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Tag: European Union

  • Billionaire Usmanov’s Lawyers Say German Probe Into Alleged Foreign Trade Law Violation Closed

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    MOSCOW, Dec 30 (Reuters) – A probe by ‌German ​prosecutors into alleged foreign ‌trade law violations by EU-sanctioned Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov ​is closed, his lawyers in Germany said in a statement on Tuesday.

    The ‍investigation looked into an ​alleged payment of 1.5 million euros ($1.8 million) for security at ​two homes ⁠in the Bavarian lakeside community of Rottach-Egern between April and September 2022.

    Prosecutors also claimed that Usmanov failed to declare jewellery, paintings and wines to Germany’s export control office, BAFA, in accordance with European Union ‌sanctions rules. Usmanov has denied any wrongdoing.

    Usmanov, who has a net ​worth ‌of $18.8 billion according to ‍the ⁠Bloomberg Billionaires Index, is subject to EU and U.S. sanctions and a travel ban, which were imposed after the start of the war in Ukraine.

    Usmanov’s lawyers said he had no links to the companies involved in the alleged payments nor did he own or control the properties in question, ​adding that the EU sanctions were not directly applicable to the probe. Prosecutors were expected to release a statement on the matter later on Tuesday.

    His lawyers said it was agreed to close the case to save time and resources. They added that their statement had been coordinated with the prosecutors.

    They said Usmanov had agreed to pay 10 million euros split between the German state budget and German charity groups as ​part of an arrangement to close the probe. They said that the payment was neither a fine nor a form of punishment.

    In November 2024, German prosecutors dropped a money laundering investigation ​against Usmanov on similar terms.

    (Reporting by Gleb Bryanski; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Putin Amends Law to Let Russia Ignore Foreign Criminal Courts

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    MOSCOW, Dec 29 (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin ‌on ​Monday signed into law changes ‌that give Russia the right to ignore judgements ​in criminal cases issued by foreign and international courts amid Ukrainian and European ‍attempts to punish Moscow for ​its actions in Ukraine.

    The move, which comes as U.S. President ​Donald Trump ⁠is trying to broker a peace deal in Ukraine, appears to be a response to several initiatives to go after Russian officials and military officers for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, something Moscow denies its forces ‌are guilty of.

    Ukraine and the Council of Europe human rights body ​signed ‌an agreement in June ‍forming the ⁠basis for a special tribunal, and Europe this month launched an International Claims Commission for Ukraine in an effort to ensure Kyiv is compensated for hundreds of billions of dollars in damage from Russian attacks and alleged war crimes.

    The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has also issued arrest warrants ​for Putin and five other Russians, accusing them of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine.

    The Kremlin, which called the ICC move outrageous, says the allegation is false and that Moscow has only acted to remove children from a conflict zone for their own safety.

    Under the changes to Russian law backed by Putin on Monday, Moscow will formally have the right under its own domestic legislation to disregard rulings in criminal cases taken by ​foreign courts on behalf of foreign governments without Russia’s participation.

    Rulings issued by international legal bodies whose authority is not based on an international agreement with Russia or a U.N. Security Council resolution ​can also be ignored under the changes.

    (Reporting by ReutersWriting by Andrew OsbornEditing by Andrew Heavens)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Russia Opposes Taiwan Independence in Any Form, FM Lavrov Says

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    Dec 28 (Reuters) – ‌Russia ​opposes ‌Taiwan’s independence in ​any ‍form and considers ​the ​island ⁠an inseparable part of China, Russia’s Foreign ‌Minister Sergei Lavrov ​said in ‌remarks ‍published on ⁠Sunday.

    In an interview with Russia’s TASS state ​news agency, Lavrov also urged Japan to “think carefully” about what he described as a course towards ​militarisation”.

    (Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; ​Editing by William Mallard)

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  • Zelenskiy Says ‘A Lot’ Can Be Decided Before New Year Ahead of Trump Meeting

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    KYIV, Dec 26 (Reuters) – Ukraine’s President ‌Volodymyr ​Zelenskiy said on Friday ‌he planned to meet with U.S. President ​Donald Trump soon and that a lot could be decided before ‍the New Year as ​Washington pushes diplomatic efforts to end the war ​with Russia.

    Zelenskiy ⁠has said that sensitive issues, including any compromises on territory, should be discussed at the level of heads of state, and Kyiv has been seeking a face-to-face meeting with ‌Trump.

    “We have agreed on a meeting at the highest level – ​with ‌President Trump in the ‍near ⁠future. A lot can be decided before the New Year,” he said on X following the latest round of talks between Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators.

    Zelenskiy held talks on Thursday with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

    He ​said that some documents, part of a wider framework aimed at ending the conflict and ensuring Ukraine’s reconstruction, were “nearly ready” while others were “fully prepared”.

    Earlier this week, Zelenskiy unveiled a 20-point draft peace plan that he described as the main framework for ending the war.

    While the plan outlined Ukraine receiving security guarantees to prevent further Russian aggression, there was no compromise between ​Ukraine and the U.S. on the issues of territory, which Moscow is demanding Kyiv cede.

    Control over the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant also remained the matter ​of further discussion.

    (Reporting by Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Joe Bavier)

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  • French Government Calls for Christmas Truce in Farmer Protests

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    PARIS, Dec 19 (Reuters) – The French government on ‌Friday ​called for a Christmas truce ‌with protesting farmers, warning against further blockades during the ​holiday season, a move the country’s main union said depended on the prime minister’s response ‍to their demands.

    Farmers have been ​blocking roads, dumping manure and holding demonstrations in France for over a ​week to ⁠protest against the government’s management of cattle lumpy skin disease and a trade deal with the South American bloc Mercosur.

    Farmers gathered with tractors early on Friday in front of President Emmanuel Macron’s residence in the seaside resort of Le ‌Touquet in northern France, placing a coffin labelled “RIP Agri” and “NO Mercosur”.

    Meanwhile, in the ​southern ‌town of Avignon,  farmers ‍threw potatoes ⁠at public buildings.

    Protesters argue that the government’s policy of culling an entire herd when lumpy skin disease is detected is excessive and cruel. They also claim the EU-Mercosur deal whose signing has been postponed to January would allow massive imports of products not meeting French standards.

    Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is holding meetings with the main farm unions. ​The head of the FNSEA, the country’s largest, said Lecornu committed to sending a letter by evening with answers to a range of agricultural issues.

    “This letter will be decisive,” FNSEA Chairman Arnaud Rousseau told reporters, adding that the union would then make a decision on whether to suspend the protests. 

    Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said on RTL radio that the government would no longer tolerate further blockades and would do “everything necessary” to avoid them.

    Young Farmers union President Pierrick Horel said it would observe ​a Christmas truce.    

    However, it was still unclear if unions Coordination rurale and the Confederation Paysanne, which have led the blockades, would call off protests.

    Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard was due to travel to a farm near ​Paris later in the day.

    (Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide and Gus Trompiz; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Russian President Putin’s Remarks at End-Of-Year Press Conference

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    MOSCOW, Dec 19 (Reuters) – ‌Russian ​President Vladimir ‌Putin held his annual ​end-of-year press conference on Friday.

    Below ‍are some of his ​comments. He spoke ​in ⁠Russian and his words were translated by Reuters.

    “So far, we don’t really see ‌such readiness (form Ukraine for peace ​talks)… But ‌still we ‍see … certain ⁠signals, including from the Kyiv regime, that they are ready to engage in some kind of dialogue. The only ​thing I want to say is that we have always said this: we are ready and willing to end this conflict peacefully, based on the principles I outlined … at the Russian Ministry of ​Foreign Affairs, and by addressing the root causes that led to this crisis.”

    (Compiled ​by Felix Light, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

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  • France’s Macron Says He Hopes EU Will Pass Mercosur Clauses During Delay

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    PARIS, Dec ‌19 (Reuters) – ​French President ‌Emmanuel Macron said on ​Friday it was ‍too early to ​say ​whether ⁠a one-month delay to decide on an EU trade deal with South America’s ‌Mercosur bloc will be ​enough to ‌meet the ‍conditions set ⁠by France, but that he hoped so.

    Macron, who has pushed for stronger guarantees ​to protect farmers, said he hoped the EU and Mercosur nations will approve in January measures to ensure South American imports meet the same requirements ​than European ones.

    That would make the pact a “new” Mercosur-EU deal, ​he said.

    (Reporting by Michel Rose)

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  • EU Leaders Set to Agree on Loan to Ukraine Backed by EU Budget – Draft Text

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    BRUSSELS, Dec 19 (Reuters) – ‌European ​Union leaders ‌could agree to ​borrow on the market, against ‍the security of ​the EU ​budget, ⁠to keep Ukraine financed in 2026 and 2027, a draft text of the ‌leaders’ conclusions seen by Reuters ​showed on ‌Friday.

    But the ‍leaders still ⁠want their governments and the European Parliament to continue working on setting up financing for ​Ukraine based on frozen Russian assets, the draft text said.

    The joint borrowing against the EU budget would be with the exclusion of Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, said ​the draft, which has yet to be approved by the leaders.

    (Reporting ​by Lili Bayer and Andrew Gray)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • EU Leaders Think It Is Fair to Use Russian Assets for Ukraine, Polish PM Says

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    WARSAW, Dec ‌18 (Reuters) – ​European Union ‌leaders agree that ​it would be ‍fair to use ​Russian ​assets ⁠to finance Ukraine, but there are many technical points that need to ‌be ironed out, Polish ​Prime Minister ‌Donald ‍Tusk said ⁠on Thursday.

    “We have definitely made a breakthrough, everyone agrees that it is ​worth negotiating and it would be fair to use Russian assets, but some countries will fight until the end to maximize their guarantees,” he ​told reporters in Brussels.

    (Reporting by Alan Charlish and Pawel ​Florkiewicz, writing by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk)

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  • Russian Ban on Roblox Stirs Debate About Limits of Censorship

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    MOSCOW, Dec 18 (Reuters) – A Russian ban on U.S. gaming platform Roblox has ‌fuelled ​debate among some children and parents about censorship and ‌the utility of bans in a world where children can bypass limits with a few clicks.

    Russia’s communications watchdog Roskomnadzor ​said on December 3 it had blocked access to Roblox because it was “rife with inappropriate content”, spread extremist and LGBT propaganda and was popular with paedophiles.

    In wartime Russia, censorship is ‍extensive and Moscow blocks or restricts social media ​platforms such as Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and YouTube while presenting its own narrative through social media and Russian media.

    But the ban on Roblox has hit a nerve, ​leading to a small ⁠rally in the Siberian city of Tomsk at which protesters held banners reading “Hands off Roblox” and “Roblox is the victim of the digital Iron Curtain”.

    A Roblox spokesperson said in an emailed comment to Reuters that the company was ready “to temporarily limit communication features in Russia and to revise our content moderation processes to address the legal requirements necessary to restore our community’s access to the platform.”

    “Roblox intends to continue dialogue with Roskomnadzor as access to the platform is restored, including ‌discussions around additional compliance measures that may be considered over time,” the spokesperson said.

    Roblox says on its website that it provides “rigorous built-in protections to ​help ‌keep users safe” and seeks to “create a ‍secure, age-appropriate environment for every ⁠user.”

    ‘A WINDOW ON A WORLD OF GAMES’

    Russian officials, at odds with the West over the war in Ukraine, say censorship is needed to defend against a Western “information war” and what they cast as decadent Western culture that undermines “traditional” Russian values.

    For many young Russians, Roblox was a window onto a vast world of games and potential friends around the globe. The Kremlin, without providing details, says it has received correspondence about the Roblox ban from many young people.

    “I don’t consider it’s worth blocking Roblox,” 14-year-old Polina Gerina told Reuters in Moscow. “It was so much fun.”

    Her sisters, 11-year-old Darya and seven-year-old Yekaterina, also said they played on the Roblox platform.

    “I think children will still find a way around,” Darya Gerina ​said. “There have been blocks on other apps, and we have found a way around to use them, so I think children will find a way around and continue playing.”

    Many Russians use VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) to get around digital censorship. Hundreds of VPNs have been banned this year but new ones appear, prompting some young Russians to ask why authorities ban apps or sites that can be easily accessed, and why there are few Russian alternatives to them.

    CONCERNS OVER ‘CIRCUMVENTION OF BLOCKAGES’

    Some proponents of tough limits on what can be accessed by children also have concerns about both the security of VPNs and the impact of widespread circumvention of state rules.

    “How many children have downloaded a three-letter app (geocoding system) in the last few days after the game was banned?” asked Yekaterina Mizulina, director of the Safe Internet League censorship organisation.

    Mizulina, who has had sanctions imposed on her by the European Union for enforcing Russian censorship, said some young people wanted to leave Russia because of the Roblox ban.

    She said “the mass ​circumvention of blockages also forms a generally dismissive attitude towards government decisions.”

    Maria Gerina, whose three daughters played on the Roblox platform, said she did not back a ban but would like assurances over the monitoring of apps for inappropriate content and contacts, and that there should be alternatives.

    “If it will be controlled somehow and people will follow what is going on specially, then I would feel calmer as a mother when my ​children are playing,” she said.

    “But I do not think a full ban will resolve the problem – if there is no Roblox, then there will be something else.”

    (Writing by Guy Faulconbridge, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • EU Must Reform or Risk Irrelevance, Blair and Dimon Say

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    LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – The European Union must reform or ‌risk ​becoming irrelevant as the rivalry between China ‌and the U.S. sparks a new era without precedent, posing challenges on security, energy, technology ​and trade, a report led by Tony Blair and Jamie Dimon says.

    Based on conversations with government, business and civil leaders, the report sets ‍out how a convergence of structural shifts ​is reshaping nations, markets and institutions, threatening those countries and groupings that once relied on the U.S. for security while growing ​trade ties with ⁠China.

    Blair, British prime minister from 1997 to 2007, and Dimon, the head of JPMorgan Chase, said Europe needed to integrate further to prioritise defence and economic growth.

    “If it cannot stand on its own against Russia, it will be even less able to manage systemic competition with the U.S. or China,” their report said. “Reform is not optional; it is required to remain ‌relevant.”

    EU HAS SAID IT MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OWN SECURITY

    The blunt summary comes as the EU hosts a summit ​to discuss ‌funding for Ukraine and how ‍it can respond to ⁠the “changed landscape for rules-based economic relations”, and as U.S. President Donald Trump heaps pressure on the bloc, including with a new National Security Strategy.

    The head of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has said that Europe must reform and be responsible for its own security. Supporters of the bloc would note that while Europe’s share of global GDP is declining, the U.S. is on the same path.

    The report also set out the challenge posed to middle powers such as India and the Gulf states from the new dynamic, as part ​of a broad overview of how geopolitics, artificial intelligence and political populism were upending the world order.

    NEW WORLD ORDER IS LIKE A 3D CHESS BOARD

    Alexander George, an author of the “World Rewired: Navigating a Multi-Speed, Multipolar Order” report, said people had previously been able to look to moments in history for guidance.

    “We’re really living in a new world which has never actually existed before,” he said. “It’s like this 3D chess board.”

    The report said the U.S. retained enduring power but faced its greatest threats at home where political volatility makes it harder to tackle high debt, while China’s trajectory will hinge on whether it can maintain growth despite demographic and debt constraints.

    On middle powers it said the steep U.S. tariffs on India in retaliation for its purchase of Russian oil showed the ​limitations to a multi-alignment approach, while the UAE’s move to strengthen U.S. technology ties showed that countries were having to choose between the U.S. and China on tech.

    The report was produced by Dimon’s JPMorgan Chase, which has launched a $1.5 trillion, decade-long plan to support industries deemed vital to U.S. economic security and resilience, and the Tony ​Blair Institute for Global Change.

    Blair is the chair of JPMorgan’s international council which advises the firm on strategy and geopolitics.

    (Reporting by Kate HoltonEditing by Alexandra Hudson)

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  • Europe Must Be Responsible for Its Own Security, EU’s Von Der Leyen Says

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    BRUSSELS, Dec ‌17 (Reuters) – ​Europe must ‌be responsible for ​its own security, ‍European Union Commission ​President ​Ursula ⁠von der Leyen said on Wednesday.

    “This is no longer an option. It ‌is a must,” she ​told the ‌European ‍Parliament in ⁠Strasbourg.

    She added that Europe “cannot afford to let others define its worldview,” adding ​that while the U.S. national security strategy is right to say that Europe’s share of global GDP is declining, the United States is on “the ​same path.”

    (Reporting by Lili Bayer, Writing by Louise Rasmussen, ​editing by Charlotte Van Campenhout)

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  • Kremlin Says Christmas Ceasefire Proposed by Ukraine Depends on Reaching Peace Deal

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    MOSCOW, Dec 16 (Reuters) – The ‌Kremlin ​said on Tuesday ‌that a Christmas truce that Ukraine has ​proposed would depend on whether a peace deal ‍is reached or not.

    Ukrainian ​President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on ​Monday that ⁠Kyiv supported the idea of a ceasefire, in particular for strikes on energy infrastructure, during the Christmas period.

    Asked about the idea, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry ‌Peskov said: “The question now is whether we, as ​President (Donald) ‌Trump says, will ‍reach ⁠a deal or not.”

    Peskov said Russia was unlikely to participate in such a ceasefire if Ukraine was focused on “short-term, unviable solutions” rather than a lasting settlement.

    “We want peace. We don’t want a truce ​to give Ukraine a breathing space and prepare for a continuation of the war,” Peskov told reporters.

    “We want to stop this war, achieve our goals, secure our interests, and guarantee peace in Europe for the future. That’s what we want.”

    Peskov said Moscow had not yet seen details of proposals ​on NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine that U.S. and European officials said Washington has offered to provide.

    (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing ​by Gleb Stolyarov and Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Gleb Bryanski)

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  • Romania’s Government Survives No-Confidence Vote Over Judicial Pensions

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    BUCHAREST, Dec 15 (Reuters) – Romania’s broad coalition government ‌survived ​a no-confidence vote on ‌Monday over a second attempt to raise the retirement age ​for judges and prosecutors and cap their pensions, but the top court could still ‍strike down the bill later ​this month.

    The Constitutional Court rejected an earlier version of the bill in ​October.

    A ⁠second failure could weaken the fragile four-party coalition, which took office six months ago and wants to reform judicial pensions to meet conditions for accessing European Union recovery and resilience funds.

    COALITION STRUGGLES TO AGREE CUTS

    The government plans to gradually ‌raise the retirement age for judges and prosecutors to 65 from about ​50 over ‌15 years and cap ‍pensions ⁠at 70% of final salary. Judicial pensions can reach 5,000 euros ($5,830) per month, compared with an average Romanian pension of around 600 euros.

    The court, which has a history of blocking pension cuts, will rule on the latest challenge on December 28.

    The coalition has now survived six no-confidence votes since taking power, mostly over tax hikes and ​spending cuts aimed at reducing the EU’s largest budget deficit and preserving Romania’s investment-grade rating.

    But with the 2026 budget plan delayed until end-January, the ruling parties are struggling to agree further cuts.

    The leftist Social Democrats, the largest party and key to maintaining a pro-European majority, have threatened to quit unless Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan agrees to raise the minimum wage next year.

    They have also demanded the dismissal of Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu over a water supply shortage earlier this ​month. Buzoianu, from the junior centre-right Save Romania Union, is reforming the ministry’s forestry and water agencies, long seen as politicised.

    The no-confidence motion over judicial pension reform comes amid street protests after hundreds of judges ​and prosecutors alleged systemic abuses in the justice system.

    (Reporting by Luiza Ilie. Editing by Mark Potter)

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  • Germany summons Russian ambassador over alleged sabotage, cyberattacks and election interference

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    BERLIN (AP) — Germany summoned Russia’s ambassador Friday following accusations of sabotage, cyberattacks and election interference, an official said.

    The German government has also accused Moscow of perpetrating disinformation campaigns.

    “The goal of these Russian cyber and disinformation attacks is clear: It is to divide society, stir up mistrust, provoke rejection, and weaken confidence in democratic institutions,” German foreign ministry spokesperson Martin Giese said.

    “This targeted manipulation of information is one of a wide range of activities by Russia aimed at undermining confidence in democratic institutions and processes in Germany,” he said during a government news conference.

    German officials have previously accused Russia of hybrid warfare attacks to destabilize Europe. Moscow didn’t immediately return a request for comment Friday.

    Giese said that the shadowy Russian military intelligence agency known as GRU was behind a 2024 cyberattack against German air traffic control. The foreign ministry says GRU, which has been sanctioned in other countries, was responsible for the attack that was allegedly perpetrated by hacker collective APT28, also known as Fancy Bear.

    APT28 and GRU have also been linked to global cyber intrusions, including in the 2016 U.S. election, where they were accused of aiding U.S. President Donald Trump by leaking Democratic Party emails.

    Giese also said investigators believe GRU also attempted to destabilize and influence Germany’s last federal election, held in February, through a campaign called “Storm 1516.”

    “Our services’ analysis shows that the campaign spreads artificially generated, pseudo-investigative research, deepfake image sequences, pseudo-journalistic websites, and fabricated witness statements on various platforms,” he said.

    Russia will face a series of countermeasures for its hybrid warfare, Giese said.

    “The German government condemns the repeated and unacceptable attacks by state-controlled Russian actors in the strongest possible terms,” he said. “We will continue to strengthen our support for Ukraine and our deterrence and defense.”

    The summons occurred Friday as the European Union indefinitely froze Russia’s assets in Europe to ensure that Hungary and Slovakia, both with Moscow-friendly governments, can’t prevent the billions of euros from being used to support Ukraine.

    Using a special procedure meant for economic emergencies, the EU blocked the assets until Russia gives up its war on Ukraine and compensates its neighbor for the heavy damage that it has inflicted for almost four years.

    It’s a key step that will allow EU leaders to work out at a summit next week how to use the tens of billions of euros in Russian Central Bank assets to underwrite a huge loan to help Ukraine meet its financial and military needs over the next two years.

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  • Slovak Lawmakers Scuffle as Parliament Revises Laws on Whistleblowers, Witnesses

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    Dec 12 (Reuters) – Slovakia’s parliament passed legislation on whistleblowers and ‌crown ​witnesses late on Thursday and Friday, ‌in moves which the opposition warned threaten the rule of law, and ​which led to scuffles and angry exchanges between politicians.

    Critics of pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government say his ‍changes, backed by leftist-nationalist lawmakers, are ​hurting the rule of law in the country of 5.4 million.

    Video footage posted by a lawmaker showed ​opposition politicians ⁠whistling and jeering and heated one-on-one arguments in a Thursday evening vote over criminal codes, including the status of crown witnesses.

    One government deputy threw a plastic bottle at an opponent, while news website Dennik N said journalists heard another deputy screaming he was being choked in the melee.

    On Friday, lawmakers ‌returned to their benches and ruling parties approved a revamp of the country’s whistleblower office, even ​though ‌President Peter Pellegrini had vetoed ‍the law ⁠on Thursday, which he said risked halting EU subsidies, and did not need to be rushed.

    Fico’s government, in power since 2023, had previously weakened criminal codes for financial crime, revamped the public broadcaster and pushed constitutional changes asserting national sovereignty over some EU laws, prompting criticism.

    The government argues the current whistleblower agency UOO had been politically abused in the past – the same reasoning Fico has used for previous legislative changes.

    The European Commission has ​said parts of the legislation raised concerns related to EU law, including the early termination of the office chief’s mandate.

    The ruling parties have said concerns had been addressed by modifications, although the change of leadership remained.

    OPPOSITION CALLS SESSION ‘MAFIA NIGHT’

    Slovakia has become more politically charged since Fico – a four-time prime minister – returned to power. He survived being shot in May 2024 by a man upset over his policies, including a pullback of military aid to Ukraine.

    Opposition says the whistleblower bill is “revenge” after the UOO fined the Interior Ministry in cases involving police officers who were reassigned during corruption investigations without the office’s consent.

    Separate criminal code changes ​fast-tracked on Thursday evening tightened rules for “crown witness” testimony. Critics say this will help a senior Fico ally who is under an ongoing investigation.

    Michal Simecka, leader of the biggest opposition party Progressive Slovakia, called the parliament session “mafia night”.

    “We are following a massacre of the rule ​of law in Slovakia,” he said in a statement.

    (Reporting by Jason Hovet and Jan Lopatka in Prague; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

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  • Irish Minister Defends ‘Limited’ Trade Curbs on Israeli Settlements

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    By John O’Donnell and Padraic Halpin

    DUBLIN, Dec 12 (Reuters) – Ireland’s planned curbs on trade with Israeli settlements ‌will ​be limited strictly to goods, a minister told Reuters, offering ‌the first clear signal on the scope of the contested legislation and rejecting accusations that the country is antisemitic.

    Ireland has been preparing ​a law to curb trade with settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, facing pressure at home to widen the scope of the ban from goods to services, while Israel and the United States want ‍the bill scrapped.

    Ireland has been one of the European ​Union’s most outspoken critics of Israel’s assault in Gaza, which authorities in the Palestinian enclave say has killed more than 67,000 people.

    ‘EXTREMELY LIMITED MEASURE’, SAYS MINISTER

    But Thomas Byrne, Ireland’s Minister of State for ​European Affairs and Defence, ⁠told Reuters that the bill is limited to the import of goods and that it would not become law this year.

    “It’s an extremely limited measure, which would prohibit imports of goods from illegally-occupied territories,” he said in an interview. “Similar measures have already been brought in in a number of European countries.”

    Byrne’s comments give insight into Dublin’s thinking as Ireland seeks to deflect pressure, including from U.S. companies based in the country, to soften its criticism of Israel. Ireland’s bill is expected to help shape how other European nations launch similar ‌curbs on trade with Israeli settlements.

    The Irish government has signalled the bill is imminent but has yet to publicly announce its scope.

    Byrne declined to say when it would be ​sent ‌to parliament, as the government weighs the ‍bill’s implications. “It’s certainly not going to ⁠be implemented this year,” he said.

    Earlier this year, sources told Reuters that the government intended to blunt the law, curbing its scope to just a limited trade of goods, such as dried fruit, and not services.

    That more ambitious move could have entangled companies in technology and other industries in Ireland doing business in Israel. Business lobby groups had sought to kill the idea.

    Limiting the bill to goods only would catch just a handful of products imported from Israeli-occupied territories such as fruit that are worth just 200,000 euros ($234,660) a year.

    LAWMAKER BLACK SAYS SHE STILL WANTS SERVICES BAN

    Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law.

    Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties to the area. It says the settlements provide strategic depth and security.

    On Gaza, Israel says it acted in ​self-defence following the deadly October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel has repeatedly said it is committed to international law and tries to minimize harm to the civilian population of Gaza.

    Frances Black, the lawmaker who proposed the Irish bill, told Reuters she would push to include a ban on services. “It will take a lot of work in the new year to get services included but that’s exactly what I’m prepared to do.”

    Byrne also defended Ireland’s government, after Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar recently posted a video online where he accused the Irish government of having an “antisemitic nature”.

    Saar said the Irish government’s response had been slow to a local proposal to rename a park bearing the name of Chaim Herzog, the former president of Israel who was raised in Dublin.

    Irish ministers had roundly criticised the idea and Dublin City Council has since delayed a decision on whether to remove the name.

    U.S. senator Lindsey Graham had also labelled Ireland a “cesspool of antisemitism”.

    EU LAWMAKER REJECTS ANTISEMITISM CHARGE AS ‘NONSENSE’

    “I reject outright that the country is in any way antisemitic,” said Byrne. “We’re deeply conscious of the ​contribution that Jewish people have made in Ireland.”

    Ireland’s relations with Israel have been fraught. Last December, Israel shut its embassy in Dublin amid a row over Ireland’s criticism of its war in Gaza, including Ireland’s recognition of a Palestinian state last year.

    Barry Andrews, an Irish member of the European parliament, urged Dublin to go ahead with its occupied territories bill. “Claims that Ireland is antisemitic are nonsense,” he said. Ireland has nothing to fear. We are no longer the only ones doing this.”

    On Wednesday, ​Ireland’s central bank governor Gabriel Makhlouf was forced to abandon a public speech in Dublin by pro-Palestinian protesters objecting to the central bank’s earlier role in the sale of Israeli bonds.

    (Additional reporting by Conor Humphries, Editing by William Maclean)

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  • Poland Says Hungary’s Government Is Closer to Moscow Than Brussels

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    Dec 11 (Reuters) – Polish Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek accused Hungary’s ‌Prime ​Minister Viktor Orban on Thursday ‌of being closer to Russia than Europe, renewing an argument between the two ​European Union members that Budapest has called an unjustified provocation.

    Zurek expressed frustration with Budapest in an interview with ‍Reuters when asked about two former ​Polish officials charged with misuse of funds who are being shielded by fellow-EU member Hungary.

    He referred ​to the ⁠case, as well as Orban’s talks with President Vladimir Putin and Hungary blocking funds for Poland for supporting Ukraine’s fight against Russian invasion.

    “It looks to me today as if Hungary’s leadership is closer to the leadership in Moscow than the EU leadership, and I say this with great sadness ‌and also with great concern,” Zurek said.

    “Orban, unfortunately, wants to blow up the EU from within ​and ‌his pro-Russian policies are completely ‍unacceptable to the ⁠majority of citizens in the EU.”

    Orban has accused Poland of making unjust and provocative remarks about its ties with Moscow, which he argues are in Hungary’s national interest. He says European Union sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine are self-defeating.

    Former Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, who faces 26 charges including leading an organised criminal group, is in Hungary and may seek asylum there, following the example of his former deputy ​Marcin Romanowski, who faces similar charges.

    Both men say they will not return to Poland because they would not get a fair trial under Tusk’s government, which rejects the charges, emphasising that its justice system is independent.

    Orban met Ziobro in Budapest in October and accused Warsaw of a “political witch hunt”.

    A Polish court will decide in the coming weeks whether to issue a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) for Ziobro.

    “When you have EAW, it’s an agreement between all EU countries that we respect and have confidence in our own national justice systems… Today we have a situation where Hungary says ‘we are granting asylum to Mr. Romanowski’, which ​in my opinion is violating this EU agreement,” Zurek said.

    “It seems that the subsequent issue will be to examine the actions of the Hungarian state. And perhaps Poland will be forced to expose this abnormal situation on the European forum, where Hungary is breaking the ​rules of the EAW by granting asylum.”

    (Reporting by Anna Koper, Anna Włodarczak-Semczuk, Justyna Pawlak and Kuba Stezycki; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

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  • Turning Screws on Russia Should Not Impact Legitimate Maritime Sector, Say Cyprus and Malta

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    NICOSIA, Dec 10 (Reuters) – Discussions on the need to ‌tighten ​sanctions on Russia, including the ‌possibility of a blanket ban on providing maritime services, should ​not be at the expense of legitimate businesses in the industry, key EU shipping nations Cyprus ‍and Malta said.

    The Group of Seven ​countries and the European Union are in talks to replace a price cap ​on Russian ⁠oil exports with a full maritime services ban in an attempt to reduce the oil revenue that helps finance Russia’s war in Ukraine, Reuters exclusively reported on Dec. 5.

    Cyprus and Malta, who along with Greece have the largest fleets in the EU, said tightening ‌sanctions should not target bona fide maritime businesses.

    “Any shift away from the price cap ​must ‌avoid pushing maritime services ‍to non-EU jurisdictions, ⁠where the EU would lose oversight and, with it, the leverage needed to uphold European standards,” the Maltese government said in a statement.

    “There needs to be a holistic approach,” Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said. He said that while additional pressure on Russia was needed, the focus should also be on sanctions dodging.

    “That has many actors involved and undermines our collective effort,” he ​said.

    Russia exports over a third of its oil in Western tankers, mostly to India and China, with the use of Western shipping services. The ban would end that trade, which is mostly done through the fleets of EU maritime nations including Cyprus, Malta and Greece.

    The services ban could be part of the EU’s next package of sanctions against Russia, slated for early 2026, three sources told Reuters last week. The 27 nation EU would like to approve the ban together with a broader G7 agreement before proposing the ban in the ​package, two sources said.

    Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze, who is visiting Cyprus, echoed Kombos’ comments. She said the discussion needed to be ‘calibrated’, and that it had also been discussed with the United States. “We have discussed how to increase sanctions ​efficiency,” she said.

    (Reporting by Michele Kambas, Jonathan Saul and Chris Scicluna; Editing by Chris Reese and Nick Zieminski)

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  • Trump Says Ukraine Hasn’t Had an Election for a Long Time

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    WASHINGTON, ‌Dec ​10 (Reuters) – ‌U.S. President ​Donald ‍Trump ​expressed ​concern on Wednesday ⁠that Ukraine had ‌not had ​an ‌election ‍in a long ⁠time, putting ​additional pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

    ((Reporting by Steve Holland and ​Jeff Mason; Editing by ​Leslie Adler))

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