In Slovakia, our grassroots movement helped oust a neo-Nazi. We can do it again | Alexandra Bitušíková

Austria has suggested that the EU should consider resuming Russian gas imports if a peace deal is reached regarding the Ukraine conflict, marking a notable stance among member states. The European Commission plans to propose a ban on new and existing gas contracts with Russia, emphasizing that returning to Russian gas would financially support the Kremlin and undermine sanctions efforts. Need More Context? 🔎

US President Donald Trump left the G7 summit early, citing Middle Eastern issues, and avoided new sanctions on Russia, while European leaders discussed trade agreements. Former EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker defended his freeze on EU enlargement, emphasizing the need for a new approach to candidate countries, amid ongoing tensions regarding Hungary's controversial retail tax. Need More Context? 🔎

Spotify founder Daniel Ek is spearheading a €600 million investment in the German defence tech start-up Helsing, raising its valuation to €12 billion amid increasing global military spending due to geopolitical tensions. Helsing, which is expanding from AI software to creating drones and submarines, has now raised a total of €1.37 billion and aims to go public in the future. Need More Context? 🔎

Former European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker criticized his successor Ursula von der Leyen for not personally addressing Donald Trump's trade war, emphasizing that active engagement is essential for a successful deal. He noted that while Trump's hostility is more pronounced now, effective strategies, such as targeted negotiations and respect, are crucial to manage the ongoing trade tensions, which have escalated with the threat of new tariffs on EU imports. More Context

The European Commission plans to propose an EU-wide ban on all new Russian gas contracts, circumventing potential vetoes from Hungary and Slovakia by using trade law, allowing the ban to pass with majority approval. Existing contracts will need to be phased out by 2026-2028, with Hungary and Slovakia receiving an exemption until 2027, while measures will require companies to prove gas imports do not originate from Russia. More Context

Proposed EU safety regulations for chemicals may hinder the growth of a domestic critical minerals sector essential for the energy transition, according to industry groups including Anglo American and Rio Tinto. They argue that stringent rules could deter investment and deepen reliance on China, jeopardizing Europe's 2030 targets for mineral extraction and processing while warning that current policies may lead to further deindustrialization. More Context