Euractiv.com

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday (19 March) told the Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, to help Russian companies bust Western sanctions and expand their clout into new markets around the world.

Romania’s Constitutional Court on Tuesday rejected an appeal by two opposition parties seeking the constitutional annulment of legislation that decriminalises tax evasion of less than €1 million, provided the evader pays the amount owed along with a fine.

Far right Lega leader Matteo Salvini remarks over the Russian elections saying “when people vote they are always right” has caused turmoil in the right-wing coalition government with many estimating that Lega is struggling to find its political space in the coalition’s balance of power after the EU elections in June.

After less than a year with a regular government, Bulgaria is once again entering a spiral of political instability after the two largest formations in the parliament - Boyko Borissov’s centre-right GERB (EPP) and the centrist We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) - failed to agreeon forming a government.

The Special Prosecutor’s Office officially closed on Wednesday due to the government’s controversial reforms to the country’s criminal code, as investigators used their last day to bring charges against a close associate of Prime Minister Robert Fico.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday (19 March) warned that Ukraine's survival was in danger and sought to convince allies that the United States was committed to Kyiv, even as Washington has essentially run out of money to keep arming Ukrainian forces.

On Wednesday, the EU liberals will kick off their joint election campaign and present their three Franco-German lead candidates who will spearhead their campaign.

The foreign ministers of Czechia, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary – collectively known as the Visegrad Group (V4) – will hold diplomatic talks in Prague on Thursday despite sharply differing views on Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Russia is preparing for a conflict with NATO in the next decade, Poland’s top general, Wiesław Kukuła, said during a debate organised to mark the 25th anniversary of Poland’s accession to the world’s largest military alliance.

The European Union and the United Nations said Hong Kong's new national security bill was deeply worrying and could erode fundamental freedoms in the China-ruled city.

Portuguese police carried out 78 raids on Tuesday as part of Operation Maestro, targeting projects co-financed by EU funds that would have allowed suspects to make illegal profits of almost €39 million between 2015 and 2023, the Judicial Police, confirmed on Tuesday.

The European Union faces a ‘real and direct risk’ of increased ‘terrorist threats’ due to the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, warns an anti-terrorism report by Spain’s National Security Council (CSN).

As EU leaders face a tough call this week whether to move with the next steps for Ukraine and Moldova or risk a delay until after the EU elections, progress on Bosnia and Herzegovina is expected to complicate matters further.

German police have arrested two people suspected of planning a terrorist attack on the Swedish parliament in response to the Quran burnings that have taken place in the country in recent years.

Germany will send nearly 200 vehicles and 10,000 artillery shells worth €500 million to help Ukraine fight back against Russian aggression, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced on Tuesday.

EU member states on Tuesday (19 March) gave their green light to send EU satellites from US territory, in a last-ditch effort and extraordinary measure to save their programme, for lack of a European solution.

In this episode of the Today in the EU podcast we look at the ALDE congress and the launch of the Renew platform.

Speaking in Berlin on Tuesday (19 March), Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas warned against increasing reliance on state subsidies, as it posed the risk of taxpayers having to underwrite company losses, while profits were kept private.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz criticised the general lack of accountability of EU institutions on Tuesday (19 March), warning that not just national governments but also the European Commission and Parliament need to be held responsible by the public for policy choices.

In a decision made public on Tuesday (19 March), the European Commission announced its support for the Belgian bill aimed at banning the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes in the country.