05/2026 – 12:33 GMT+2•Updated 13:38 Russia delivered nuclear munitions to field storage facilities in Belarus as part of major nuclear drills, the defence ministries in Moscow and Minsk announced on Thursday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT They have also released what they described as “video evidence” — a clip showing military vehicles driving into a forested area at an undisclosed location and missiles being loaded onto launchers. The Iskander-M, a mobile guided-missile system code-named “SS-26 Stone” by NATO, is intended to replace the Soviet-era Scud. Iskander-M’s guided missiles have a range of up to 500 kilometres and can carry conventional or…
Published on 21/05/2026 – 11:07 GMT+2•Updated 11:17 The Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) has issued an alert to residents after detecting “at least one” unmanned aerial vehicle in its airspace. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT In a statement posted to X, the NBS initially warned of a “possible threat” to airspace over the eastern regions of Ludza, Krāslava, Rēzekne, and Augšdaugava, before confirming it had detected a UAV. “Seek shelter indoors, close windows and doors—follow the two-wall principle,” it told residents. “If you notice a low-flying, suspicious, or dangerous object, do not approach it and call 112. We will inform you when the…
The European Commission on Thursday cut its 2026 growth forecast for the European economy, as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East drives energy prices sharply higher. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The EU economy is now expected to grow by just 1.1% in 2026, down from the 1.4% projected in the Commission’s autumn forecast. The eurozone outlook was revised down further to 0.9%. In its report, the Commission warned that disruption to global energy markets — caused by escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s key oil and gas shipping routes — has significantly worsened Europe’s economic outlook.…
The European Parliament and EU countries have failed to reach an agreement on new rules for migrants’ returns, with lawmakers and diplomats clashing over when it will come into force. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The new law, called the “return regulation”, is set to introduce stricter measures to speed up the return of irregular migrants, among them deportation centres outside the EU, longer detention, and entry bans for third-country nationals who have no right to stay in Europe. After three sessions of talks in Strasbourg, negotiators gave up and decided to resume talks on 1 June. According to multiple sources in the…
Published on 21/05/2026 – 9:43 GMT+2 Montenegro marks 20 years of independence from a union with Serbia this week, with concerts and various celebrations being held in the capital Podgorica and other towns across the country. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Split between the supporters of independence and those backing the union with Serbia, Montenegro held a referendum on 21 May 2006 to choose its future path after a decade of wars and NATO bombing in 1999 aimed at stopping the war in Kosovo. The result: 55.5% chose independence. Splitting from the joint state was divisive given that Montenegro has historically close ties…
Good morning. This is Angela Skujins, penning today’s newsletter from Brussels. And yes, your eyes don’t deceive you. I was just on Europe Today speaking about unmanned aerial vehicles. I am proof you can have your cake and eat it too. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Before we dive in, news has just come in that the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants a “new dynamic” when it comes to the pace and style of negotiations surrounding Ukraine and Moldova’s bid to join the European Union (EU). “Enlargement of the European Union is a geopolitical necessity. However, the enlargement process takes much too long,”…
Published on 21/05/2026 – 7:56 GMT+2•Updated 8:02 Also on today’s show hosted by Mared Gwyn: ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Euronews’ Sasha Vakulina reports on the political reactions to the drone incursion row. Interview with Henna Virkkunen, Commissioner responsible for tech sovereignty, security and democracy. Explainer by Jakub Janas: Why is German Chancellor Friedrich Merz increasingly disliked in Germany? Shona Murray reports on the gathering of NATO foreign ministers in Sweden today, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected. We report on global reactions on a video from Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir showing him taunting handcuffed activists from the…
Published on 21/05/2026 – 5:34 GMT+2 The German state is seeking a 40% stake in the tank and weapons maker KNDS, government sources familiar with the matter revealed to AFP on Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT According to an “agreement reached regarding the state’s participation in KNDS”, this stake is to start at 40% and then be reduced to 30% within “two to three years”, a source said. KNDS is currently effectively controlled by the French state, as it is part-owned by French public holding company GIAT Industries, with Germany’s Wegmann family owning the other part. The company had been planning an…
Hours after negotiators finalised their conditions for a contentious EU-US trade deal agreed to last summer, top European Parliament negotiator Bernd Lange has defended the pace and the scope of the agreement – but warned that Europe will never be out of the woods while US President Donald Trump is in office. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “We had to be really careful,” he told Euronews’ Europe Today programme Wednesday morning. “President Trump really used coercive measures against us. So now we have a safety net.” Diplomats and MEPs reached an agreement late on Tuesday to implement the contentious EU-US agreement, which eliminates…
Published on 20/05/2026 – 20:30 GMT+2 Europe finds itself at a moment of profound uncertainty, caught between wars on its borders, growing geopolitical rivalry, economic anxiety and questions about the future of the transatlantic alliance. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Russia’s war against Ukraine continues to dominate the continent’s security agenda, while instability in the Middle East and fears of a wider global economic slowdown have reinforced the sense that the post-Cold War world order is breaking apart. What should Europe’s answer to this challenge be? Two members of the European Parliament, Lukas Mandl from the European People’s Party from Austria and Marc…