Monday, 17 August 2026Europe · Analysis
Independent · Brussels & Berlin
Person
President of the European Council, European Council
European Council president begins August 25 trip through Central Europe and Baltics as frugal and cohesion camps remain deadlocked on seven-year spending plan.
Hungary's incoming prime minister meets von der Leyen and Costa in Brussels to restart frozen funding and reset relations after Orban's 16-year rule ended in April landslide.
Ursula von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas issued competing statements within minutes as Tehran came under attack, exposing a long-running power struggle between the Commission and the External Action Service.
Emergency summit in Brussels reveals frayed transatlantic trust as Kaja Kallas warns of a 'big blow' while member states disagree on how firmly to respond to US volatility.
European leaders ended emergency talks in Brussels welcoming the US president's retreat from tariff threats while signalling they will not dismantle the anti-coercion instrument until the Arctic dispute is formally settled.
German foreign minister Johann Wadephul says no alliance member will face Russian provocations alone, while Ukraine's president proposes a shared aerial defence system at Warsaw Security Forum.
Beijing summit reduced from two days after Xi Jinping declined Brussels invitation. Rare earth curbs, EV tariffs and sanctions on Chinese banks dominate agenda.
Mark Carney's Liberal Party wins Canadian election as former central banker campaigns on standing up to Trump; EU and NATO allies signal deeper cooperation ahead of June summit in The Hague.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa dissolves parliament following confidence vote defeat, triggering third general election in three years amid growing voter fatigue
Prime minister's minority government falls 142-88 over consultancy firm allegations, triggering caretaker period and likely May ballot with polls showing no clear winner
Prime Minister Luis Montenegro's minority coalition lost 142-88 after opposition parties pressed a conflict-of-interest row involving his family's law firm and a state contractor.
Emergency Brussels summit agrees 150 billion euro loan facility and fiscal flexibility but splits remain on nuclear deterrence, Hungarian veto and how to replace US military aid worth 40 percent of Kyiv's support.
Herbert Kickl's Freedom Party leads coalition talks after September election victory, threatening to add Vienna to a growing bloc of Moscow-friendly capitals that could paralyse unanimous EU decisions on Ukraine, migration and climate.
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