Tomorrow, 8 April, Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union, Maria Luís Albuquerque, will chair the seventh meeting of the High‑Level Group on Union Restrictive Measures (sanctions). These meetings assess the EU’s ongoing efforts to ensure that the unprecedented sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus, in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, achieve their objectives.In the morning, Commissioner Albuquerque will discuss with high-level representatives from Member States the coordination of the sanctions implementation and enforcement of sanctions, particularly in view of the latest geopolitical developments. The participants will share best practices, address current challenges, and secure pragmatic solutions.In the…
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Today, EU Sanctions Envoy, David O’Sullivan, convened the fifth Sanctions Coordinators Forum, gathering high‑level representatives from all EU Member States and a broad coalition of international partners (the UK, the US, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland). Representatives of the Government of Ukraine joined for a dedicated session. Commissioner Maria Luis Albuquerque, in charge of sanctions, opened the Forum by stressing the importance of continuing our close coordination with G7 partners – and beyond, to maintain the economic pressure on Russia. You can also take a look at Maria Luis Albuquerque’s statement.The Forum was an opportunity to take stock of the sustained impact of sanctions on Russia, noting…
Today the Zambia-Tanzania Interconnector was launched in Lusaka, Zambia, in the presence of Ministers of Energy from Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya, the EU Ambassador, the World Bank and the United Kingdom. This €268 million project of a 620 km interconnector will last five years (2025-2030) and will connect Southern and Eastern Africa’s power pools to enable cross-border energy trade, expand transmission capacity, and strengthen reliable power supply in Northern Zambia.It aims to address the risk to energy security and economic stability of the region for instance in the event of droughts and climate shocks, due to the lack of interconnectivity with…
Today, Commissioner Maria Luís Albuquerque, in charge of sanctions implementation, chaired the seventh meeting of the High‑Level Expert Group on Union Restrictive Measures.Unequivocal support to Ukraine is, and will remain, on top of the Commission’s priorities. EU sanctions have a clear objective – to weaken Russia’s economy and its ability to pursue its illegal aggression against Ukraine. In a fast‑changing geopolitical environment, proper implementation and consistent enforcement of the measures are crucial for their effectiveness. Today, high‑level representatives from Member States, alongside the Commission and the External Action Service, came together to discuss challenges in implementing sanctions, and to identify pragmatic solutions on enforcement. Member…
A U.S. delegation led by Sonata Coulter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Russia and Central Europe, met with a Russian delegation, led by Ambassador Aleksandr Darchiyev, on April 10 in Istanbul, Türkiye. This meeting is the second round of consultations since Secretary Rubio’s agreement with his Russian counterpart; the first took place February 27. Continuing the constructive approach established in the February 27 meeting, the U.S. and Russian delegations exchanged notes to finalize an understanding to ensure the stability of diplomatic banking for Russian and U.S. bilateral missions. The United States reiterated its concerns about the Russian Federation’s policy…
Leading global institutions and initiatives convened a roundtable in Geneva to discuss implementation of the Roadmap for Advancing Interoperability and Comparability of Sustainable Finance Taxonomies (Taxonomy Roadmap). Launched during COP29 in Azerbaijan last November, the initiative is a joint effort by the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBAR), International Finance Corporation (IFC), Sustainable Banking and Finance Network (SBFN), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the International Platform on Sustainable Finance (IPSF). Hosted by UNDP, the roundtable marked a key milestone in the implementation of the Roadmap, bringing together key organizations and initiatives working on sustainable finance taxonomies. In addition to the…
Today the first zero-emissions iron production facility in Africa, the HyIron plant, was inaugurated at the Hyron Oshivela Production site in the presence of the Namibia’s new President of the Republic Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the EU Ambassador, the Ambassador of Germany and the Namibian Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy. It marks Southern Africa’s very first production of green hydrogen and the first ever production of directed reduced iron (DRI). HyIron is a consortium comprising German and Namibian renewable energy and engineering companies. The plant is powered by advanced clean energy technology using the largest electrolyser in Southern Africa. This took place in the framework of the EU-Namibia strategic…
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau met with UK Permanent Under-Secretary Oliver Robbins today. The Deputy Secretary underscored the depth of the United States’ bonds with the United Kingdom, and the Trump Administration’s desire to continue to work cooperatively. Both stressed the importance of commercial and economic ties, and the need to ensure that both the government and the public in each country understands the other’s perspective. Source_link
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen during her visit to Washington, D.C. Secretary Rubio appreciated Finland’s contributions to European security, its decision to increase defense spending, and ongoing cooperation on icebreakers. The Secretary emphasized President Trump’s resolve to achieve an enduring peace in Ukraine and welcomed Finland’s support in realizing that goal. Source_link
The Commission and the Arab Republic of Egypt have successfully concluded negotiations on Egypt’s association to Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship research and innovation funding programme. The Agreement is expected to be signed by November 2025, with its entry into force subject to final validations by both parties.Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation said:”Egypt’s association to Horizon Europe will drive progress in key sectors like energy, food security, and digital transition, creating new opportunities for innovation.”Transitional arrangements will apply from today. This will allow Egyptian entities to apply for and be treated as “eligible entities” established in…