EU, Western Balkans boost partnership amid Ukraine war
December 6, 2022 GMTTIRANA, Albania (AP) — For the six Western Balkans countries aspiring to join the European Union, gaining full membership in the 27-nation club remains a distant goal.
Bio of Polish statesman holds lessons on today’s Ukraine
November 18, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — One hundred years ago, a revolutionary Polish patriot argued that Russia’s hunger for territory would continue to destabilize Europe unless Ukraine could gain independence from Moscow.
Analysis: Ukrainian liberation a powerful dynamic in war
November 14, 2022 GMTLONDON (AP) — Amid the death and destruction war leaves in its wake, there are powerful dynamics and narratives: domination, besieged populations, occupation and their counterparts, resistance, freedom and liberation.
Energy minister: Gas exploration starts off southwest Greece
November 10, 2022 GMTATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s energy and environment minister says U.S. energy giant ExxonMobil has begun prospecting for natural gas off the coast of southwestern Greece, kicking off a delayed project as Europe seeks alternative energy sources due to the war in Ukraine.
Rights activist, archaeologist, architect honored in Spain
October 28, 2022 GMTOVIEDO, Spain (AP) — The Polish editor-in-chief of one of Eastern Europe’s most popular newspapers on Friday urged those who believe in democracy to defeat the Russian president in his invasion of Ukraine and warned against the rise of “populism, nationalism and authoritarianism” in the West.
Belarus lists military unit members among 625 ‘extremists’
October 28, 2022 GMTTALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Authorities in Belarus on Friday added 625 people with alleged ties to “extremists” to a list that prohibits them from holding public office and other activities, further ramping up pressure on the beleaguered opposition.
Europe’s energy crisis raises firewood prices, theft fears
October 27, 2022 GMTCHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — Tudor Popescu swings his ax down on a log, then feeds the split wood into a stove that heats his home in the capital of Moldova. As the nights turn chilly, the stack of firewood has been growing higher around him — his provisions for the coming winter.
Romanians protest cost of living in latest European action
October 20, 2022 GMTBUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Several thousand protesters in Romania joined an anti-poverty march Thursday in the capital to express dismay over the rising cost of living, marking the latest protest in Europe over high prices and pay that workers say has not kept pace with inflation.
German foreign minister urges caution in China relationship
October 18, 2022 GMTBERLIN (AP) — Germany must avoid repeating with China the mistakes that it made in its relationship with Russia over recent years, the German foreign minister said Tuesday.
Annalena Baerbock said Germany must face up to a “competition of systems" between countries that believe in international law and cooperation and authoritarian regimes.
Zelenskyy to publish book of wartime speeches in December
October 17, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — A collection of wartime speeches by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, featuring an introduction written by the Ukrainian president, will be published Dec.
Venezuela, SKorea, Afghanistan lose vote for UN rights body
October 11, 2022 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — Venezuela, South Korea and Afghanistan lost contested races for seats on the top U.N. human rights body in Tuesday by the General Assembly, which faced criticism for electing countries like Vietnam and Sudan, which have been accused of having abysmal human rights records.
Macron at Europe’s center stage with new summit initiative
October 7, 2022 GMTPRAGUE (AP) — Smile flashing, giving a thumbs-up, Emmanuel Macron appears at Europe’s center stage again — literally.
The photo of over 40 European leaders surrounding the French president Thursday ensured a symbolic image of unity of the continent faced with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, making the inaugural summit of the European Political Community an initial success for Macron, who launched the idea a few months ago.
Europe hails united stand over Russia’s war in Ukraine
October 6, 2022 GMTPRAGUE (AP) — Leaders across Europe hailed on Thursday their united front against Russia’s war on Ukraine at a summit that also saw the heads of old foes Turkey and Armenia meet face-to-face for the first time since they agreed last year to put decades of bitterness behind them.
Jerzy Urban, spokesman for Polish communist govt, dies at 89
October 3, 2022 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Jerzy Urban, a spokesman for Poland's communist-era government in the 1980s who masterminded state propaganda and censorship for the regime in the final years before its collapse, has died.
9 NATO members urge support for Ukraine after annexation
October 2, 2022 GMTPRAGUE (AP) — The heads of nine European NATO members on Sunday issued a joint statement backing a path to membership for Ukraine in the U.S.-led security alliance, and calling on all 30 NATO nations to ramp up military aid for Kyiv.
Welfare group reports severe breaches on Romanian fur farms
September 29, 2022 GMTSIGHISOARA, Romania (AP) — In a dingy basement, chinchillas bred to provide the fashion industry with their fur bite the wire of cages that are stacked floor-to-ceiling with no natural light, as their babies struggle across the wire-mesh floors.
Lights out, ovens off: Europe preps for winter energy crisis
September 26, 2022 GMTFRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — As Europe heads into winter in the throes of an energy crisis, offices are getting chillier.
History’s bookends: Putin reversed many Gorbachev reforms
September 1, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — One stood for freedom, openness, peace and closer ties with the outside world. The other is jailing critics, muzzling journalists, pushing his country deeper into isolation and waging Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War II.
Mikhail Gorbachev, who steered Soviet breakup, dead at 91
August 31, 2022 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — Mikhail Gorbachev, who set out to revitalize the Soviet Union but ended up unleashing forces that led to the collapse of communism, the breakup of the state and the end of the Cold War, died Tuesday.
‘Pre-bunking’ shows promise in fight against misinformation
August 24, 2022 GMTSoon after the Russian invasion, the hoaxes began. Ukrainian refugees were taking jobs, committing crimes and abusing handouts. The misinformation spread rapidly online throughout Eastern Europe, sometimes pushed by Moscow in an effort to destabilize its neighbors.
Western leaders salute Ukraine on its Independence Day
August 24, 2022 GMTWestern leaders pledged unwavering support for Ukraine as the war-ravaged country marked its Independence Day on Wednesday, coinciding with the six-month milestone of Russia’s invasion.
UK shows Ukraine solidarity with sunflower display
August 23, 2022 GMTLONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Boris Johnson has decided to show Britain’s solidarity with Ukraine by saying it with flowers on Tuesday.
The outgoing U.K. leader created an arch of sunflowers — Ukraine’s national flower — outside his Downing Street office to commemorate the eastern European nation’s independence day on Wednesday.
Rare earths processor buys rights to mine in Greenland
August 23, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — One of the world’s few rare earths processors outside China has bought exploration rights to mine in Greenland, opening an avenue for diversifying supplies of the minerals critical for advanced and green technologies.
In sign of support, US bombers fly over Dubrovnik, Balkans
August 22, 2022 GMTDUBROVNIK, Croatia (AP) — A pair of U.S. Air Force B52 strategic bombers on Monday flew low over the Croatian resort of Dubrovnik and three other NATO-member states in the region as a sign of support amid the Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Latvia, Estonia leave China-backed East Europe forum
August 12, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Latvia and Estonia say they have left a Chinese-backed forum aimed at boosting relations with Eastern European countries, in what appears to be a new setback for China's increasingly assertive diplomacy.
Spain’s PM offers support for North Macedonia’s EU candidacy
July 31, 2022 GMTSKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has offered North Macedonia his country’s full support for integration into the 27-nation European Union.
Sanchez held talks Sunday with North Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski in the capital of Skopje, ahead of the last stop on his Western Balkan tour, visiting Albania on Monday.
Spanish PM Sanchez opens Balkan tour with visit to Serbia
July 29, 2022 GMTBELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Spain's prime minister on Friday kicked off a tour of the Western Balkans with a visit to Serbia, offering his country's support for the integration of the volatile region into the European Union.
Liz Truss, a Margaret Thatcher fan at UK’s diplomatic helm
July 20, 2022 GMTLONDON (AP) — Fans of Liz Truss think she is the new Iron Lady.
Britain’s foreign secretary is one of the two final contenders to replace Boris Johnson as Conservative Party leader and prime minister.
Putin, in Tehran, gets strong support from Iran over Ukraine
July 19, 2022 GMTTEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin won staunch support from Iran on Tuesday for his country’s military campaign in Ukraine, with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei saying the West opposes an “independent and strong” Russia.
Jill Biden, Ukraine’s first lady meet again, this time at WH
July 19, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Jill Biden and Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, met again Tuesday, this time at the White House, following up after their first-ever meeting in eastern Europe on Mother's Day.
Russia’s information war expands through Eastern Europe
July 15, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — As bullets and bombs fall in Ukraine, Russia is waging an expanding information war throughout Eastern Europe, using fake accounts and propaganda to spread fears about refugees and rising fuel prices while calling the West an untrustworthy ally.
Bulgaria will still repair Ukrainian military equipment
July 15, 2022 GMTSOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria’s defense capabilities will not be seriously affected by Moscow’s decision to suspend Russian helicopter repair certificates to local companies, the defense minister said on Friday.
Ukraine plays special role in France’s Bastille Day parade
July 14, 2022 GMTPARIS (AP) — The war in Ukraine has even shaken up Bastille Day, a powerful political, historical and symbolic event in France.
France celebrated its national holiday Thursday with thousands of French troops marching down the Champs-Elysees Avenue in Paris alongside allies from Eastern Europe.
Ukrainian soldiers train in UK as war with Russia rages on
July 10, 2022 GMTLONDON (AP) — The first cohort of Ukrainian soldiers, many of whom have no previous military experience, have arrived in the U.K. for combat training as the eastern European nation races to replace troops killed and wounded in the war against Russia.
Slovenia: Court strikes bans on same-sex marriages, adoption
July 9, 2022 GMTLJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — A top court in Slovenia ruled that bans on same-sex couples getting marrying and adopting children are unconstitutional in the small European country and ordered its parliament to amend the law within six months to guarantee they can.
Spain boosts military spending to close gap with NATO goal
July 5, 2022 GMTBARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain is increasing military spending as it works toward meeting a NATO commitment by dedicating 2% of gross domestic product to defense, the government said Tuesday.
Dior does folklore in Paris couture, riffing on Ukraine art
July 4, 2022 GMTPARIS (AP) — Images of traditional embroideries and floral paintings adorned the walls of Dior’s celebrity-laden runway homage to Ukraine as Paris' four-day Couture Week kicked off Monday.
The set, from Ukrainian artist Olesia Trofymenko, was the starting point for designer Maria Grazia Chiuri who returned this season to the atelier’s needle-and-thread.
Biden, NATO to beef up force posture amid Russian aggression
June 28, 2022 GMTMADRID (AP) — President Joe Biden opened his three-day visit to a NATO summit Tuesday by pledging to beef up the American military presence in Europe as he denounced Russia’s Vladimir Putin for trying to “wipe out” Ukrainian culture in the ongoing war in eastern Europe.
Moldova, tiny, poor and bordering Ukraine, gets EU candidacy
June 23, 2022 GMTSIGHISOARA, Romania (AP) — The European Union announced Thursday that it has granted EU candidate status to Moldova, a poor non-NATO Eastern European country bordering war-torn Ukraine, which likely won’t enjoy the perks of full bloc membership for years to come.
Russia’s war on Ukraine will shape the Czech EU presidency
June 15, 2022 GMTPRAGUE (AP) — Russia's invasion of Ukraine and what Europe must do to counter the consequences of that have become the key task for the Czech Republic’s upcoming presidency of the 27-nation European Union.
Hoeven: North Dakota farmer out jail, remains in Ukraine
June 2, 2022 GMTFARGO, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota farmer who had been jailed in Ukraine since November has been released from custody, yet still remains in the eastern European country, Sen. John Hoeven said.
Hoeven said work continues in regards to “fair treatment and safety” of Kurt Groszhans, who was arrested on charges he plotted to assassinate Ukraine’s then-agriculture minister, Roman Leschenko.
US general: No need to add ground forces in Sweden, Finland
May 27, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Sweden and Finland's push to join NATO won't require adding more U.S. ground forces into either country, the U.S. general nominated to take over European Command told senators Thursday.
Moldova’s ex-president placed under 30-day house arrest
May 26, 2022 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — A court in Moldova placed former President Igor Dodon under 30-day house arrest on Thursday as he faces an investigation into suspected treason, corruption, illicit enrichment and illegal party financing.
UK’s Prince Charles visits Ukrainian refugees in Romania
May 25, 2022 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Britain's Prince Charles traveled to Romania's capital Wednesday to visit refugees, mostly women and children, from Russia’s war in Ukraine who have found safety in the neighboring Eastern European country.
Hungary proposes removing Russian oil embargo from EU agenda
May 25, 2022 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — European Union efforts to impose an embargo on Russian oil faced more roadblocks Wednesday as Hungarian officials said they would not back the plan in its current form and recommended removing the topic from the agenda of an EU leaders' summit next week.
Moldovan ex-president detained in treason, corruption probe
May 24, 2022 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — A former Moldovan president was ordered detained following a series of police raids Tuesday as part of a judicial investigation into suspected treason, corruption, illicit enrichment and illegal party financing, prosecutors said.
Cannes: Transylvania-set ‘R.M.N.’ probes a ubiquitous crisis
May 22, 2022 GMTCANNES, France (AP) — Cristian Mungiu's Cannes Film Festival entry “R.M.N.” is set in an unnamed mountainous Transylvanian village in Romania, but the conflicts of ethnocentricity, racism and nationalism that permeate the multi-ethnic town could take place almost anywhere.
Former Polish dissident, editor wins top Spanish award
May 11, 2022 GMTMADRID (AP) — A former Polish dissident and human rights activist who is editor-in-chief of one of Eastern Europe’s most popular newspapers has won a prestigious Spanish award.
The jury that decides the Princess of Asturias Awards announced Wednesday that Adam Michnik won its annual prize for communication and humanities.
Crucial NATO decisions expected in Finland, Sweden this week
May 10, 2022 GMTSTOCKHOLM (AP) — Key decision-makers in non-aligned Finland and Sweden are set to announce their positions on NATO membership this week in what could be a serious blow to Russia as its military struggles to make decisive gains in Ukraine.
Biden signs Ukraine bill, seeks $40B aid, in Putin rejoinder
May 10, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Washington sought to portray a united front against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan measure to reboot the World War II-era “lend-lease” program, which helped defeat Nazi Germany, to bolster Kyiv and Eastern European allies.
Biden signs Ukraine bill, seeks $40B aid, in Putin rejoinder
May 10, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Washington sought to portray a united front against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Monday as President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan measure to reboot the World War II-era “lend-lease” program, which helped defeat Nazi Germany, to bolster Kyiv and Eastern European allies.
Jill Biden brings thanks, ketchup to US troops in Romania
May 6, 2022 GMTMIHAIL KOGALNICEANU AIR BASE, Romania (AP) — Delivering good cheer — and gallons of ketchup — Jill Biden on Friday thanked U.S. troops deployed to Romania for serving as a check against Russian aggression as she opened a two-country European trip to learn about the refugee crisis caused by Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Sunflowers: Popular, native and, for some, newly meaningful
May 3, 2022 GMTThe annual sunflower (Helianthus annus) has a long history in North America, with evidence of its cultivation for food, ceremonial and medical use by Native Americans dating back to at least 1,000 B.C.
Push to arm Ukraine putting strain on US weapons stockpile
May 3, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The planes take off almost daily from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware — hulking C-17s loaded up with Javelins, Stingers, howitzers and other material being hustled to Eastern Europe to resupply Ukraine’s military in its fight against Russia.
House passes military lend-lease bill to speed Ukraine aid
April 28, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. House gave final passage Thursday to legislation that would streamline a World War II-era military lend-lease program to more quickly provide Ukraine and other Eastern European countries with American equipment to fight the Russian invasion.
Slovenia’s populist leader loses power as trend continues
April 25, 2022 GMTLJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Only a few months ago, Robert Golob was virtually unknown in politics, didn’t belong to any party, but had a clear goal: to remove Slovenian right-wing populist Prime Minister Janez Jansa from power and stop a democratic backslide in the tiny Alpine state.
Far from home, Ukrainian refugees pray at Easter for peace
April 24, 2022 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Far from home and unsure when or even if they will ever get back, Ukrainians displaced by war gathered at churches across Eastern Europe on Sunday to celebrate the Orthodox Easter holiday in safety and to pray for an end to the fighting with Russia.
Florida woman gets 12+ years prison for ‘child modeling’
April 13, 2022 GMTTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida woman described as a bookkeeper for international “child modeling” websites that sexually exploited young Eastern European children has been sentenced to more than 12 years in prison.
Yellen: Russia’s invasion will have ‘enormous repercussions’
April 6, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned a House panel Wednesday that Russia’s aggression in Eastern Europe will have “enormous economic repercussions in Ukraine and beyond.” She added that the rising price of energy, metal, wheat and corn that Russia and Ukraine produce "is going to escalate inflationary pressures as well.”
Top general urges more US troops in eastern Europe
April 5, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The United States should look at the development of more bases in Eastern Europe to protect against Russian aggression, but rotate forces through them rather than make permanent deployments, the top U.S military officer told Congress on Tuesday.