European Union

The Taliban said they wanted peaceful relations with other countries and would respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law, as they held their first official news briefing since their lightning seizure of Kabul.

Solar power supply in the European Union during June and July rose to a record high in 2021, accounting for 10% of total electricity produced in the region, a report by independent climate think-tank Ember said on Wednesday (18 August).

The European Commission has set aside three million euros in urgent funding for aid groups to help victims of a deadly 7.2-magnitude quake that struck Haiti at the weekend.

The EU issued a declaration on the latest momentous developments in Afghanistan.

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday (17 August) called on the Taliban to prevent Afghanistan from lapsing back into being a breeding ground for terrorism, and said the Western defence alliance has agreed to send additional evacuation planes to Kabul.

The frugal alliance stands to gain very little if their campaign for premature fiscal consolidation following the pandemic succeeds, but they risk exposing the entire EU to serious political and economic consequences, writes Anna Peychev.

As the planet heats up and extreme weather events become more devastating and frequent, Europe’s armed forces and their capabilities will increasingly be challenged as well, argues Lukas Trakimavičius.

Greece does not want to become the entry point into the European Union for Afghans fleeing the escalating conflict in their homeland, Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said on Tuesday, calling for a common EU response to the crisis.

Thousands of people have converged on Kabul airport in a desperate attempt to board planes leaving the country. Video footage shows people running alongside the aircraft and even clinging to them as they take off. The evacuation flights of Western countries had to be suspended after several people died doing this. Journalists stress that people are desperate and predict that a wave of refugees from Afghanistan will soon reach Europe.

In the US, criticism of Joe Biden is growing following the events in Kabul. Republicans, as well as a number of Democrats, are accusing him of uncoordinated action. However, the withdrawal itself has hardly been called into question, which is also reflected in opinion polls among US citizens. Will the US president's reputation be permanently damaged by the images from Kabul airport?