European Union

EU leaders gather in Cyprus as Middle East tensions shape summit agenda - analysis

Cyprus is physically close to Israel and Lebanon and has close ties with Israel and Greece, with Cyprus-based PhileNews noting that “Thursday’s working dinner centers on geopolitical developments."

People walk beneath Cypriot and EU flags in Nicosia's Eleftheria (Freedom) square, April 16, 2003.
European Union flags flutter outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium Februrary 26, 2026.

EU focuses on electricity tax cuts, gas storage amid Iran war energy crisis

An EasyJet plane is refuelled ahead of takeoff at Southend Airport on April 17, 2026 in Southend, England.

IEA warns EU jet fuel shortages could begin in June as Hormuz stays blocked

 Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks during a press conference after attending a special summit of European Union leaders to discuss transatlantic relations following U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to impose new tariffs on goods from a list of EU countries over his demands

Spanish Prime Minister calls for EU to break Association Agreement with Israel


Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson calls out EU on international law violation claims

Baghaei was responding to an X/Twitter post by Kaja Kallas, who had written that "Under international law, transit through waterways like the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and free of charge."

IRAN'S FOREIGN Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei attends an interview, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 5, 2026.

EU to restore Syria relations, strengthen trade and security ties, document shows

Syria, which had most Western sanctions lifted at the end of last year, is seeking broader integration into the international community under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa hold a press conference at the Chancellery, in Berlin, Germany March 30, 2026.

Council of Europe criticizes Germany for being too strict with interpretation of antisemitism

Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty visited Germany in October 2025, during which he said he saw increasing pressure on democratic freedoms and undue restrictions on peaceful protests.

A woman crosses an overpass as in background can be seen one of the German flags flying on the Reichstag building that houses the Bundestag (lower house of parliemant) on November 27, 2025 in Berlin, Germany.

Israel loses Hungary as key EU ally as Viktor Orban exits power - analysis

With Orban’s departure from power following the recent elections, Israel is waking up to a starkly different European landscape.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reacts onstage as people applaud after the announcement of the partial results of parliamentary election in Budapest, Hungary, April 12, 2026.

France, Spain's anti-Israel bias push Israel-Europe relations to new heights

Relations with Europe began deteriorating when the current Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was sworn in as Israel’s most far-right coalition ever.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Jerusalem, October 24, 2023; file photo.

Hungary’s Orban concedes as Magyar’s Tisza wins big

Preliminary results, with 53.45% of votes counted, projected Magyar's Tisza party winning 136 seats in Hungary's 199-member parliament, compared with 56 seats for Orban's Fidesz.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban emerges after filling in his ballot at a polling station in Hungarian parliamentary elections on April 12, 2026 in Budapest, Hungary.

Rethinking risk: Why Israel is no longer the outlier - opinion

The world no longer behaves as we once knew. Europe is now under quiet but noticeable pressure and the Middle East is stable but can face sudden disruptions

Investors are beginning to ask where systems continue to function under stress.

Israel's pounding of Lebanon is 'deeply damaging', UK foreign minister says

Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also condemned Israel's "massive strikes" on Lebanon, stating that the country must be included in a ceasefire agreement.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper at the UN Security Council, New York, February 18, 2026; illustrative.

Netanyahu: Israel causing 'billions of dollars' of damage to Iranian infrastructure, scaring regime

Netanyahu also addressed the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that the US can “handle this by force. They can be bypassed by diverting the energy pipelines from Iran to Israel via Saudi Arabia.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visit at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, February 26, 2026.

EU to assess Iran war impact on gas supplies at emergency meeting

The EU's gas coordination group includes representatives from member state governments. It monitors gas storage and security of supply in the EU and coordinates response measures during crises.

 EU flags are seen outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels