European Union

Mikati Seeking Lebanese Political Cover for EU Aid

Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri called for a parliamentary session on May 15 to discuss the one billion Euro donation made by the European Union (EU) to Lebanon. The donation aims to alleviate the burden of the significant presence of displaced Syrians in the country and, most importantly, to prevent migrant flows to Cyprus. Extending until ...

EU Provides $125mn for Yemen NGOs, to Bridge $2.3bn Shortfall

The EU on Tuesday announced $125 million for NGOs and UN agencies helping people in Yemen, a day after aid groups appealed for billions to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the country. The money is directed at the "most vulnerable in Yemen", the European Commission said after a Brussels meeting on Yemen bringing together donors, UN officials ...

Bassil Warns Against Syrians Replacing Lebanese

The leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), MP Gebran Bassil, lashed out at the European Union for offering Lebanon one billion euros in exchange for keeping displaced Syrians, describing the move as an “attempt to replace the Lebanese with Syrians.” At a press conference on Saturday, Bassil stressed that the financial aid offered by the ...

France Estimates 150,000 Russian Soldiers Were Killed in Ukraine War

France estimates that 150,000 Russian soldiers have been killed during Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné said in an interview published on Friday. Speaking to Russian independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta Europe, Séjourné said Paris estimated total Russian casualties, including the wounded, at 500,000 in the war, ...

Tens of Thousands Rally in Georgia against 'Foreign Influence' Bill

Tens of thousands of Georgians rallied on Wednesday against a controversial "foreign influence" bill after parliament pushed forward with legislation that Brussels warns could undermine Tbilisi's long-standing aspirations for European integration. Mass anti-government protests have gripped the Black Sea nation since April 9, when the ruling ...

EU to Allocate One Billion Euros to Lebanon Until 2027

Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, has announced a billion euros in financial support for Lebanon, extending until 2027, with the aim of “contributing to the social and economic stability of the country.” This announcement followed a meeting at the Governmental Palace with Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, ...

EU Countries Set to Recognize Palestinian Statehood

Several European Union member states are expected to recognize the Palestinian statehood by the end of May. The announcement was made by the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday, on the sidelines of a special meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh. Addressing the World Economic Forum stage in Riyadh, Josep Borrell reiterated ...

Saudi to Host Top Arab and EU Diplomats for Gaza Talks

Top Arab and European diplomats are expected to begin arriving in the Saudi capital this weekend for an economic summit and meetings on the war in Gaza, diplomatic officials said. The two-day World Economic Forum special meeting, scheduled to begin in Riyadh on Sunday, includes in its official program appearances by the Saudi, Jordanian, ...

New US and European Sanctions in the Loop

There is a lot of talk in the corridors of decision-making in Washington about new sanctions that the US Treasury may take, targeting Palestinian, Iranian, and Lebanese institutions and financial companies, as well as individuals, including Lebanese politicians and businessmen. According to political sources, the sanctions will be imposed on ...

Syrian Refugees: For the First Time, the EU Does not Link a Return to a Political Solution

For the first time in years, a European Union official has raised the possibility of a "safe, voluntary and dignified" return home for displaced Syrians who have settled in Lebanon since 2011 – when the war in that country started – without linking it to a political solution in Syria. The European policy regarding the return of Syrian refugees ...

Germany to Send New Frigate to Protect Ships in Red Sea

Germany said on Saturday that it will send a new frigate to the Red Sea in August to help secure maritime traffic, which has been disrupted for months due to attacks by Iran-backed Houthis. The 'Hamburg' will replace the 'Hessen', which left the zone on Saturday, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said. The 'Hessen' had been deployed in the area ...

EU Sanctions 'Extremist' Israeli Settlers

The European Union on Friday imposed sanctions on four "extremist" Israeli settlers and two groups over violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, Brussels said. The decision was the second part of an agreement among EU member states that saw Palestinian Islamists Hamas last week sanctioned over sexual violence during the October 7 attack on ...