Macron pleases EU capitals, especially Russia’s neighbors – EURACTIV.com
The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe, thanks to on-the-ground reporting by EURACTIV’s media network. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.
Before you start reading today’s edition of Capitals, be sure to read the article EU-India trade talks gain momentum amid war in Ukraine written by Alexandra Brzozowski.
European news you deserve to read. welcome to Capitals by EURACTIV.
Editor’s note: a collective sigh of relief. Losing Emmanuel Macron, one of Europe’s few political poster artists, would have been a disaster. A presidency of Marine Le Pen would have been a blow for the EU in the same way as Brexit. This crisis was averted. Read more.
In today’s news from the capitals:
PARIS
For many different reasons, leaders across Europe hailed Emmanuel Macron’s victory in the second round of the French election. Most European leaders focused on the victory of democracy over the far right in their congratulatory messages. On the other hand, others reminded President Emmanuel Macron that he should pay more attention to social and ecological policies. Read more.
///
THE HAGUE
The Dutch will stop using Russian gas by the end of the year. The Netherlands plans to end its dependence on Russian gas by the end of 2022 by focusing on energy saving, sustainability and importing energy from other countries, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said. Climate Rob Jetten at a cabinet meeting on Friday, reports Dutch News. Read more.
///
BERLIN
Macron’s re-election could reduce Germany’s influence in Europe. The re-election of French President Emmanuel Macron has strengthened his vision of a sovereign Europe and could also reduce Germany’s political leadership potential within the EU. Read more.
NORDIC AND BALTIC
HELSINKI
Finland reduces electricity transmission from Russia. Finland has decided to restrict the ability to transmit cross-border connections to Russia because it fears cyberattacks and other forms of harassment if it applies to join NATO. Read more.
///
STOCKHOLM
Christian Democrat leader supported by the party after statements of riot. Christian Democrat (KD) leader Ebba Busch continues to enjoy strong support from her party despite her comments following the Easter riots which drew widespread criticism, including from the police union, reported TV4 station Nyheterna. Read more.
Sweden denies any involvement in Ukrainian reconstruction. Sweden and Ukraine have not reached an agreement on the reconstruction of the southern region of Mykolaiv, the Foreign Ministry wrote in a statement, denying the announcement made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Read more.
SOUTHERN EUROPE
ROME
Italy plans to send more heavy weapons to Ukraine. The government plans to adopt by decree a new military package that would allow it to send heavier weapons to Ukraine. Read more.
///
MADRID
The Catalan president issues an ultimatum to Madrid after a spy scandal. The pro-independence president of the Catalan regional government (“Generalitat”), Pere Aragonès, has issued an ultimatum to the Spanish government to shed light on the alleged spy case against dozens of pro-independence Catalan leaders, including himself, reported EFE, partner of EURACTIV . Read more.
VISEGRAD
PRAGUE
Commissioner Jourova expects a sixth sanctions package against Russia this week. European Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová said she expects the sixth sanctions package against Russia to be introduced as early as this week. Read more.
///
WARSAW
Poland’s prime minister is shaming Western Europe in a bloc-wide pro-Ukraine campaign. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has launched an EU-wide poster campaign to “raise the conscience of Europe” and discourage the West from cooperating economically with Russia, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna reported daily. Read more.
///
BUDAPEST
The Hungarian Ministry of Human Resources is appealing the court’s decision regarding missing data on the sale of ventilators. Hungary’s human resources ministry said it would appeal a recently lost case in the lower court against anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International in the public access to documents case, Telex reports. Read more.
///
BRATISLAVA
Slovakia turns to local uranium to reduce Russia’s nuclear dependence. Uranium mining in the east of the country could be a solution to reduce dependence on nuclear fuel supplies from Russia, said Economy Minister Richard Sulík. Read more.
BALKAN NEWS
SOFIA
Bulgaria is negotiating its gas independence from Russia. Bulgaria will be independent from Russian gas supply and the only issue to be resolved before signing an alternative supply contract is the price, the Bulgarian Democrat MP and deputy chairman of Parliament’s energy committee said on Saturday. , Ivaylo Mirchevon, in front of BNT. Read more.
///
ZAGREB
Croatia commemorates for the first time the Roma killed by the Ustashi during the Second World War. A group of Roma killed in the village of Hrastina by Croatian Ustasha units on April 24-25, 1945 were first commemorated at the Marija Gorica cemetery on Sunday. Read more.
///
A Russian plane arrives in Belgrade via Bulgaria. A Russian Ilyushin-Il-96-300 passenger plane flew from Sochi to Belgrade via Bulgaria on Sunday morning, despite the country officially closing its airspace to Russian planes in February, Belgrade television N1 reported. Read more.
///
TIRANA
Albania is considering gasification with a price of 4 billion euros. Amid the global energy crisis, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, Albania is working to diversify its energy sources, including introducing gas and wind power, the former expected to cost up to $4 billion. euros to implement. Read more.
AGENDA:
- Czech republic: Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský visits the United States to discuss Russian aggression against Ukraine.
***
[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Alexandra Brzozowski, Daniel Eck, Benjamin Fox, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson]