This is Beirut - European Union

Macron and Starmer Seal Defense Pact 'Reboot' at UK Summit

This is Beirut, 09:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Emmanuel Macron United Kingdom European Union France

French President Emmanuel Macron wraps up a three-day state visit to Britain on Thursday with a summit aiming to "reboot" defense ties with a focus on joint missile development and nuclear co-operation. Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer are also expected to discuss maintaining support for Ukraine and curbing undocumented cross-Channel ...

EU Aims to Reach Trade Deal with US in 'Coming Days'

This is Beirut, 09/07 14:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

European Union United States Trade

The European Union wants to strike a deal with the United States "in the coming days" to avoid sweeping tariffs, a spokesman said Wednesday. If the EU does not clinch an agreement with the United States, higher tariffs will return and risk unleashing a bitter trade war. US President Donald Trump's sweeping levies were due to snap back into force ...

German Chancellor 'Cautiously Optimistic' on EU-US Tariff Deal

This is Beirut, 09/07 12:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

European Union USA Germany

Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Wednesday he was "cautiously optimistic" about the prospects of a deal between the European Union and the United States to avert increased tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump. "I am cautiously optimistic that we may succeed in reaching an agreement with the United States in the next few days or at ...

Bulgaria to Get Final Green Light to Adopt Euro in 2026

This is Beirut, 08/07 09:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

European Union Bulgaria Euro

EU ministers are set to give the final green light on Tuesday for Bulgaria to adopt the euro on January 1, 2026, when the country would become the single currency area's 21st member. The European Commission said last month that the EU's poorest country had fulfilled the strict conditions to adopt the euro, while the European Central Bank (ECB) ...

Where Do Trade Talks Stand in the Rush to Avert Higher US Tariffs?

This is Beirut, 07/07 09:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump European Union Trade Tariff

US President Donald Trump has said he will send letters to select trade partners facing tariff hikes as early as Monday, piling pressure on countries to strike a deal with Washington before a new August 1 deadline. The White House announced sharp levies on dozens of economies in April, citing a lack of "reciprocity" in trade relations, which were ...

Trump Says to Send First Tariff Letters on Monday

This is Beirut, 07/07 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump European Union USA Tariffs Letters

US President Donald Trump announced he would send the first tariff letters to various countries on Monday, days before his deadline for trading partners to reach a deal expires. Trump said on Sunday that he will send a first batch of up to 15 letters, warning that US levies on imports will snap back to the high levels he set in April if countries ...

EU, US to Hold Last-Ditch Trade Talks Through Weekend

This is Beirut, 04/07 20:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

European Union USA Donald Trump

EU and US negotiators will hold final stretch talks through the weekend as Brussels chases a deal before a July 9 deadline to avoid the return of steep tariffs, diplomats said on Friday. If the European Union does not clinch an agreement with the United States by Wednesday next week, higher levies will snap back in and unleash economic pain on ...

Macron Wants EU-US Trade Deal 'As Soon As Possible'

This is Beirut, 03/07 20:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Emmanuel Macron European Union USA Donald Trump Europe

France's President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that he wanted an EU-US trade deal "as soon as possible, with the lowest tariffs possible", with a Washington-set deadline looming to reach an accord. "The right deal for me is the deal that is struck as soon as possible, with the lowest tariffs possible, and that must be fair and firm," Macron ...

Fate of Major Trade Deal with EU Hangs Over Mercosur Summit

This is Beirut, 03/07 10:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

European Union Mercosur Buenos Aires Lula Milei

The fate of a landmark trade deal with the European Union, which France is trying to block, loomed over a gathering of South America's Mercosur bloc which began Wednesday in Buenos Aires. Brussels in December struck a deal with Mercosur's founding members -- Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay -- to create a free trade zone of around 700 ...

China, EU Should not 'Seek Confrontation': FM Wang

This is Beirut, 03/07 09:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

European Union China Wang yi

China's top diplomat warned his EU counterpart against "confrontation", his foreign ministry said Thursday, after she urged Beijing to stop undermining Europe's security. Meeting Kaja Kallas in Brussels on Wednesday, Wang Yi said China and the European Union "should not be regarded as opponents because of differences, nor should they seek ...

European Security Tops Denmark's EU Presidency Priorities

This is Beirut, 01/07 09:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

European Union Europe Denmark Mette Frederiksen

Pushing countries to keep vows to boost defense spending and bolstering Europe's "dangerous" security will top Denmark's agenda as it takes over the European Union's rotating presidency on Tuesday, according to Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Denmark is among European nations put on edge by Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and who have already ...

Armenia Tilts Toward EU as Russia Warns Against Breaking Alliances

This is Beirut, 30/06 15:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Armenia European Union Kaja Kallas Russia

The EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas urged Armenia to protect its democratic values amid "hybrid threats" from Russia on a visit to Yerevan on Monday. Ties between Armenia and its traditional ally Russia have been strained since Azerbaijan's 2023 offensive on Nagorno-Karabakh, in which Moscow did not intervene. Russia has for years been the main ...

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