Belgium

BRUSSELS (AP) — The leaders of the European Union’s two most important nations faced reporters together during a joint news conference early Friday, a show of unity at the end of the EU’s final summit of the year.

Then two words - “nuclear energy” - intervened.

Heading into the Christmas week, atomic power is a topic on which France and Germany broadly differ, and one that has become a big thorn in the side of the EU as the 27-nation bloc decides whether to include nuclear-generated energy among the economic activities that qualify for sustainable investment.

BRUSSELS, December 16. /TASS/: The European Union is preparing a full set of sanctions against Russia, which will be discussed at the EU summit on Thursday, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrel told reporters as he arrived at the meeting of leaders of 27 EU states in Brussels.

"I cannot tell it (which sanctions in particular - TASS), we are going to discuss it before we have an agreement, but we are preparing a full set of sanctions," he said.

Asked whether EU countries will be able to reach a consensus on the issue, Borrel said: "Yes, this time, yes."

BRUSSELS, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The European Union has imposed sanctions on Russian private military contractor Wagner Group, as well as on eight individuals and three other energy companies in Syria accused of helping finance the mercenaries in Ukraine, Libya, and Syria.

The EU accused the Wagner Group, whose members are mostly former service personnel, of human rights abuses and said they carried out clandestine operations on the Kremlin’s behalf.

BRUSSELS, Dec 16 (Reuters) - The European Union is under assault from Russia on multiple fronts and must unite behind new economic sanctions, Baltic and central European leaders said on Thursday, with Lithuania citing a risk of possible Russian military strikes from Belarus.

The warnings at an EU summit were some of the most direct in recent weeks as the United States and its NATO allies seek to deter any possible Russian attack on Ukraine and reduce Moscow's margin for surprise. Many NATO allies are also EU member states.

BRUSSELS/BANGKOK, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Tens of millions of migrants may be denied COVID-19 vaccines from a global programme because some major manufacturers are worried about legal risks from harmful side effects, according to officials and internal documents from Gavi, the charity operating the programme, reviewed by Reuters.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The head of the European Union’s executive commission warned Russia on Wednesday that the bloc has a battery of additional sanctions ready if Moscow decides to invade neighboring Ukraine.

On the eve of an EU summit on the issue, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that beyond scaling up and expanding existing sanctions, the EU can adopt “unprecedented measures with serious consequences for Russia.″

BRUSSELS (AP) — The head of the European Union’s executive branch said Wednesday that omicron is expected to be the dominant coronavirus variant in the 27-nation bloc by mid-January, amid concerns that a dramatic rise in infections will leave Europe shrouded in gloom during the holiday season.

BRUSSELS, December 13. /TASS/: The EU foreign ministers at a meeting in Brussels on Monday made a decision without a discussion to take sanctions against the private military company Wagner and Mali for undermining the process of democratic transition in that country, a diplomatic source in Brussels told TASS.

BRUSSELS, Dec 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A group of 15 European Union member states have agreed to take in 40,000 Afghans for resettlement, Commissioner Ylva Johansson said after meeting interior ministers of those countries.

Germany will accept the bulk of the new arrivals, with 25,000, with the Netherlands accepting 3,159, Spain and France 2,500 each, and other countries in lower numbers.

“And I think this is an impressive act of solidarity,” Johansson said, arguing that allowing more Afghans to migrate in a controlled way would help prevent “irregular arrivals”.

BRUSSELS, Dec 9 (Reuters) - A European Union summit with the bloc's eastern neighbours will confirm support for Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in their bid to move closer to the bloc but make no promise of future EU membership, according to a draft final statement.

In part overshadowed by the Belarus crisis, the EU summit on Dec. 15 will bring together Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, with Minsk likely to be represented with a Belarusian flag and an empty chair, diplomats said.