Section: European Voice (EU)
In the Baltics, waiting for history to start up again
VILNIUS, Lithuania — A large plaque located in a central square in Lithuania’s capital city enshrines a phrase uttered by U.S. President George W. Bush during a visit in 2002: “Anyone who would choose Lithuania as an enemy has also made an enemy of the United States of America.†It’s a...
Theresa May seeks price of Trump friendship
LONDON — Theresa May knows what she wants from Donald Trump, but doesn’t yet know the price. The U.K. prime minister arrives in the United States Thursday vowing to reboot the special relationship with the new administration and eager to start work on a U.S.-U.K. trade deal. But even before she had landed, costs were...
Kosovo, Serb dispute threatens to derail Balkan peace
MITROVICA, Kosovo — The European Union is stepping in between squabbling Kosovar Albanians and Serbs, fearing that a new dispute could undo nearly two decades of efforts to stabilize the southern Balkans. EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini this week will try to get leaders of Serbia and Kosovo to defuse a dispute over a...
Russia foreign ministry: Date for Trump-Putin call being finalized
A spokesman for Russia’s foreign ministry said Monday that his government expects to finalize a date soon for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first phone call with President Donald Trump since his inauguration last week. On a conference call with reporters that was reported by Reuters, Russian foreign ministry spokesman...
US spies fear allies will stop sharing intel under Russia-friendly Trump
Now that Donald Trump is officially its commander-in-chief, America’s foreign allies are being forced to grapple with a highly sensitive question: Is it still safe to share information with U.S. intelligence agencies? The global spy community — a fractious world where friends, frenemies and sometimes enemies often enter...
Germany urged to confront combat reluctance in Trump era
PARIS — Germany must be prepared for stronger involvement in military operations as Donald Trump will pressure Europe to shoulder more of the defense burden, a senior French MEP and security specialist warned. In recent interviews Trump repeated his campaign assertion that the NATO alliance is “obsolete” and European allies need to...
Martin Schulz’s long goodbye
So long, farewell, auf Wiederse… Make that, see you Monday. Perhaps no figure in the history of the European Parliament has had as many ceremonial, valedictory events as Martin Schulz, the recently-departed Parliament president. There was a news conference in late November when he announced his decision to leave Parliament and return to...
UK chancellor: Donald Trump creates more uncertainty than Brexit
U.K. Chancellor Philip Hammond said Friday that Donald Trump’s presidency will create “an even bigger piece of uncertainty” for the EU than Brexit, Reuters reports. In a discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Hammond said: “Anything that changes the settled status quo of a Europe that lives with Russia as a neighbor, but lives...
UK defense minister: We’re still on Ukraine’s side
Britain’s Defense Secretary Michael Fallon has assured his country “stands firm†with Ukraine in its conflict with Russia following fears incoming U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration will back Moscow in the ongoing dispute. Fallon, who is on a two-day visit to Kiev, said Britain will support...
Britain weighs costs of Trump embrace
LONDON — As she readies Britain for its divorce from the European Union, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May has little choice but to extend the hand of friendship to Donald Trump. The inauguration of the new American president on Friday presents Britain with opportunities that previously looked unachievable. A rapid trade deal with the...
