European News 🇪🇺

EU cuts Hungary out of sensitive talks over leaking-to-Russia fears, diplomats say

Hungarian foreign minister was accused of passing information from closed-door talks to Moscow.

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-hungary-leak-russia-peter-szijjarto/

Germany pushes new military cooperation deal with Japan

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is proposing a new agreement to make it easier for troops from both countries to operate on each other’s territory.

https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-pushes-new-military-cooperation-deal-with-japan/

Danes Think the Unthinkable at Landmark Election Shaped by Trump

Foreign and security policy has leapt up the list of voter concerns following the US president’s grab for Greenland, leading to a raft of about-turns on Europe, defense and energy.

(To bypass the paywall: https://archive.ph/8nWhV)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-22/trump-upends-denmark-s-election-as-voters-shift-on-energy-defense-eu

Trump affirms ‘total endorsement’ of Orbán ahead of Hungary election

U.S. Vice President JD Vance is reportedly due to visit Budapest in April in support of the Prime Minister Orbán.

https://www.politico.eu/article/trump-affirms-complete-and-total-endorsement-of-orban-amid-clash-with-eu/

European nations decry 'increasing settler terror' in West Bank

Since the start of March, six Palestinians have been shot dead in settler attacks in the West Bank, according to a tally of data from the Ramallah-based Health Ministry.

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/middle-east-crisis/article/2026/03/21/european-nations-decry-increasing-settler-terror-in-west-bank_6751672_368.html

European nations decry 'increasing settler terror' in West Bank

Since the start of March, six Palestinians have been shot dead in settler attacks in the West Bank, according to a tally of data from the Ramallah-based Health Ministry.

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/middle-east-crisis/article/2026/03/21/european-nations-decry-increasing-settler-terror-in-west-bank_6751672_368.html

US President Donald Trump said he trusts the Russian President more than the US’s European allies. He also emphasized that Putin is not afraid of Europe.

According to Trump, dealing with the Ukrainian president is more difficult for him than dealing with the Kremlin leader.

https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/trump-admits-that-he-trusts-putin-more-than-1774033282.html

To tilt Hungarian election, Russians proposed staging assassination attempt

To aid Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a friend of Russia, in his election, operatives proposed “the Gamechanger” — a staged assassination attempt to stir supporters.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/03/21/hungary-election-interference-russia-orban/

(To bypass the paywall: https://archive.ph/b1oDH)

Norway should join the EU, says opposition leader

Norwegians voted against joining the EU in 1994. Now it’s time to ask them again, said leader of country’s conservative opposition party.

https://www.politico.eu/article/norway-should-join-eu-says-opposition-leader/

Denmark was ready to blow up Greenland runways if US invaded

The Danish military sent explosives and blood supplies to Greenland in January as part of contingency planning for a US attack, as tensions with Donald Trump escalated over his push to take control of the Arctic island.

https://removepaywalls.com/https://www.ft.com/content/e0783399-613f-4432-87a3-262698f3f6ca

Viktor Orban’s pro-natalist policies are not working

Despite lavish spending on mothers, Hungary’s fertility rate is falling again

https://removepaywalls.com/5/https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/03/19/viktor-orbans-pro-natalist-policies-are-not-working

France, Germany agree to give next-gen fighter one last chance

The Future Combat Air System project has stalled because the French and German contractors don’t see eye to eye.

https://www.politico.eu/article/france-germany-agree-give-next-generation-fighter-fcas-one-last-chance/

"The EU is a superpower", Icelandic foreign minister says

As EU leaders gather in Brussels for a crucial European Council summit, Iceland’s foreign minister tells #EuropeToday: “The EU is a superpower — and should act like one.”

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wH3yr0RDD6M

Iceland wary of Brexit 'cautionary tale' ahead of EU referendum, says foreign minister

Iceland's foreign minister Þorgerður Katrín says now is the time to revive talks to join the EU. Within today's context of instability in transatlantic relations as well as in global politics in general, Iceland must not be left "alone".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEQ8FiKPKOk

Spain is a role model in weathering Iranian oil shocks

The country’s speedy rollout of renewables has put a lid on electricity bills

https://removepaywalls.com/https://www.ft.com/content/19f2ee15-dc86-4964-b23f-d644b18a70a1

Germany withdrew its support for Israel at the ICJ Gaza Genocide Case

This marks a shift from Germany's January 2024 stance, when it backed Israel in the case.

https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/europe/2026-03-19/ty-article/germany-u-turns-wont-intervene-on-israels-behalf-in-icj-gaza-genocide-case/0000019d-05c2-d65b-abfd-95deeaff0000

(https://archive.ph/P3UBr)

Sadiq Khan urges Labour to campaign on rejoining EU at next election

Mayor of London says returning to EU now more desirable because of economic instability caused by Donald Trump

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/18/sadiq-khan-urges-labour-to-campaign-on-rejoining-eu-at-next-election

People in Hungary are protesting Orbán's anti-Ukraine propaganda billboards by covering them in black plastic. The signs attached to them state, "This country needs peace, accountability, unity, and calm, not incitement, the squandering of wealth, agitation, and exploitation," while reminding the public that Hungary is a member of the European Union and NATO.

Spain announced a 1 billion euro ($1.2 billion) military aid package for Ukraine for 2026 on March 18, coinciding with President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the country.

https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-arrives-in-madrid-as-ukraine-spain-set-to-sign-defense-agreements/

Spain takes victory lap as EU coalesces around Sánchez’s anti-war position

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares says the bloc is finally standing up in defense of the rules-based order and against “a unilateral war that is not our own.”

https://www.politico.eu/article/spain-takes-victory-lap-as-rest-of-the-eu-coalesces-around-pedro-sanchez-anti-war-position/

‘48 hours and €100’: EU presents sped-up business registration law

The European Commission unveils new rules known as 'the 28th Regime' or 'EU Inc.' to make Europe more attractive for business and better able to compete globally with powers like China and the US.

http://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/03/18/48-hours-and-100-eu-presents-sped-up-business-registration-law

EU liberals pitch NATO-style trade pact with Canada, Japan and South Korea

Renew Europe group wants EU to find allies and stop U.S. and China from coercing trade partners.

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-liberals-pitch-nato-style-trade-pact-canada-japan-south-korea/

Don’t ‘blackmail’ us: Europe rejects Trump’s demand to help clean up Hormuz mess

“This is not Europe’s war,” EU tells Washington in bruising rebuke on Iran even as oil prices rise.

https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-donald-trump-strait-of-hormuz-war-iran/

Update on Trump's Hormuz coalition (Mon, March 16):

🇫🇷 France: REJECTED
🇬🇧 UK: REJECTED
🇮🇹 Italy: REJECTED
🇪🇸 Spain: REJECTED
🇯🇵 Japan: REJECTED
🇳🇴 Norway: REJECTED
🇨🇦 Canada: REJECTED
🇦🇺 Australia: REJECTED
🇩🇪 Germany: REJECTED
🇨🇳 China: NO RESPONSE
🇳🇱 Netherlands: NO RESPONSE
🇰🇷 South Korea: NO CONFIRMATION

Convicted hitman confessed to have committed bombings to help Fidesz win election in 1998

Jozef Roháč, a convicted hitman from Hungary's 1990s underworld, has confessed to carrying out a series of non-lethal bombings prior to the 1998 parliamentary elections. He claims he was instigated to detonate explosives at the properties of various right-wing politicians specifically to boost the electoral prospects of Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party.

https://english.atlatszo.hu/2026/03/12/convicted-hitman-confessed-to-have-committed-bombings-to-help-fidesz-win-election-in-1998/

EU states must provide proper ID for transgender citizens

The EU's top court on Thursday said the bloc's countries must provide trans citizens IDs reflecting their "lived gender." The case was referred to the ECJ by Bulgaria, which sought clarity on the issue.

https://www.dw.com/en/eu-states-must-provide-proper-id-for-transgender-citizens/a-76336447

Historic Chat Control Vote in the EU Parliament: MEPs Vote to End Untargeted Mass Scanning of Private Chats

In a sensational turn of events in the fight against Chat Control, a majority in the European Parliament voted today to end the untargeted mass scanning of private communications. In doing so, the Parliament firmly rejected the error-prone and unconstitutional surveillance practices of recent years.

https://www.patrick-breyer.de/en/historic-chat-control-vote-in-the-eu-parliament-meps-vote-to-end-untargeted-mass-scanning-of-private-chats/

There are now more tech workers going from the US to Europe than the other way around

There are now more tech workers going from the US to Europe than the other way around

Putin’s GRU-linked Election Fixers Are Already in Budapest to Help Orbán

Moscow has dispatched a team to Budapest to interfere in Hungary’s April 2026 parliamentary elections, VSquare has learned from multiple European national security sources. The operation, overseen by Putin confidant Sergei Kiriyenko, is designed to keep Viktor Orbán in power — and follows the same blueprint Russia used in Moldova.

https://vsquare.org/putins-gru-linked-election-fixers-are-already-in-budapest-to-help-orban/

Ukrainian FM claims Hungarian authorities have effectively "taken hostage" seven employees of Ukrainian state savings bank

According to the savings bank, the vehicles that were stopped contained US$40 million, €35 million, and 9 kg of gold.

https://telex.hu/english/2026/03/06/ukrainian-fm-claims-hungarian-authorities-have-effectively-taken-hostage-seven-employees-of-ukrainian-state-savings-bank

Macron expresses 'solidarity' with Spain after Trump's threat to sever trade

Donald Trump said that he would 'cut off all trade with Spain' because the country refused to allow US use of its bases to attack Iran. French President Emmanuel Macron told Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez he stood by him, his office said.

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2026/03/04/eu-says-ready-to-defend-interests-after-trump-threatens-spain_6751087_4.html

Media must stop normalizing the far right

Every uncritical mention of far-right rhetoric is an editorial decision with political consequences.

https://www.politico.eu/article/media-stop-normalize-far-right/

Orban’s Support Crumbles Weeks Ahead of Hungarian Elections

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s support crumbled less than seven weeks before a parliamentary election, a poll showed, raising the prospect of a landslide victory for an opposition that’s pledged to reverse the country’s slide toward authoritarianism.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-25/orban-s-poll-support-crumbles-as-hungary-opposition-widens-lead

US ambassador to France banned from meeting French government

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-ambassador-france-banned-meeting-french-government-2026-02-23/

Pentagon aggressively lobbies EU against Buy European weapons push

In previously unreported remarks, the U.S. administration warned Brussels that it will retaliate if Europeans “strong-arm American companies out of the market.”

https://www.politico.eu/article/washington-lobbies-eu-against-buy-european-push-for-weapons-donald-trump/

US sanctions turn International Criminal Court judge’s daily life into a nightmare

French ICC Judge Nicolas Guillou is living a nightmare after the US sanctioned him and other judges for issuing an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, once again exposing the risk of Europeans' reliance on American services.

http://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/02/18/us-sanctions-turn-international-criminal-court-judges-daily-life-into-a-nightmare

F-35 Software Could Be Jailbreaked Like An iPhone: Dutch Defense Minister

The F-35's vendor locked software is becoming a greater concern as relations between the U.S. and longtime allies falter.

https://www.twz.com/air/f-35-software-could-be-jailbreaked-like-an-iphone-dutch-defense-minister

Russian War Losses Now Exceed Recruitment, Western Officials Say

Russia sustained around 9,000 more battlefield losses in Ukraine than it was able to replace last month, according to assessments from Western officials, signaling progress for Ukraine’s ambition to inflict heavier damage on the front line.

(https://archive.ph/xhYG2)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-11/russian-war-losses-now-exceed-recruitment-western-officials-say

Far-right Alternative for Germany embroiled in nepotism scandal

AfD party officials used taxpayers’ money to hire family members, media investigation shows

(https://archive.ph/Ycj4z)

https://www.ft.com/content/0d63bb48-58aa-4a53-b029-114e6819cceb

EU now has its own 'secure and encrypted' satellite communication system, Kubilius says

Eight satellites from five different member states are currently being pooled as part of GOVSATCOM. The Commission hopes this is the first step towards less dependence on the US.

http://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/01/27/eu-now-has-its-own-secure-and-encrypted-satellite-communication-system-kubilius-says

Does Europe Finally Realize It’s Alone?

Washington’s new National Security Strategy ratifies an adversarial relationship.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/12/05/national-security-strategy-2025-trump-europe-russia-ukraine-war/

(https://archive.ph/023AI)