Europe Day marks 1 month till EU elections. Rise of hard right, wilting of Green Deal are possible

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union marks its annual Europe Day on Thursday, but instead of the humdrum celebrations, all eyes are on the EU elections in a month's time, which portend a steep rise of the extreme right and a possible move away from the bloc's global trendsetting climate policies. ...

Kosovo prime minister deplores new condition ahead of Council of Europe's membership vote next week

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Kosovo’s prime minister Wednesday deplored the fact that some Western powers reportedly have set another condition ahead of Kosovo's joining the Council of Europe. Kosovo media reported that France and Germany want Kosovo to take a significant step toward...

Police search Brussels office of prominent far-right German lawmaker over China spying allegations

BERLIN (AP) — Authorities were searching the European Parliament office of a prominent German far-right lawmaker in Brussels on Tuesday, Germany’s top prosecutor’s office said. Maximilian Krah, the Alternative for Germany party’s top candidate in the upcoming European...

German foreign minister says Russia will face consequences for monthslong cyber espionage

BRUSSELS (AP) — Germany on Friday accused Russian military agents of hacking the top echelons of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party and other sensitive government and industrial targets, and was joined by NATO and fellow European countries in warning that Russia’s cyberespionage would have...

Belgian and Czech leaders exhort the EU to react amid concern over Russian election interference

BRUSSELS (AP) — The leaders of Belgium and the Czech Republic are warning their European Union partners to take urgent action to prevent Russian interference in June’s Europe-wide elections, after the two countries’ intelligence services uncovered evidence of attempts to bribe EU lawmakers. ...

EU leaders vow to impose tougher sanctions against Iran as Ukraine's president pleads for support

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders vowed on Wednesday to ramp up sanctions against Iran as concern grows that Tehran's unprecedented attack on Israel could fuel a wider war in the Middle East. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used the summit to remind the leaders that his country still...

Hungary's leader calls for change at the top in June European elections at a far right gathering

BRUSSELS (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Wednesday urged voters to reject mainstream political parties in upcoming European Union elections for their failure of leadership and said Ukraine must never be allowed to join the bloc or NATO. Orbán, the keynote speaker...

Belgian police shut down a far-right conference as it rallies ahead of Europe's June elections

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgian police shut down a gathering of far-right politicians and supporters on Tuesday, citing concerns about public order, while attendees protested curbs on free speech and vowed to find another venue for the second day of their meeting. The annual National...

Belgium launches probe into suspected Russian interference in upcoming EU elections

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced on Friday an investigation into suspected Russian interference in June's Europe-wide elections, saying that his country’s intelligence service has confirmed the existence of a network trying to undermine support for Ukraine. ...

Belgian prime minister announces probe into suspected Russian election interference to undermine EU support for Ukraine