Europe News Digest (16-31 March, 2025)

India-EU FTA Talks: Progress on Dispute Settlement, Stalemate on Rules of Origin

Amid rising protectionism globally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, had announced that both sides would aim to conclude the free trade agreement by the end of 2025. In the first round of trade deal negotiations between India and the European Union after the EU College of Commissioners’ visit to India last month, both countries made considerable progress in agreeing on the norms that will guide dispute settlement under the pact but failed to make a significant breakthrough on rules of origin, which help determine the national source of a product. The two parties have been negotiating the agreement since July 2022 and have held ten rounds of talks. The next round is set to start on May 5 in New Delhi. During the negotiations, a particular focus was given to chapters related to market access. For the first time, sectoral sessions took place, examining specific industries such as automotives and medical devices from a holistic perspective, addressing all obstacles impeding market access, including tariffs, rules of origin, and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). Click here to read... [2]

We're keen to join India-Middle East-Europe Corridor: Egypt's Trade Minister

Egypt's Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Hassan El-Khatib, on Wednesday said his country is keen to join the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEE Corridor), positioning the country as a vital link in this ambitious trade network. El-Khatib highlighted Egypt's trade infrastructure and strategic location as compelling reasons for its inclusion. Trade corridors are always welcomed, and we feel our location is unique, El-Khatib said, explicitly signalling Egypt's interest in the IMEE Corridor. The minister emphasized that Egypt's participation would enhance the corridor's efficiency, leveraging the Suez Canal described as by far the most cost-effective trade corridor in history and a newly developed inland network linking the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. Click here to read... [3]

German Parliament Passes Historic Debt Reform, Paving the Way for Higher Defense Spend

Germany’s Bundestag on March 18 voted in favour of a major fiscal package, with 513 votes in favour and 207 votes against. The reforms include changes to the long-standing debt brake rule and a 500-billion-euro ($548 billion) infrastructure and climate fund. As it involves changes to the constitution, the package needs a two-thirds majority in parliament, as well as in the Bundesrat, which represents the country’s states, to pass. Under the proposed new laws, defence and certain security expenditures above a certain threshold would no longer be subject to the debt brake, which limits how much debt the government can take on and dictates the size of the federal government’s structural budget deficit. Loans taken on as part of the infrastructure fund would also be exempt from the debt brake, while Germany’s states would also have greater flexibility around debt. Click here to read... [4]

Protests Break out in Turkey Despite Ban

Police in Istanbul have used tear gas and rubber bullets against demonstrators in a second night of disorder after the arrest of the Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu - despite a four-day protest ban being in place. Imamoglu - a member of the secular Republican People's Party (CHP) and a key rival of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - was set to be named as a presidential candidate for the 2028 presidential elections later this week. On March 19, he was one of 106 people held on charges including corruption and aiding terrorist groups. Since then, authorities in Turkey have arrested dozens of people for "provocative" social media posts. Responding to the protests, Turkey's President Erdogan accused his political opponents of theatrics for taking part in a second night of demonstrations. Click here to read... [5]

Erdogan Calls Turkey Protests ‘Evil’ as Unrest Continues

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has blamed opposition political parties for provoking a "movement of violence", as protests in the country which started on March 19, continue. Unrest began in Istanbul when the city's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Erdogan's main presidential rival, was detained on corruption charges. Unrest had with protesters fired on with tear gas and rubber bullets. Imamoglu, also suspended from his post as mayor, said the allegations against him were politically motivated, a claim denied by Erdogan. Large numbers of riot police accompanied protesters around Istanbul's city hall on March 24, as crowds chanted and waved Turkish flags. Vehicles carrying water guns were also seen close by, though protests appeared to be largely peaceful with no repeat of the fierce clashes. In figures released, the Turkish government said 1,133 people had been arrested since the protests started. In an earlier televised statement, Erdogan labelled the demonstrations "evil" and blamed opposition political parties for "disturbing the peace of our citizens with provocations". Click here to read... [6]

Ukraine, Russia to hold talks with US officials in Saudi Arabia

US may shuttle between sides in drive to achieve quick deal Trump wants, as Moscow sends ex-spy to lead negotiations. Ukraine will have a delegation in Riyadh on the same day the US is holding ceasefire talks there with a Russian negotiating team led by a secretive former FSB chief who played a key role in planning Vladimir Putin’s 2022 full-scale invasion. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said the delegation would meet with US representatives on March 24 and supply a list of energy infrastructure that would be off-limits for strikes by the Russian military. The US representatives would then meet the Russian negotiating team. The Ukrainian announcement indicates the US could shuttle between the two sides to try to achieve Donald Trump’s goal of a quick ceasefire. Following separate phone calls with US President Donald Trump, the Ukrainian and Russian leaders both agreed in principle to a pause in attacks on energy infrastructure. Click here to read... [7]

Ukrainian and US Officials Hold ‘Productive’ Ceasefire Talks in Riyadh

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov announced on March 23 that talks between US and Ukrainian delegations in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, were "productive and focused" and with "key points including energy" addressed. In a post on social media platform X, Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation, emphasised that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's goal is to “secure a just and lasting peace" for Ukraine and Europe at large, claiming, "We are working to make that goal a reality." The talks come a day before US officials are set to meet with Russia's delegation. US President Donald Trump said that efforts to stop further escalation between Russia and Ukraine were “somewhat under control”. He’s also stated that he hopes the Riyadh talks offer a breakthrough to finally bring the more than three-year war to a close. Click here to read... [8]

Canada's New PM Carney goes to Paris and London to Shore up Support Among European Allies

Canada's new Prime Minister Mark Carney has decided to travel to Paris on his first official visit seeking to shore up support from one of Canada's oldest allies as US President Donald Trump continues to attack Canada's sovereignty and economy. The trip to meet French President Emmanuel Macron will be followed by a visit to London, where he will speak to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III — who is also Canada's head of state. Carney deliberately chose the two European capital cities that shaped Canada's early existence, dodging Trump for now. During his swearing-in ceremony, he noted the country was built on the bedrock of three peoples, French, English and Indigenous. Carney said Canada is fundamentally different from the US and will "never, ever, in any way shape or form, be part of the United States." Since Trump came to office, he has imposed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium and repeatedly said he would make Canada the "51st state". Those moves have infuriated Canadians and sparked a call to boycott US products across the country. Trump has also threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products on 2 April. Click here to read... [9]

Russia and US Conclude Marathon Ukraine War Talks in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh

United States and Russian negotiators meeting in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, have concluded a 12-hour round of talks aimed at securing a partial ceasefire in Ukraine. After the talks with Russia, US officials are to hold more talks with Ukrainian negotiators. US President Donald Trump said that he expected to seal a US-Ukraine revenue-sharing deal on critical Ukrainian minerals soon and his administration was talking to Kyiv about the prospect of US firms owning Ukrainian power plants. US-Russia talks [10] were primarily focused on ending attacks on Black Sea shipping with a view to ushering in a broader ceasefire that would bring an end to the three-year Russia-Ukraine war. US officials had already met the Ukrainian team [11] a day before to discuss the protection of civilian and energy infrastructure, said Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who led his country’s delegation and called the talks “productive”. Click here to read... [12]

Ukraine and Russia Agree to Black Sea Ceasefire

Ukraine and Russia have agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea, the US has announced. In two separate statements released on March 25, the White House said that Kyiv and Moscow "have agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea". The development comes after three days of talks between the US and the two adversaries in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh. The meetings did not involve any direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials. In its almost identical readouts — one about Russia, the other about Ukraine — the White House confirmed that both countries also agreed to "develop measures" to "ban strikes against energy facilities". The Trump administration went on to reiterate that "the killing on both sides ... must stop". The language of both statements was largely identical, except one section, which said the US was committed to helping Ukraine "achieve the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian detainees and the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children". In the same section in the Russian readout, Washington's pledges included a promise to help restore Moscow's access to the world market for agricultural and fertiliser exports. Click here to read... [13]

Russia says Sanctions must be Lifted before Ukraine Maritime Ceasefire can start

Russia has said some Western sanctions must be lifted before it begins a maritime ceasefire with Ukraine. Within hours of the US announcing the two sides had agreed to halt strikes in the Black Sea in separate deals, the Kremlin said it would only take place once sanctions on a number of Russian banks were lifted. The demands include revoking sanctions on the state agricultural bank Rosselkhozbank and restoring the firms' access to the Swift international payment system. Overnight, Moscow launched a drone attack on the port city of Mykolaiv, Ukrainian officials said, with President Volodymyr Zelensky saying the strikes were "a clear signal" Russia did not want peace. After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU and its allies suspended access to Swift for a number of Russian financial institutions. The aim was for Russian companies to lose access to the normal smooth and instant transactions provided by Swift, disrupting payments for its valuable energy and agricultural exports. Reversing that decision would need EU approval, a step that would appear uncertain in light of recent European statements of support for Kyiv. Click here to read... [14]

Emmanuel Macron announces €2 Billion in Additional Military Aid for Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy on March 26 in Paris to prepare a summit of the 'Coalition of the Willing', a group of countries ready to provide Ukraine with long-term security guarantees. French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged an additional €2 billion in military aid to Ukraine. The announcement came during a press conference in Paris ahead of a high-stakes international summit on Ukraine's long-term security scheduled for March 27. The new package includes a range of military equipment, such as Milan anti-tank missiles, MICA missiles for Mirage fighter jets, Mistral air defence missiles, armoured vehicles, munitions, and drones. Click here to read... [15]

Macron's Defence Spending Plan Drives Open Political Divisions in France

French President Emmanuel Macron is spearheading an accelerating effort to reshape European security. He is taking the initiative just as the European Commission agrees on an €800bn plan to bolster European defence sovereignty in response to the rapprochement between Russia and the US, as well as US President Donald Trump’s increasing scorn towards both Ukraine and NATO. But as France's debate over military spending intensifies, political divisions mean the chances of finding consensus are increasingly slim. France currently allocates 2% of its GDP to its defence sector. Macron aims to raise defence spending up to 3.5% of the country’s GDP, a hike that would require an additional €30bn annually. Such a drastic increase would be a major challenge given the state of France's strained public finances. Macron’s ambition clashes with the government’s current goal of lowering France's budget deficit to 5.4% of its GDP by the end of 2025, down from around 6% in 2024. One proposal under discussion to finance France's increased military spending is a national loan, a measure last used to reduce state debt in 1993. Click here to read... [16]

Macron says France will order more Rafale Fighter Jets in Nuclear Deterrence Drive

French President Emmanuel Macron pledged on March 25 to increase orders for Rafale fighter jets and invest €1.5bn in an air base as part of the country's nuclear deterrence. The announcement came during a visit to the Luxeuil-les-Bains air base in eastern France, which is a key strategic site for the country's air force. "The world we live in is increasingly dangerous, and increasingly uncertain," said Macron, referring to the shifting global alliances. "Our country and our continent must continue to defend, equip, and prepare itself if we want to avoid war," he warned, referring to Russia's growing military threat. Two new Rafale squadrons will be established — totalling about 40 aircraft — at the Luxeuil-les-Bains base, which will receive €1.5bn of modernisation funding, Macron said. By 2035, Luxeuil-les-Bains will become the first base to host the next-generation Rafale fighter jets, which are equipped with a hypersonic nuclear missile. Macron has been spearheading the move towards a more robust common European defence framework in recent weeks. The French president has said he is ready to use France's nuclear arsenal to defend Europe. Only France and the UK have their own nuclear weapons on the continent. Click here to read... [17]

European Union tells 450 Million People to Stockpile Food, Supplies, amid Risk

The European Union has urged its citizens to stockpile enough food and other essential supplies to sustain them for at least 72 hours if crisis happens, the European Commission has said. “In case of extreme disruptions, the initial period is the most critical,” the document says, setting out possible scenarios, from war to cyber-attacks and deadly disease to climate-driven floods. The Commission stressed the need for Europe to shift its mindset and cultivate a culture of “preparedness” and “resilience”. Brussels wants to ensure every citizen is equipped for 72 hours of self-sufficiency as fears mount over the threat of continental conflict. EU citizens will be instructed to stock up on a dozen key items as part of their "resilience" kit. These include matches, ID documents stored in a waterproof pouch, bottled water, energy bars and a flashlight. Click here to read... [18]

"Europe Can Defend Itself, We Have to Prove It": Zelensky Ahead of Key Summit

French President Emmanuel Macron on March 27 hosted a summit of European leaders and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky aimed at boosting Ukrainian security ahead of any potential ceasefire with Russia. The meeting is seeking to set out what security guarantees Europe can offer Ukraine once there is agreement on a ceasefire to end the over three-year war, including the possible deployment of military forces by a so-called "coalition of the willing". "Europe can defend itself. We have to prove it," Zelensky said on social media ahead of the talks. Twenty-seven heads of state and government, including British Premier Keir Starmer and Italy's Giorgia Meloni, were attending the summit, which began with a family photo before the start of several hours of talks. Macron was due to hold a news conference in the afternoon and other leaders were expected to hold their own briefings. Click here to read... [19]

'Putin Seeks to Divide US, Europe': Zelenskyy Asks Washington to Take Tough Stance on Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to “divide" Europe and America, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a European summit in Paris on March 27. “He really wants to divide Europe and America, Putin really wants that," Zelenskyy said, adding Kyiv wants Washington to be “stronger" towards the Kremlin. He also criticised “dangerous signals" on the possibility of lifting sanctions on Russia imposed over its invasion of Ukraine. “The signals that we have heard from Saudi Arabia or from that direction about sanctions, about the possible lifting… These are very dangerous signals," Zelenskyy said at a press conference after a summit of Kyiv’s backers in Paris. Click here to read... [20]

Greenlandic Lawmakers form Broad Coalition to Resist US Pressure on the Eve of JD, Usha Vance Visit

Greenlandic lawmakers agreed on March 27 to form a new government, banding together amid pressure and renewed threats from US President Donald Trump to annex the Danish crown Arctic nation. Four of the five parties elected to Greenland’s Parliament earlier this month have agreed to form a coalitional that will have 23 of 31 seats in the legislature. The agreement is set to be signed on March 28, according to local media. The agreement comes as Trump ramps up and intensifies his efforts to gain control of the Arctic Island “one way or the other”. Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the Demokraatit party – the biggest party in parliament – has been intent on forming a broad coalition. Since his centre-right party’s surprise victory in the 11 March election, Nielsen has argued that an urgent coalition is vital to resist US pressure. Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede has slammed the Vance’s intended trip, calling it “very aggressive”. Click here to read... [21]

Russia’s Putin says North Korea, BRICS should join Ukraine Ceasefire Talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine could be placed under a “temporary administration” as part of a peace process that could include help from North Korea and other Moscow allies, according to Russian state media. Speaking to a group of servicemen in Russia’s northern port of Murmansk, Putin laid out several provisions for a peace process to end the three-year war launched by Moscow in February 2022, according to Russia’s state news agency, TASS. Among Putin’s many suggestions were a call for new elections in Ukraine and the “signing of key accords” once the country is under international administration, TASS said. “In principle, of course, a temporary administration could be introduced in Ukraine under the auspices of the UN, the United States, European countries and our partners,” Putin was quoted as saying. “This would be in order to hold democratic elections and bring to power a capable government enjoying the trust of the people and then to start talks with them about a peace treaty,” Putin said. Click here to read... [22]

Trump 'Very Angry' and 'Pissed Off' at Putin over his Questioning of Ukraine's Leadership

Washington has dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal that Ukraine should be put under temporary UN control, according to reports. Putin said this could be done until a "competent" government is elected, amid further talks on a ceasefire and long-term peace that would end Moscow's ongoing full-scale invasion, now in its fourth year. US President Donald Trump has said during an interview that he is "very angry" and "pissed off" with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the latter criticised the leadership of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The US president also added that Putin's comments were “not going in the right location.” Trump also said during the interview that “If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault — which it might not be — but if I think it was Russia’s fault, I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia.” It was a significant change of tone towards Russia by Trump, who said he would be speaking to Putin during the coming week. Click here to read... [23]