Author: Press Room
The global race for critical raw materials is no longer about mineral access, but about power, the head of the European Commission’s department for international partnerships, Koen Doens, said on Wednesday, amid the bloc’s high dependence on China. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The senior Commission official’s remarks come as the European Union is struggling to diversify its supply of critical raw materials, deemed crucial for the development of clean technologies. EU auditors have recently warned that the bloc risks undermining a successful energy transition while remaining highly dependent on China. “Power will rest in the hands of those that control extraction, refining,…
Europe is confronting a question that would once have seemed unthinkable: whether it can still rely on others for its security at all. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT From Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East to intensifying rivalry between the US and China, the European Union finds itself exposed in a world increasingly defined by hard power rather than rules-based cooperation. “For the first time in living memory, we are truly alone together,” former Italian prime minister Mario Draghi said last week, capturing a growing sense of unease in European capitals. The sentiment reflects a broader shift in…
Published on 20/05/2026 – 14:47 GMT+2 Lithuania’s capital of Vilnius was shutdown on Wednesday due to reports of a potential drone incursion, highlighting growing anxiety along NATO’s eastern flank amid Russia’s war with Ukraine. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Since the start of the month, there has been six reported or suspected drone incursions have occurred in Baltic and Finnish airspace since the beginning of the month, sending shivers up the spine of European countries near Russia’s border – as well as their allies. Wednesday’s warning in Vilnius lasted for roughly one hour, but prompted the closure of the country’s airport, the evacuation…
In a new attempt to put the West under economic pressure, Iran is floating the idea of imposing “access fees” on undersea internet cables crossing the Strait of Hormuz, a move that could further strain global trade following the passage’s blockage. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The plan was first laid out by Iran’s news agency Tasnim, which is linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Questions have arisen over who exactly would have to pay such tariffs, and which kinds of services would be targeted. From a logistical point of view, firms operating cables under the Strait would be forced to…
Published on 20/05/2026 – 12:09 GMT+2 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers that the bloc must tear down remaining barriers in its internal market to compete in the current geopolitical climate. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “We must finish what we started. We must remove the barriers that still persist in our internal market,” von der Leyen told MEPs gathered in plenary session on Wednesday. “We must make it much easier to scale up across Europe. This is the basic promise of the single market and it must be fulfilled.” Von der Leyen singled out the practice of so-called…
Published on 20/05/2026 – 11:13 GMT+2 The US is due to announce major cuts to the number of troops available to Europe in the event of an invasion or war. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The decision comes as part of pre-planned changes to the US force posture in Europe and was initially signalled at the start of Trump administration in line with the priorities of Washington’s “America First” doctrine. The US currently has around 76,000 troops across NATO territory, the largest volume since the Cold War, due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The announcement due on Friday will…
Published on 20/05/2026 – 10:43 GMT+2•Updated 10:58 Vilnius airport closed on Wednesday after a drone warning was issued across parts of the country. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Lithuania’s defence ministry said an air alert had been issued and NATO Baltic Air Policing had been activated after a suspected drone had been detected approaching from Belarus near to the border. “Immediately seek shelter in a safe place, take care of your close ones, await new recommendations,” a message sent to people in the country’s capital read. The air alert has since been lifted. Latvia also issued a warning on Wednesday morning to residents…
The UK’s Minister of State for Trade, Chris Bryant, has suggested his government is closing in on a deal on steel with the EU that would see both sides avoid punitive trade restrictions introduced to shield their domestic industries from over-capacities. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT It comes as the Labour-led UK government pushes on with its economic “reset” with the European bloc, despite an impending leadership challenge that has left Prime Minister Keir Starmer grappling with his biggest political crisis since his landslide victory in 2024. Speaking to Euronews’ Europe Today from Strasbourg on Tuesday, Bryant said the UK was in “very…
Published on 20/05/2026 – 7:53 GMT+2•Updated 8:25 Also on today’s show: ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Explainer by Jakub Janas: Putin visits Xi Jinping — what does it mean for Europe? Interviews with Sir Chris Bryant, UK Minister of State for Trade, Colonel Martin L. O’Donnell, Chief of Public Affairs at NATO SHAPE, and Bernd Lange, Member of the European Parliament and chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee. When and where to watch Europe Today? You can join Euronews’ chief anchor Méabh Mc Mahon and our EU editor Maria Tadeo live on TV and Euronews’ website and digital platforms every weekday. Our…
EU governments and the European Parliament struck a provisional deal on May 7th to amend the AI Act, the landmark legislation that entered into force in August 2024. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The deal delays tough rules on high-risk AI systems covering biometrics, critical infrastructure, law enforcement, and employment decisions by 16 months. Enforcement is now pushed to December 2027. Supporters call it pragmatic relief for businesses struggling to compete with the US and China. Critics say it hands a victory to Big Tech at the expense of workers and fundamental rights. But the deal also adds something: a total ban on…