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State of the Union brings you up to date with the most important european affairs, politics, economic, financial and corporate events of the week.

European Union leaders debated how to boost investment in several sectors, including defense

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State of the Union: War economy and humanitarian aid

The economic impact of war and new sources of investment for defence were at the heart of the EU summit this week in Brussels.

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Farmers block the highway Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024 near Strasbourg; eastern France.

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State of the Union: Farmers' protests and the defence of democracy

Farmers' protests across Europe sparked a surge in popularity of right-wing populist parties and have made agricultural policy one of the main topics of the upcoming European election campaign.

26/01/2024

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen speaks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Davos

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State of the Union: How distant elections can affect Europe

In this edition of State of the Union, we focus on how elections in faraway places like Taiwan and the United States can affect Europe. We also take a look at the latest regarding support for Ukraine.

19/01/2024

Charles Michel's career plans have surprised official Brussels - to put it mildly

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State of the Union: The Council President who stunned Brussels

This week, EU Council President Charles Michel announced that he would resign to run for a seat in the European Parliament.

12/01/2024

Ylva Johansson, the European Commissioner for home affairs, said that under the New Pact no member state would be "left alone" to deal with irregular migration.

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No EU country will be 'left alone' to cope with migration: Johansson

The reform of the European Union's migration policy means that no country will be "left alone" to cope with irregular arrivals, says Ylva Johansson.

22/12/2023

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, left, waves as he arrives for a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Friday, Dec. 15, 2023.

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State of the Union: Hungary drama overshadows EU leaders' summit

Poland’s new prime minister Donald Tusk was sworn in this week as he pledged to respect the law and to obey the constitution, something the outgoing Law & Justice Party has been accused of not doing.

15/12/2023

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European & Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna participates in a discussion at the Warsaw Security Forum, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022.

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State of the Union: Brussels says Ukraine's EU talks should start

The recommendation came on Wednesday after months of deliberation.

10/11/2023

In this July 24, 2017 photo, archived versions of two Russian anti-terrorism websites on a computer screen are photographed, in Paris.

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State of the Union: Europe takes a summer break

The continent is mostly on vacation, even if the war in Ukraine rages on.

04/08/2023

A worker cleans the street after celebrations at the conservative Popular Party headquarters in Madrid, Spain, Monday, July 24, 2023.

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State of the Union: Spanish stalemate, Frontex scrutiny & heatwaves

With summer well under way around Europe, the sun has started to set on the political season at large. Yet, we still have Spain, after the country’s politics was paralysed following the results of snap parliamentary elections last weekend.

28/07/2023

Leaders from the EU, Latin America and the Caribbean gathered in Brussels this week for their first meeting in eight years.

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State of the Union: Grain deal ends as Latin America comes to Brussels

The long-term viability of the agreement between Kyiv and Moscow had been up in the air for some time now.

21/07/2023

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan waits for the start of a round table meeting of the North Atlantic Council during a NATO summit in Vilnius, Tuesday, July 11, 2023.

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State of the Union: Turkey drops Sweden NATO veto

Ankara had refused to endorse Stockholm as a candidate for the Western military alliance since last year.

14/07/2023

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Madrid on July 3, 2023.

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State of the Union: Madrid begins EU presidency & NATO summit nears

The annual meeting of allied leaders will take place in Vilnius next week.

07/07/2023

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the Wagner Group military company, right, sits inside a military vehicle posing for a selfie in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, Saturday, June 24, 2023.

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State of the Union: EU leaders digest mutiny in Russia

European leaders gathered in Brussels this week, just days after the short-lived rebellion by Wagner mercenaries.

30/06/2023

London's conference on reconstruction of Ukraine raised €60 billion in pledged loans.

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Brussels wants more funds, as Ukraine reconstruction pledges are made

Donors at a conference in London pledged billions towards rebuilding the war-torn country.

23/06/2023

People with pets are evacuated on a boat from a flooded neighbourhood in Kherson, Ukraine, Thursday, June 8, 2023.

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Polish judicial reforms struck down & major Ukraine dam bursts

The EU's top court ruled that Warsaws changes to its judiciary were incompatible with European law.

09/06/2023

Moldova's President Maia Sandu & European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Chisinau, Moldova, prior to the European Political Community Summit, May 31 2023

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State of the Union: EU lifeline for W Balkans as Kosovo tensions flare

Tensions flared between Kosovo and Serbia and there was a drone attack in Moscow. Here's a look at some of the big stories in Europe this week.

02/06/2023

A damaged armored military vehicle is seen after fighting in Russia's western Belgorod region on Tuesday, May 23, 2023.

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State of the Union: Russia attacked from inside & Meta hit with fine

Anti-Kremlin Russian fighters attacked Russia from within this week.

26/05/2023

Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz stands with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a reception at the chancellery in Berlin, May 14.

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State of the Union: Kyiv wants fighter jets, EU economy gets stronger

In a whirlwind tour of major European capitals, President Zelenskyy was trying to forge a “coalition of fighter jets” - something the West was so far unwilling to consider. Until now. This comes on the heels of Germany pledging an additional €2.7 billion of military aid.

19/05/2023

A truck is unloading grain in a grain silo in Izmail, Ukraine, April 26, 2023.

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State of the Union: The EU plans ramp up of weapon production

The EU is hoping that the €500 million it is putting on the table will unleash a wave of investments to boost the production of weapons in the bloc to support Ukraine and replenish domestic stocks.

05/05/2023

Wind turbines at Flakfortet near Copenhagen.

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State of the Union: Spain heatwave, offshore wind plans & pharma rules

Record breaking temperatures in some Spanish areas, as April sees new highs.

28/04/2023

A dump track unloads grain in a granary in the village of Zghurivka, Ukraine, Aug. 9, 2022.

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State of the Union: Ukraine grain deal fails as Russia garners support

Poland and Hungary are among five EU countries which complain that Ukranian grain is undercutting their own farmers and industries.

21/04/2023