Shock, anger, betrayal: Inside the Qatargate-hit Socialist group

Shock, anger, betrayal: Inside the Qatargate-hit Socialist group

[ad_1] Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. BRUSSELS — The European Parliament’s Socialists are warily eyeing their colleagues and assistants, wondering which putative ally might turn out to be a liar as new details emerge in a growing cash-for-favors scandal. Long-simmering geographic divisions within the group, Parliament’s second largest, are … Read more

Baltics and Poland push to make sanctioning oligarchs’ associates easier

Baltics and Poland push to make sanctioning oligarchs’ associates easier

[ad_1] The Baltic states and Poland want to make it easier to sanction the family members and entourage of Russia’s richest men and women but are facing resistance from Hungary, several EU diplomats told POLITICO. Under its current rules, the EU can freeze the assets and impose visa bans on “leading businesspersons operating in Russia.” … Read more

On eve of war anniversary, EU fails to finalize Russia sanctions deal

On eve of war anniversary, EU fails to finalize Russia sanctions deal

[ad_1] The EU has failed to sign off on a much-anticipated round of sanctions against Russia, leaving the bloc struggling to finalize a deal in time to mark the first anniversary on Friday of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Talks will now run into Ukraine’s official commemorations of its first year at war, casting into … Read more

Inside the deal: How Boris Johnson’s departure paved the way for a grand Brexit bargain

Inside the deal: How Boris Johnson’s departure paved the way for a grand Brexit bargain

[ad_1] Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. LONDON — It was clear when Boris Johnson was forced from Downing Street that British politics had changed forever. But few could have predicted that less than six months later, all angry talk of a cross-Channel trade war would be a distant memory, … Read more

Negotiations ongoing for Blinken meeting with Chinese official in Munich

Negotiations ongoing for Blinken meeting with Chinese official in Munich

[ad_1] Another Washington, D.C.-based diplomat with knowledge of the talks said Blinken had requested a meeting but “had no response from China” as he boarded his flight for Munich on Thursday. Bloomberg first reported on Monday that Blinken was considering meeting with Wang at the conference, which opened Friday and continues through Sunday. But there … Read more

Netherlands orders expulsion of Russian diplomats

Netherlands orders expulsion of Russian diplomats

[ad_1] The Dutch government on Saturday ordered the expulsion of several Russian diplomats over Russia’s “continued attempts to place intelligence officers into the Netherlands under diplomatic cover.” The Netherlands also said it will close its consulate general in St. Petersburg on Monday and the Russian trade office in Amsterdam by Tuesday. The moves are the … Read more

Rishi Sunak is haunted by ghosts of prime ministers past

Rishi Sunak is haunted by ghosts of prime ministers past

[ad_1] LONDON — “Back to her old self again” was how one erstwhile colleague described Liz Truss, who made her return to the U.K.’s front pages at the weekend.  That’s exactly what Rishi Sunak and his allies were afraid of.  Truss, who spent 49 turbulent days in No. 10 Downing Street last year, is back. … Read more

Can Putin win?

Can Putin win?

[ad_1] “I am wicked and scary with claws and teeth,” Vladimir Putin reportedly warned David Cameron when the then-British prime minister pressed him about the use of chemical weapons by Russia’s ally in Syria, Bashar al-Assad, and discussed how far Russia was prepared to go. According to Cameron’s top foreign policy adviser John Casson — cited … Read more

Ukraine to get cold shoulder on rapid EU entry

Ukraine to get cold shoulder on rapid EU entry

[ad_1] Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. Top EU leaders are traveling to Ukraine this week, but they won’t be bringing promises that the war-torn country can join the bloc anytime soon. Brussels is expected to pour cold water on Ukraine’s hopes that it could swiftly join the EU during … Read more

US lawmakers press to remove oil boss from leading COP28 climate talks

US lawmakers press to remove oil boss from leading COP28 climate talks

[ad_1] A group of U.S. lawmakers wants the Biden administration to ask the United Arab Emirates to remove the oil company chief the country chose to lead the next U.N. climate talks — or at a minimum “seek assurances” that the UAE will promote an ambitious COP28 summit. In a letter to Special Presidential Climate Envoy … Read more