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Since the start of Russia's full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union has provided Ukraine with financial, military and humanitarian support on an unprecedented level. To date, the support to Ukraine from 'Team Europe' – comprising the EU and its Member States – amounts to €143 billion. This support includes macro-financial assistance, financial support through the Ukraine Facility, humanitarian aid and military assistance from Member States and through the ...

Following the United Kingdom's referendum on its European Union membership, in June 2016, and the UK's decision to leave the EU, a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) was signed between the EU and the UK, in 2020. The TCA, in force since 2021, provides the framework for relations between the EU and the UK. In 2025, the European Parliament will adopt – as it did in 2023 – a report on the implementation of the TCA, this time covering the period between January and December 2024. The report will follow ...

Based on its Treaties, the European Union (EU) has developed a multifaceted external action policy, and is seen as an important actor far beyond its borders. Through its institutions and Member States, the EU is active in international trade, humanitarian assistance, economic, financial, and technical and development cooperation, as well as through its common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and common security and defence policy (CSDP). Increasingly, the external dimension of internal EU policies ...

Space holds promise for both economic prosperity and the attainment of strategic goals. The EU's future role in space is contingent on fast-changing geopolitical dynamics, which can range from peaceful cooperation to heightened competition or conflict among global powers. Given the importance of this subject, the European Commission has announced plans to propose an EU space act in the second quarter of 2025. This paper aims to describe the geopolitical context of space activities that affect the ...

The US Trump administration has set its sights on Ukraine's vast mineral resources, and proposed a deal: to secure a portion of Ukraine's rare earths in exchange for US support in the war against the Russian aggressor. Ukraine is a candidate for EU membership, and an earlier 2021 strategic partnership means the EU also has a stake in the future of Ukraine's mineral sector. This briefing analyses the US and EU positions, to shed light on the potential future of rare earth mining in Ukraine.

The latest annual report from the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on EU external action to promote human rights and democracy covers 2023. It highlights a worsening environment marked by multiple crises and conflicts, growing social inequalities, and increasing pressure on multilateral governance and rules-based international cooperation. During its April plenary session, the European Parliament is due to vote on its own yearly resolution on human rights and democracy ...

The EU's common foreign and security policy (CFSP) contributes to the Union's objectives of preserving peace, strengthening international security, promoting international cooperation, and developing and consolidating democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted its annual report on the implementation of the CFSP on 30 January 2025. Parliament will hold a debate and vote on the report during its ...

Ukraine is the second largest country on the European continent after Russia. Its oil, coal and gas reserves, as well as its geostrategic position, ensured its important role in energy trade, both during the Soviet Union and after its collapse. However, Russia's initial invasion of Ukraine (since 2014), followed by a full-scale war of aggression against the country, have had severe human and economic impacts. In the energy area, for example, Russia's strategy has been to weaponise (e.g. the occupation ...

The six countries that make up the region known as the Western Balkans differ in terms of size, population, economy, energy mix and energy import dependency. At the same time, they share common elements because of their geographical proximity, and – in some cases – common policies adopted in the past. An example is their ageing infrastructure dating back to the 1970s, which was damaged during the conflicts in former Yugoslavia. Another common element (except for Albania) is their reliance on solid ...

The energy system is a cornerstone of the United States (US) economy and competitiveness. The country's energy mix in 2022 was well-diversified, consisting of two thirds natural gas and oil, with the rest almost equal proportions of coal, nuclear and renewables. By using its vast reserves in fossil fuels and applying new extraction technologies, the US has managed to increase its fossil fuel production significantly over the past 10 years and, since 2019, it has become a net energy exporter for the ...