EU-Russia

Baltic shadow tankers: Growing threat to environmental safety and regional stability
Est. 5minThe alarming rise of unregulated "shadow" tankers transporting Russian oil through the Baltic Sea—an increase of 30% last year—poses a serious threat to the region's environment and safety. Experts warn that if this trend continues, environmental disasters are not just possible—they are inevitable.

Tusk joins ‘Visegrad Four’ in attack on Nord Stream 2
Est. 5minThe ‘Visegrad Four’ countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary) found a powerful ally at the EU summit which ended today (18 December) in the person of Council President Donald Tusk, who repeated most of their arguments against the Germany-favoured project.

Juncker recommends visa liberalisation for Ukraine, Georgia, Kosovo
Est. 3minEuropean Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Friday the EU should offer visa-free short-stay travel to the bloc for Ukraine, Georgia and Kosovo - all three locked in bitter disputes with Russia.

Borissov: I told Merkel Bulgaria plans pipeline similar to Nord Stream 2
Est. 3minJust before the start of the two-day EU summit today (17 December) Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov revealed his country too had plans to bring Russian gas to its borders - just like Germany, which plans an expansion of the Nord Stream pipeline.

Ukraine ‘ready to pay the price’ for trade pact with EU
Est. 3minUkraine is "ready to pay the price" for a trade deal with the European Union, President Petro Poroshenko said on Wednesday (16 December), after Moscow moved to restrict its own trade ties with Kyiv over the accord that is due to take effect on 1 January.

Russia warns Turkey following Aegean incident
Est. 2minRussia on Sunday (13 December) warned Turkey to stop staging what it called provocations against its forces in or near Syria, after one of its warships fired warning shots at a Turkish vessel in the Aegean to avoid a collision.

Poland receives first LNG delivery from Qatar
Est. 4minPoland is finishing preparations for liquefied natural gas deliveries which should go into fully commercial regime next year. EURACTIV Czech Republic reports.

EU leaders to clash over Nord Stream 2 at summit
Est. 5minEXCLUSIVE / The issue of Nord Stream 2 will be discussed at the 17-18 December EU summit, but the exchange is unlikely to go very far because the countries opposing the project use legal arguments which are not widely accepted, analysts told EURACTIV.

Russia shelves Turkish Stream pipeline project
Est. 3minMoscow has suspended the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project in response to Turkey shooting down a Russian jet in Syria, according to Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak.

Russia likely to curb Ukraine imports over EU pact
Est. 3minRussia is likely to penalise Ukrainian imports from January after EU-brokered talks failed to find a compromise yesterday (1 December), exactly a month before the launch of an EU-Ukraine free trade pact that Russia opposes.

Putin and Erdogan in war of words at Paris conference
Est. 3minTurkish President President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an said on Monday (30 November) that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, should resign if he is unable to prove accusations that Islamic State sells oil to Turkey.

Seven EU countries oppose Nord Stream
Est. 4minEXCLUSIVE/ Seven countries, all new members from Central and Eastern Europe, have rallied around the position that Russia's plans to double the capacity of its gas pipeline to Germany run counter to EU interests and risk further destabilizing Ukraine, EURACTIV has learned.

Putin and Hollande step up common efforts against Islamic State
Est. 4minNo broad coalition to fight Islamic State has emerged after talks between Russian President Putin and his French counterpart, François Hollande. But the two agreed to step up their cooperation as the basis for a possible alliance.

Erdogan fumes at Russia’s ‘restrictive measures’ after jet downing
Est. 5minTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an on Thursday (26 November) dismissed "emotional" and "unfitting" suggestions that projects with Russia could be cancelled following Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane near the Syrian border.

Russia and Turkey refuse to back down in row over jet downing
Est. 6minRussia sent an advanced missile system to Syria yesterday (25 November) to protect its jets operating there and pledged its air force would keep flying missions near Turkish air space, sounding a defiant note after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet.

Gazprom halts supplies to Ukraine
Est. 3minGazprom CEO Alexey Miller announced on Wednesday (25 November) that due to non-prepayment for gas, Russia has halted supplies to Ukraine, with which tensions are growing.

France halts push for Syria coalition with Russia
Est. 5minDuring a visit to the US yesterday (24 November), French President François Hollande abandoned plans to include Russia in an international coalition against Islamic State, following the Paris attacks, in which 130 people lost their lives.

Putin calls Turkey ‘accomplices of terrorists’ after Russian jet downing
Est. 3minRussian President Vladimir Putin called Turkey's downing of a Russian fighter jet today (24 November) a stab in the back administered by "the accomplices of terrorists," saying the incident would have serious consequences.

Steinmeier: Russia is serious about solution in Syria
Est. 4minRussia feels increasingly under threat from developments in the Middle East and appears to be serious about cooperating with the West to resolve the war in Syria, Germany's foreign minister said yesterday (22 November).

Crimea without power from Ukraine after electricity pylons ‘blown up’
Est. 3minCrimea was left without electricity supplies from Ukraine on Sunday (22 November) after pylons carrying power lines to the Russia-annexed peninsula were blown up the previous night.

Juncker opens the door to EU-Eurasian Union rapprochement
Est. 6minEuropean Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin this week, suggesting closer trade ties between the EU and the Russian-led Eurasian Union once a ceasefire is implemented in Ukraine.

East Europeans wary of Russia diplomatic thaw after Paris attacks
Est. 5minWith signs growing of a thaw between Moscow and Western capitals after the Paris attacks, some of Russia's neighbours fear that European resolve to keep up economic sanctions and military pressure over the Ukraine crisis may be waning.

US, Russia and EU should work together to combat ISIS, says Juncker
Est. 7minCommission President Jean-Claude Juncker has team up with French President François Hollande in seeking a 'rapprochement' with Russia to fight Islamic State, described by both as the biggest threat to the EU.

France and Russia fight as allies in Syria
Est. 7minFrance and Russia bombed Islamic State targets in Syria yesterday (17 November), punishing the group for attacks in Paris and against a Russian airliner that together killed 353 people, and made the first tentative steps toward a possible military alliance.