Russia Putin dismisses US sanctions, Trump replies ‘We will see' Russia’s president downplayed the latest US sanctions as an “unfriendly act” which he claims would not have much impact on Russia’s economy or its stance on Moscow’s war in Ukraine. His comments were largely dismissed by Donald Trump, who said, “I am glad he feels this way”. 24/10/2025
Europe News EU leaders kick can down the road on reparation loan for Ukraine EU leaders have vowed to return to the thorny issue of leveraging immobilised Russian assets as an extraordinary loan to Ukraine in December's summit. 22/10/2025
Europe News Threat of EU sanctions against Israel still on the table, Kallas says The 27 European ministers of foreign affairs, who were meeting in Luxembourg, considered the situation in Gaza too "fragile" to withdraw possible sanctions against Israel. 20/10/2025
USA Chinese airlines protest US plan to ban flights over Russian airspace The Kremlin shuts its airspace to US airlines in 2022 in response to Western sanctions over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 15/10/2025
Europe News EU envoy calls on the US to rejoin the West on Russian sanctions David O'Sullivan, the EU's sanctions envoy, told Euronews he hopes the US will return to a policy of applying new sanctions against Russia. 14/10/2025
Serbia US sanctions Serbia's main oil supplier over Russian-majority control The measures, which Washington has postponed six times, could lead to fuel shortages and price increases in Serbia. 09/10/2025
Europe News MEPs face backlash over controversial meeting with Russian lawmakers A controversial meeting between European lawmakers and Russian State Duma MPs sparked outrage among other MEPs, who said it violated European Parliament rules and demanded disciplinary action. 03/10/2025
France Captain of oil tanker linked to Russia's shadow fleet to go on trial in France The ship, which was boarded by the French navy over the weekend, remains off the country's Atlantic coast. 02/10/2025
Europe News MEPs urge support for Iranian civil society three years after Mahsa Amini's death Repression is intensifying in Iran, warn human rights activists and MEPs. 24/09/2025
EU Decoded Can the EU overcome divergence over sanctions against Israel? The President of the European Commission proposed punitive measures against Israel for the first time, due to the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. However, Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged that approving sanctions will be difficult, given the divisions among EU member states. 23/09/2025
Europe News EU court annuls Council’s Pumpyanskiy sanctions decision again The EU Council listed the former Russian businessman on the basis of executive positions he no longer held at the time of the sanctions decision. The court says that's unjustified. 11/09/2025
Gaza Spain increases aid for Gaza and imposes arms embargo on Israel Spain's government has been an outspoken critic of the war in Gaza, which began after Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people in an incursion into southern Israel on 7 October 2023. 08/09/2025
Business Syria resumes oil exports after 14 years, with 600,000 barrels a day Before 2010, when the protests against Bashar al-Assad led to a civil war in the country, oil provided more than half of Syria's income. 02/09/2025
Europe News Loopholes in ship flagging system undermine sanctions on Russia As unchecked flagging of ships continues to enable global sanctions evasion, governance must be "radically improved," says a new report by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). 02/09/2025
Europe News Belgium to recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly Belgium joins the ranks of Australia, France, Canada and the UK, all who have pledged to recognise a Palestinian state at the UNGA next week in a bid to ramp up pressure on the Israeli government to end the war in Gaza and alleviate the ongoing humanitarian crisis. 02/09/2025
Iran IAEA Chief says Iran's cooperation with inspectors 'work in progress' The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog warned that the agency is not yet satisfied with Iran's cooperation with international inspectors, just as European leaders appeared poised to reimpose sanctions on Tehran after a series of last-minute meetings failed to reach a diplomatic resolution 28/08/2025
Taiwan Taiwan court sentences man for illegal fuel transfers to North Korea Illegal transfers at sea are one of the few ways North Korea, largely isolated from the international community, can obtain fuel because of strict United Nations sanctions against its nuclear weapons and missile programmes. 20/08/2025
Business EU urges China to drop sanctions on two Lithuanian banks The EU has demanded Beijing revoke "unjustified" sanctions on two Lithuanian banks in a dispute also rooted in long-standing tensions over Taiwan. 14/08/2025
Ukraine Zelenskyy proposes new round of peace talks with Russia The proposal comes as Russia continues to intensify its long-range attacks on Ukraine, often firing more drones in a single night than it did during some months in 2024. 20/07/2025
USA US issues sanctions against UN investigator probing abuses in Gaza The US State Department’s decision to impose sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza, comes after Washington's unsuccessful pressure and campaign to force the UN to remove her from her post. 10/07/2025