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Tag: European Union

  • Czech President Taps Election Winner Babis to Lead Government Talks

    PRAGUE (Reuters) -Czech President Petr Pavel on Monday tapped Andrej Babis, leader of the populist ANO party that won a parliamentary election this month, to lead talks on forming a new government, a next step in the billionaire former prime minister’s return to power.

    Since the October 3-4 election, ANO has been in talks with the right-wing, eurosceptic Motorists and the far-right, anti-EU and anti-NATO SPD parties, which together would hold a combined 108 out of the 200 seats in parliament’s lower house.

    (Reporting by Jason Hovet)

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  • Montenegro Detains Dozens of Turks, Azeris After Weekend Violence

    PODGORICA (Reuters) -Police in Montenegro said on Monday they had detained dozens of Turkish and Azeri nationals after a weekend of violence triggered by the stabbing of a Montenegrin man in the capital Podgorica by a group of Turks.

    President Jakov Milatovic has called for calm, while Prime Minister Milojko Spajic said his government would temporarily suspend a visa-free regime for Turkish nationals.

    The Montenegrin man was stabbed on Saturday night after an exchange of insults with a group of Turkish citizens, though his injuries were not life-threatening.

    Dozens of local people on Sunday retaliated by vandalising vehicles with Turkish number plates and at one point forced some Turkish citizens to barricade themselves in a casino.

    The police said they had detained two people suspected of being involved in the stabbing incident, a Turkish national and an Azeri, as well as an additional 45 Turkish and Azeri citizens suspected of lacking legal residence documents.

    They fined seven of those detained and ordered the deportation of eight others, police said in a statement.

    Out of 100,000 foreign citizens registered permanently or temporarily in Montenegro, around 13,000 are Turks, Interior Minister Danilo Saranovic said.

    Officials say there has been an increase in the number of Turkish citizens opening businesses or seeking work in Montenegro, a tiny Adriatic state of around 620,000 people heavily reliant on tourism, ahead of its expected accession in the coming years to the European Union.

    “With the aim of preserving economic activity and good bilateral relations, we will initiate intensive discussions with the Republic of Turkey in the coming period to find, in the spirit of good cooperation and partnership, the best model (of visa arrangements) in our mutual interest,” Spajic said on X.

    President Milatovic condemned the violence.

    “There must be no room for collective guilt or the stigmatization of an entire people,” Milatovic said. “Montenegro needs a more responsible immigration policy: firm against abuses and crime, fair towards all who respect our laws.”

    (Reporting by Stevo vasiljevic, writing by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Gareth Jones)

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  • China Downplays Tension After German Foreign Minister Cancels Beijing Trip

    BEIJING (Reuters) -China urged Germany on Monday to take a long-term view of ties between the world’s second and third largest economies, seeking to downplay suggestions of rising tension after Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul postponed his first trip to Beijing.

    Wadephul was originally due in the Chinese capital from Sunday on the first visit by a minister of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government, but opted not to travel after only one of his requested meetings was confirmed, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

    That prompted a senior German parliamentarian to accuse China of having provoked the cancellation from a fear of debate.

    “China has always viewed and developed its ties with Germany from a strategic and long-term perspective,” said Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson of China’s foreign ministry.

    “The two sides should respect each other, treat each other as equals and cooperate for win-win results to propel bilateral ties along the right track,” Guo told a press conference on Monday.

    The “current circumstances” provided further reason for both countries to seek common cause, he added, but gave no details.

    Germany is China’s top European trade partner, with two-way trade exceeding $200 billion in 2025, Chinese data shows.

    However, neither side has made any official visits since Merz’s Christian Democratic Union party defeated the Social Democrat Party of his predecessors, Olaf Scholz and Angela Merkel, in polls this year.

    In comparison, China’s top diplomat has visited Austria, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and Switzerland this year.

    Wadephul has struck an increasingly tough stance on China since he took office as foreign minister in May.

    He has highlighted Beijing’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, its “increasingly aggressive behaviour” in the Indo-Pacific region, and its export curbs on rare earths and semiconductors.

    In doing so, he has gone further than predecessor Annalena Baerbock, already known for being outspoken, who labelled Chinese President Xi Jinping a “dictator”.

    On Friday, Agnieszka Brugger, a senior leader of the opposition Greens, said “the cancellation of Foreign Minister Wadephul’s trip to mainland China is only logical and consistent”.

    She added, “The list of extremely difficult issues with China, which is a relevant player in many global political issues, is growing ever longer.”

    (Reporting by Liz Lee; Writing by Joe Cash; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Clarence Fernandez)

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  • Greece Launches Search After Migrants Rescued off Lesbos

    (Reuters) -Greek authorities launched a search-and-rescue operation off the island of Lesbos on Monday after rescuing seven migrants from the sea southwest of Cape Agrilia, officials said.

    Two people were also recovered unresponsive, the Coast Guard said, adding that the search is continuing for any additional missing persons.

    The operation involves two vessels, a helicopter, and a land-based Coast Guard unit, it added.

    Greece, at the southern tip of the European Union, has long been a favoured gateway to Europe for migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa and Asia. 

    The Mediterranean nation has recently toughened migration rules, following a resurgence of arrivals from Libya via the Greek islands of Crete and Gavdos.

    (Reporting by Antonis Pothitos; Editing by Toby Chopra)

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  • Russian Air Defence Systems Destroy Two Drones Heading Towards Moscow, Mayor Says

    (Reuters) -Russian anti-aircraft units downed a second Ukrainian drone headed for Moscow on Sunday, the capital’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

    The first drone was downed earlier on Sunday.

    Sobyanin said specialist teams were examining fragments of the drones where they had hit the ground.

    (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Aidan Lewis)

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  • Left-Winger Connolly Wins Irish Presidency in Landslide

    DUBLIN (Reuters) -Catherine Connolly, an independent lawmaker on the far left of the Irish political spectrum, was elected president on Saturday after winning 63% of the first preference vote for the largely ceremonial role.

    (Reporting by Padraic Halpin, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

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  • UN Cybercrime Treaty to Be Signed in Hanoi to Tackle Global Offences

    HANOI (Reuters) -A landmark U.N. cybercrime treaty, aimed at tackling offences that cost the global economy trillions of dollars annually, is set to be signed in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi by around 60 countries over the weekend.

    The convention, which will take effect after it is ratified by 40 nations, is expected to streamline international cooperation against cybercrime, but has been criticised by activists and tech companies over concerns of possible human rights abuses.

    “Cyberspace has become fertile ground for criminals…every day, sophisticated scams defraud families, steal livelihoods, and drain billions of dollars from our economies,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the opening ceremony.

    “The U.N. Cybercrime Convention is a powerful, legally binding instrument to strengthen our collective defences against cybercrime.”

    The convention targets a broad spectrum of offences from phishing and ransomware to online trafficking and hate speech, the U.N. has said, citing estimates that cybercrime costs the global economy trillions of dollars each year.

    Vietnam President Luong Cuong said the signing of the convention “not only marks the birth of a global legal instrument, but also affirms the enduring vitality of multilateralism, where countries overcome differences and are willing to shoulder responsibilities together for the common interests of peace, security, stability and development.”

    Critics have warned its vague definition of crime could enable abuse.

    The Cybersecurity Tech Accord, which includes Meta and Microsoft, has dubbed the pact a “surveillance treaty,” saying it may facilitate data sharing among governments and criminalise ethical hackers who test systems for vulnerabilities.

    The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which led the treaty negotiations, said the agreement includes provisions to protect human rights and promotes legitimate research activities.

    The European Union, the United States and Canada sent diplomats and officials to sign the treaty in Hanoi.

    Vietnam’s role as host has also stirred controversy. The U.S. State Department recently flagged “significant human rights issues” in the country, including online censorship. Human Rights Watch says at least 40 people have been arrested this year, including for expressing dissent online.

    Vietnam views the treaty as an opportunity to enhance its global standing and cyber defences amid rising attacks on critical infrastructure.

    (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio and Khanh Vu; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

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  • Putin Envoy Kirill Dmitriev Confirms He Is in the US for a Long-Planned Meeting

    MOSCOW (Reuters -Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for investment and economic cooperation, on Friday confirmed that he was in the United States for a long-planned meeting, proof he said that U.S.-Russia dialogue continued.

    “This meeting of mine had been planned quite a while ago, and the American side did not cancel it, despite a number of recent unfriendly steps. We will continue the dialogue,” Dmitriev told Reuters.

    U.S. President Donald Trump hit Russia’s two biggest oil companies with sanctions this week to press the Kremlin leader to end Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

    Trump spoke to Putin last week and said he planned to meet Putin soon, but Trump later cancelled that summit saying it could take place another time.

    “The Russia–U.S. dialogue will continue, but it is certainly only possible if Russia’s interests are taken into account and treated with respect,” Dmitriev said.

    He declined to say who he was meeting and predicted that the U.S. oil sanctions would backfire.

    “They will only lead to gasoline costing more at American gas stations,” said Dmitriev.

    Citing sources with knowledge of the visit, CNN reported earlier on Friday that Dmitriev was expected to meet Trump administration officials “to continue discussions about the U.S.-Russia relationship”.

    Axios reported that Dmitriev would meet Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff in Miami on Saturday. The state TASS news agency quoted Dmitriev as saying he would also meet other people he did not name.

    Dmitriev, who has developed a good working relationship with Witkoff, declined to say whether arrangements for a new Trump-Putin meeting would be on the agenda of his talks.

    (Reporting by Gleb BryanskiEditing by Andrew Osborn)

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  • Putin Says Russia Will Never Bow to U.S. Pressure

    MOSCOW (Reuters) -President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia would never bow to pressure from the United States or any other country, and cautioned that the response to any strikes deep into Russia would be very serious and overwhelming.

    U.S. sanctions are an “unfriendly” act and “will have certain consequences, but they will not significantly affect our economic well-being,” Putin said. Russia’s energy sector feels confident, he said.

    “This is, of course, an attempt to put pressure on Russia,” Putin said. “But no self-respecting country and no self-respecting people ever decides anything under pressure.”

    Putin said breaking the balance in the global energy markets could lead to a hike in prices that would be uncomfortable for countries such as the United States, especially given the internal political calendar in the United States.

    Asked about a Wall Street Journal report that the Trump administration has lifted a key restriction on Ukraine’s use of some long-range missiles provided by Western allies, and remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy about domestic missiles with a range of 3,000 km (1,900 miles), Putin said: “This is an attempt at escalation.”

    “But if such weapons are used to attack Russian territory, the response will be very serious, if not overwhelming. Let them think about it,” Putin said.

    (Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)

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  • EU leaders endorse a plan to ensure that Europe can defend itself from outside attack by 2030

    BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders on Thursday endorsed a plan to ensure that Europe can defend itself against an outside attack by the end of the decade as concern mounts that Russia is already probing the 27-nation bloc’s defenses.

    “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its repercussions for European and global security in a changing environment constitute an existential challenge,” the leaders said in a statement during a summit in Brussels.

    They called on national governments “to advance on concrete projects to be launched in the first half of 2026” in line with the new plan, dubbed Readiness 2030, which was drawn up by the European Commission, the EU’s executive branch.

    A top priority will be to erect drone defenses to detect, track and disable rogue drones, following a series of troubling airspace violations across Europe over the last month – some close to Europe’s borders with Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

    This European Drone Defense Initiative would be a key part of a broader scheme dubbed Eastern Flank Watch to strengthen defenses along Europe’s eastern border on land, in the Baltic and Black seas and in the air, as well as against hybrid attacks.

    The leaders said that “to respond to the most immediate needs and threats” the first projects should focus on building anti-drone and air defense capabilities and make full use of EU funds to do so.

    The commission estimates that EU defense spending this year will total around 392 billion euros ($457 billion), almost double the amount of four years ago, before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

    It believes that some 3.4 trillion euros ($4 trillion) will probably be spent on defense over the next decade. To help, it intends to propose boosting the EU’s long-term budget for defense and space to 131 billion euros ($153 billion).

    The overarching aim of the Readiness 2030 plan is to encourage the member countries to decide who among them should take the lead on which projects, and then to launch them within the first six months of next year.

    At least 40% of military purchases would have to be done jointly – making them cheaper and encouraging countries to use interoperable weapons and standards – by late 2027.

    Projects, contracts and financing on “critical capabilities” – drones or satellites, for example – would need to be settled by the end of 2028, with the whole process finalized two years later.

    Another key part of the plan is to provide security guarantees for Ukraine. The leaders underlined “the importance of close cooperation with Ukraine and of its integration with and contribution to the European defense industry.”

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  • Trump Sanctions Russian Oil Majors, Prompting Oil Price Rise and India Jitters

    By Andrew Osborn, Jeff Mason and Timothy Gardner

    MOSCOW (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump hit Russia’s two biggest oil companies with sanctions in his latest sharp policy shift on Moscow’s war in Ukraine, prompting global oil prices to rise by 3% on Thursday and India to consider cutting Russian imports.

    The sanctions, unveiled by the U.S. Treasury, target oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil, and mark a dramatic U-turn by Trump, who said only last week that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin would hold a summit in Budapest to try to end the war in Ukraine.

    But in his latest turnaround on the conflict, Trump said on Wednesday the planned summit was off because he did not believe it would achieve the outcome he wanted and complained that his many “good conversations” with Putin did not “go anywhere”.

    “We cancelled the meeting with President Putin — it just didn’t feel right to me,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “It didn’t feel like we were going to get to the place we have to get. So I cancelled it, but we’ll do it in the future.”

    TARGETING ABILITY TO FUND WAR

    Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, made clear Washington stood ready to take further action and was targeting Russia’s ability to fund a war it launched in February 2022.

    “Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine,” Bessent said in a statement. “We encourage our allies to join us in and adhere to these sanctions.”

    Russia’s Foreign Ministry called the U.S. sanctions “counterproductive” when it came to finding a peace deal and said its goals in Ukraine remained unchanged.

    Oil and gas revenue, which is currently down by 21% year-on-year, accounts for around one quarter of Russia’s budget and is the most important source of cash for Moscow’s war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.

    However, Moscow’s main revenue source comes from taxing output, not exports, which is likely to soften the immediate impact of the sanctions on state finances.

    IMPACT ON GLOBAL OIL PRICES

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked the United States for the new sanctions, saying they were “very important” but that more pressure would be needed on Moscow.

    Oil prices jumped more than 3% on Thursday amid worries that the sanctions would disrupt global supply. Indian oil industry sources told Reuters that Indian refiners were poised to sharply curtail imports of Russian oil to ensure they were in compliance with U.S. sanctions.

    India has become the biggest buyer of seaborne Russian oil sold at a discount after Western nations shunned purchases and imposed sanctions on Moscow following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

    The U.S. Treasury has given companies until November 21 to wind down their transactions with the Russian oil producers.

    Some analysts say that the new sanctions could force Russia to further discount its oil on world markets to offset the perceived risk of U.S. secondary sanctions, but that pain could in turn be mitigated if global oil prices rise supporting the state’s finances and the rouble.

    SHIFTING POSITION ON CEASEFIRE

    After an August summit with Putin in Alaska, Trump dropped his demand for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and embraced Moscow’s preferred option of going straight to negotiating an overall peace settlement.

    But in recent days he has reverted to the idea of an immediate ceasefire, something that Kyiv supports but which Moscow, whose forces are steadily edging forward on the battlefield, has repeatedly made clear it has no interest in.

    Russia has said it opposes a ceasefire because it believes it would only be a temporary pause before fighting resumes, giving Ukraine time and space to re-arm at a time when Moscow says it has the initiative on the battlefield.

    In a show of force on Wednesday, Moscow conducted a major training exercise involving nuclear weapons.

    Russia argues that negotiating a full peace settlement that paves the way for what it calls a “long-lasting peace” is therefore a better option.

    But Kyiv has said that Russia’s conditions for a settlement – which would entail Ukraine handing over more land – were unacceptable and, in effect, a demand for it to surrender.

    (Reporting by Reuters; Additional reporting by Gleb Bryanski; Writing by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Alex Richardson)

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  • Russia suffers new sanctions squeeze as EU follows Trump

    The European Union (EU) has approved its 19th sanctions package against Russia, including on its lucrative gas sector for the first time and its “shadow fleet”, to heap pressure on Moscow to end its war on Ukraine.

    The approval comes a day after the Trump administration imposed fresh sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, also seeking to crank the pressure on Moscow to make peace.

    A proposed summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, intended to bring peace in Ukraine closer, was postponed when it became clear the Kremlin would not agree to a ceasefire.

    “We’re keeping the pressure high on the aggressor,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a post on X.

    “For the first time we are hitting Russia’s gas sector – the heart of its war economy. We will not relent until the people of Ukraine have a just and lasting peace.”

    This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.

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  • Europe Adopts 19th Sanctions Package Against Russia, Including LNG Import Ban

    BRUSSELS (Reuters) -EU countries on Thursday formally adopted a 19th package of sanctions against Russia for its war against Ukraine that includes a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas imports.

    The 27 member states had already approved the package on Wednesday evening after Slovakia dropped its block.

    “It’s a significant package that targets main Russian revenue streams through new energy, financial, and trade measures,” the Danish rotating presidency of the EU said.

    The LNG ban will take effect in two stages: short-term contracts will end after six months and long-term contracts from January 1, 2027. The full ban comes a year earlier than the Commission’s roadmap to end the bloc’s reliance on Russian fossil fuels.

    Measures in the package also include a new mechanism to limit the movement of Russian diplomats within the EU, the statement said.

    “It targets Russian banks, crypto exchanges, entities in India and China, among others,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a post on X.

    “The EU is curbing Russian diplomats’ movements to counter the attempts of destabilisation. It is increasingly harder for Putin to fund this war.”

    Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said the ban on LNG imports is an important step towards a complete phasing out of Russian energy in the EU.

    (Reporting by Kate Abnett, Alessandro Parodi and Julia Payne, editing by Bart Meijer)

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  • Slovakia PM’s Attacker Found Guilty of Terrorism, Sentenced to 21 Years

    BANSKA BYSTRICA, Slovakia (Reuters) -A Slovak court ruled on Tuesday that a man who shot and wounded Prime Minister Robert Fico last year was guilty of terrorism charges and gave him a 21-year jail sentence.

    The ruling can be appealed at the country’s supreme court.

    (Reporting by Jan Lopatka; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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  • EU Weighs Ban on Ethanol Used in Hand Sanitisers Over Cancer Fears, FT Reports

    (Reuters) -The EU is considering classifying ethanol, an ingredient used in many hand sanitisers, as a dangerous substance that increases the risk of cancer, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

    An internal recommendation on October 10 by one of the working groups within the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) flagged ethanol as a toxic substance, which increased the risk of cancer and pregnancy complications, the FT said, and needed to be replaced in cleaning and other products.

    The ECHA’s Biocidal Products Committee is set to meet between November 25 and November 28.

    The regulator said that if its expert committee “concludes that ethanol is carcinogenic”, it would recommend its substitution, the FT said, adding that the final decision would be made by the European Commission.

    The European Chemicals Agency did not immediately respond to a Reuters’ request for comment.

    The agency told the FT that ethanol might “still be approved for the intended biocidal uses, if these are considered safe in the light of expected exposure levels or no alternatives are found,” stressing that no decision had yet been made.

    The World Health Organization classifies both ethanol and isopropanol as safe to use for hand hygiene.

    (Reporting by Disha Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Jamie Freed and Kate Mayberry)

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  • EU negotiator hopes for Russian gas import ban by year’s end

    European Union energy ministers on Monday backed a proposal to ban imports of gas from Russia, boosting the bloc’s efforts to further cut Russian revenues from energy exports and raising hopes for a conclusion of talks.

    “An energy independent Europe is a stronger and more secure Europe,” said Danish Energy Minister Lars Aagaard who chaired the talks.

    “Although we have worked hard and pushed to get Russian gas and oil out of Europe in recent years, we are not there yet,” Aagaard said.

    The agreement on a common position on the import stop was needed before the bill can be finalized with the European Parliament.

    EU lawmakers already backed the proposal in a vote last week, which allows them to start negotiations with capitals.

    Aagaard, who will be one of the lead negotiators, said it’s his “clear ambition” to conclude the negotiations before the end of the year.

    Under the proposal, imports of pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia would be permanently banned from 2028 at the latest.

    The ban to be negotiated with the European Parliament will be adopted by majority vote, meaning countries like Hungary and Slovakia, which import pipeline gas from Russia, can be outvoted.

    It was crucial that the initiative “has secured an overwhelming support from Europe’s energy ministers,” Aagaard said on Monday.

    Parallel efforts are underway for an earlier ban of LNG imports as part of the EU’s upcoming sanctions package on Russia.

    Last year Moscow still accounted for around a fifth of all gas imports to the EU with a growing share of LNG, according to EU figures. In the first half of 2025 the bloc imported LNG from Russia worth almost €4.5 billion ($5.3 billion).

    Sanctions can be adopted as soon as all 27 EU members agree to the measures without the involvement of the European Parliament, making the legislative process quicker.

    Punitive sanctions on Russia are however temporary and have to be lifted once the war in Ukraine is over and the EU no longer sees a reason to penalize Moscow.

    An agreement between EU countries and the European Parliament on a ban of pipeline and LNG gas aims to put a permanent end to Russian fuel imports.

    Katherina Reiche, Germany’s Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, attends the EU Ministers responsible for Energy meeting in Luxembourg. Francois Lenoir/European Council/dpa

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    A view of the EU Ministers responsible for Energy meeting in Luxembourg. Francois Lenoir/European Council/dpa

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  • Investors Managing $3 Trillion in Assets Urge Countries to Stop Deforestation

    LONDON (Reuters) -Global investors managing over $3 trillion in assets called on governments on Monday to stop and reverse deforestation and ecosystem degradation by 2030, in a statement signed ahead of a U.N. climate conference in Brazil next month.

    Around 30 institutional investors including Swiss private bank Pictet Group and Nordic investor DNB Asset Management have so far signed up to the Belém Investor Statement on Rainforests, which is open until November 1.

    A report last week found the world is falling far short of the goal of stopping deforestation, with losses of 8.1 million hectares (20 million acres) of forest – an area about the size of England – in 2024 alone, largely driven by agricultural expansion and forest fires.

    “As investors, we are increasingly concerned about the material financial risks that tropical deforestation and nature loss pose to our portfolios,” the statement said.

    The investors emphasised the need for policies that deliver legal, regulatory, and financial certainty to help protect the forests and safeguard economic stability, said Jan Erik Saugestad, CEO at Nordic firm Storebrand Asset Management. 

    “Deforestation undermines the natural systems that global markets rely on – from climate regulation to food and water security.” 

    Earlier this year, the European Union delayed launching its anti-deforestation law by a year after facing opposition from industry and trade partners such as Brazil, Indonesia and the United States, who say complying with the rules would be costly and hurt their exports to Europe.

    The role of climate sceptic U.S. President Donald Trump in rolling back support for global environmental efforts was also hampering action, said Ingrid Tungen, head of deforestation-free markets at Rainforest Foundation Norway. 

    “I think Trump has made it more difficult for investors and managers to take climate and biodiversity into account in such a volatile market,” she said.

    “All the investors that we are talking to think there is a huge risk for us not taking diversification and climate change into consideration in the long-term, and not just for their own morals, but because that will harm the markets directly and their profits directly.”

    (Reporting by Sharon Kimathi; Editing by Nia Williams)

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  • Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Preparing Contract to Buy 25 Patriot Systems

    KYIV (Reuters) – Ukraine is preparing a contract to buy 25 Patriot air defence systems, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, in what would be a huge boost to Kyiv’s abilities to defend against Russia’s aerial bombardments.

    In comments to media at a meeting on Sunday and cleared for use on Monday, Zelenskiy said the systems would be supplied every year for a number of years, and that Ukraine would seek for some European nations to give Kyiv priority in the queue for the systems.

    Patriots are seen by Kyiv as the most effective systems to stop Russian ballistic missiles, which travel several times faster than the speed of sound.

    Zelenskiy also said he would be willing to come to Budapest, where Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump are due to meet, if a trilateral meeting or a “shuttle diplomacy” format was proposed.

    The Ukrainian leader was speaking before media including Reuters reported, citing sources, that Trump had pushed Zelenskiy to make concessions in a tense White House meeting on Friday.

    “After many rounds of discussion over more than two hours with (Trump) and his team, his message, in my view, is positive – that we stand where we stand on the front line,” Zelenskiy said on Sunday.

    After his meeting with Zelenskiy, Trump publicly called for a ceasefire on the current frontlines, a position that the Ukrainian president then embraced in comments to reporters.

    (Reporting by Max Hunder; Editing by Jon Boyle)

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  • EU Foreign Policy Chief Says Possible Putin Visit to Hungary ‘Not Nice’

    BRUSSELS (Reuters) -European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday that it was “not nice” that Russian President Vladimir Putin might travel to EU member Hungary for talks on Ukraine.

    U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he would soon meet Putin in Budapest.

    Kallas told reporters ahead of a gathering of European foreign ministers in Luxembourg that Trump’s efforts to bring peace are welcome but that it is also important for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to meet with the Russian leader.

    “America has a lot of strength to pressure Russia to come to the negotiation table, if they use that then, of course, this is good if Russia stops this war,” Kallas said.

       Putin faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, which Hungary is in the process of leaving.

    “Regarding Budapest, no, it’s not nice … to see that really a person put to the arrest warrant by the ICC is coming to a European country,” Kallas said, adding that the “question is whether there is any outcome”.

    Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said that there was no place for Putin in any European capital.

    “The only place for Putin in Europe (is) in The Hague, in front of the tribunal, not in any of our capitals,” he said ahead of the ministers’ meeting.

    The EU’s Kallas also told reporters she expected that the 19th package of sanctions against Russia would be adopted this week, but said that approval would not come on Monday.

    (Reporting by Lili Bayer, writing by Inti Landauro; Editing by Toby Chopra)

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  • Swiss Backers of EU Deal Get Boost From Influential Centre-Right Party

    ZURICH (Reuters) -The Swiss government received a boost in its efforts to pass the biggest overhaul of Swiss economic relations with the European Union in more than two decades when a centre-right political party, which could prove crucial, gave its backing on Saturday.

    The package of measures that covers anything from electricity to state aid, transport and freedom of movement, as well as Bern’s financial contribution to the bloc, was agreed last December and signed off in June by the Swiss cabinet.

    It faces a referendum in Switzerland with the biggest group in parliament, the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, or SVP, firmly opposed to it on the grounds it is inimical to national sovereignty, Swiss identity and control of borders.

    The SVP’s main rival on the right of the political spectrum, the business-friendly Liberals, or FDP, has been split on the question of Europe but in a ballot to set the party’s stance, three-quarters of delegates voted to support the EU accord.

    Concern about neutral Switzerland eroding its independence and unique status within Europe by getting too close to the EU is a potent political issue in the country, and eurosceptics have tended to look towards the United States as an alternative.

    However, U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 39% tariffs on Switzerland – far higher than the rate he set on the EU – has weakened the allure of the United States.

    The Swiss government has pitched the EU accord as one that will help anchor the economy in uncertain times.

    An opinion poll published last month showed that Swiss voters were twice as likely to back the EU deal as reject it.

    A Swiss referendum on the deal is unlikely before 2027 and could be later still.

    (Reporting by Dave Graham; editing by Barbara Lewis)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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