Belgium

BRUSSELS (AP) — Senior members of the European Union’s executive branch traveled to Ukraine on Thursday looking to boost relations with the war-torn country and pave the way for it to one day join the bloc, but concerns over corruption and democratic deficiencies remain.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen led a team of 15 policy commissioners who were to spend the day discussing Ukraine’s financial, business and energy needs, and how to bring the former Soviet state’s legislation into line with EU standards.

25 Jan 2023; MEMO: Accusing Israel of committing the crime of apartheid is anti-Semitic, the European Union has said.

23 Jan 2023; MEMO: The European Union is going to hold a big summit in Istanbul on 22 February, on the occasion of the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the head of the EU delegation in Turkiye, Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut said, Turkish local media reports.

According to the report, he said that a Ukrainian government official would be invited, while a Turkish representative would also be present at the summit, which will deal with the geopolitical and economic consequences of the war.

24 Jan 2023; MEMO: The Irish foreign minister demanded on Monday that the Israeli authorities should pay compensation for their systematic destruction of buildings funded by the European Union in occupied Palestine.

BRUSSELS, January 20. /TASS/: The European Union does not have any evidence that Iran is allegedly supplying ballistic missiles to Russia, a high-ranking EU official told reporters in Brussels on Friday.

"No, we have no proof that Iran is delivering ballistic missiles to Russia," he said replying to a question on the matter.

That said, he stressed that the EU does have evidence that Iran supplied drones to Russia.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The new executive director of European Union border agency Frontex pledged Thursday to ensure that illegal pushbacks of migrants trying to reach Europe wouldn’t take place under his watch.

Hans Leijtens was appointed as a replacement for Fabrice Leggeri, who resigned last year following media allegations that the agency was involved in that practice. A report by EU anti-fraud watchdog OLAF into Frontex later concluded that employees from the agency were involved in covering up pushbacks of migrants from Greece to Turkey.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union pushed forward on Tuesday with a major clean tech industrial plan which not only should keep the continent in the vanguard of plotting a greener future but also guarantee its economic survival as it faces challenges from China and the United States.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The U.S. military’s new, expanded combat training of Ukrainian forces began in Germany on Sunday, with a goal of getting a battalion of about 500 troops back on the battlefield to fight the Russians in the next five to eight weeks, said Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Milley, who plans to visit the Grafenwoehr training area on Monday to get a first-hand look at the program, said the troops being trained left Ukraine a few days ago. In Germany is a full set of weapons and equipment for them to use.

12 Jan 2023; MEMO: The European Union yesterday reaffirmed its opposition to Israeli settlements and demolitions of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank, a statement said.

The EU's Crisis Management Commissioner, Janiz Lenarcic, said that the body constantly reiterates its strong opposition to the Israeli settlement policy and the illegal measures taken in this context.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Senior European Union lawmakers agreed Thursday to press ahead with a major overhaul of the rules governing access to the European Parliament and the way it deals with lobbyists in response to a massive corruption scandal, the assembly’s president said.

Parliament President Roberta Metsola’s plans would prevent former lawmakers from lobbying on behalf of businesses or governments soon after they leave office and would make publicly available the names of current members who break assembly rules.