Next, the European newsletter Today that every Sunday morning tells you what will happen in the European week to come, edited by Alfonso Bianchi (for comments, suggestions or criticisms write to [email protected]).
At the top of the agenda
Increase defense expenses – The theme of the increase in the expenses for the armaments will return will also be this week at the center of the Agenda in Brussels. This time the discussion will not be on the table of the EU leaders but to NATO, for the ministerial meeting to be held on Thursday 13 and Friday 14 at the headquarters of the alliance. The expenditure of European members and Canada has already increased by 20% in 2024, compared to the previous year, said the secretary general Mark Rutte, but is not enough.
Go from 2 to 5 percent – NATO members are facing a new pressure from the President of the United States, Donald Trump, to dizzying the expense for armaments. In 2014, alliance members granted themselves on the objective of spending 2% of the gross domestic product but since then only 23 of the 32 members have achieved this goal. Trump asked that the level of expenditure be brought to 5%, a level that no NATO country, including the United States, currently reaches.
On Ukraine the ball passes to London – The United Kingdom of Keir Starmer will take the leading the contact group for the defense of Ukraine, the so -called Ramstein group, after the United States have left the presidency of the assembly which includes 57 countries, 35 NATO members and 25 no. The news, welcomed with concern in Kiev, looks like another sign of Donald Trump’s hallway in the war with Russia.
London summons a meeting – The group will meet on Wednesday 12 in Brussels for a meeting called up on the initiative of John Healey, secretary of state to the defense of the government of Keir Starmer. The United Kingdom was in absolute figure the second supplier to the world of economic aid (and military in the first place) to Ukraine from the beginning of the war, almost three years ago, but remains largely behind the USA.
Zelensky in Munich – Of Ukraine we will also speak at the Monaco conference, which will be held from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 in the German city. The event will also be attended by President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Vice -President of the United States, JD Vance, and the special correspondent for Ukrainian and Russia of Washington, Keith Kellogg, should also participate.
Weimar Plus – How to continue supporting Ukraine will also be discussed on Wednesday 12 February in Paris in a meeting of the Weimar Triangle countries (Germany, France and Poland) in the Plus format, therefore expanded to another nations including Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom . A delegation of the United States may also be present.
Other hot themes
The commission’s work program – Wednesday 12 President Von der Leyen will present the 2025 work program of the European Commission in Strasbourg, which lists the new proposals of this year, the outstanding dossiers and expected withdrawals. The document, one whose draft was published by Euctiv, contains 46 initiatives, including 24 legislative changes and 22 non -legislative proposals as well as a total of 120 pending practices, as well as 31 proposals that will be subjected to evaluations and suitability controls.
The future of the AI – In Paris on Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 almost 100 nations, including the United States and China, will meet to discuss the safe development of artificial intelligence at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit. Interventions by Alphabet managers, Microsoft and dozens of other companies are planned. The representatives of the governments should meet some CEO on Monday and on Tuesday there should also be a meeting with Sam Altman, CEO of Openai, the chatgpt manufacturer,
The friends of the Balkans – On Monday 10 in Rome the ministerial meeting on Western Balkans will be held, in which there will be safety and enlargement. The foreign ministers of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Northern Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia will meet those of the group “Friends of the Western Balkans” (Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia, Greece and Slovenia). At the meeting there will also be the tall representing EU Kaja Kallas, and the commissioner for enlargement, Marta Kos.
Kosovo at the polls – Today (Sunday 9 February) the Kosovari will go to the polls for elections that will be a judgment on the four -year mandate of the outgoing premier Albin Kurti. If Kurti is ahead in the polls, the opposition is approaching and Trump’s envoy for the “special missions” Richard Gnelell criticized the outgoing government thus inviting the citizens of the country to support his challengers.
Frictions with Serbia – Kurti guaranteed stability to the country, guiding the first government that completed an entire mandate since the country declared its independence in 2008. He strongly defended the sovereignty of the nation, often clashing with Serbia and criticizing its influence in region. The main challengers of Kurti are the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Bedri Hamzae the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), led by Lumir Abdixhiku.
European Parliament
Parliament meets in plenary session in Strasbourg
Lagarde in the classroom – On Monday 10 the President of the ECB Christine Lagarde will discuss with the MEP of the State of European and World Economic Affairs and on the activities of the European Central Bank. The day after the classroom he will adopt his recommendations for the Frankfurt Institute on the issues he should give priority.
Three years of war – Tuesday 11 deputies will discuss the impact of the War of Russia by Vladimir Putin against Ukraine who has continued for three years now. Ruslan Stefanchuk, president of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, will turn to the MEPs in a solemn session.
A year from Navalny’s death – Wednesday 12 leaders of the political groups will make statements on the state of the democratic opposition in Russia, a year after the death of Alexii Navalny took place on February 16, 2024. Parliament has adopted a resolution that believes the Russian state, and in particular President Putin, head of death.
The future of Gaza – of the future of Gaza and Palestine, after the announcement of Trump to want to take control of the strip to make a resort, will discuss the deputies on Tuesday 11 with the Presidency of the Polish Council and the Commission in a debate on the EU strategy for The Middle East. The debate should analyze “all the steps necessary for the solution of the two states and the strengthening of partnerships with the main regional actors”.
Trump’s duties – Tuesday 11 deputies will discuss with the Commission and the Presidency of the Polish Council of the future of commercial relations between the EU and the USA, in light of the recent threats to impose duties against Europe by the President of the United States Trump.
The war in RDC – Tuesday 11 deputies will discuss the conflict and the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (RDC) where the bloody offensive of the M23 rebel group continues, supported by Rwanda. Thursday 13 will also vote for a non -legislative resolution.
Georgia moves away – Thursday 13 deputies will vote for a resolution that underlines the further deterioration of the political situation in Georgia. The country has just approved a close to the right of protest which, according to Brussels, will compromise “significantly the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of meeting and freedom of the media”. The high representative Kallas spoke of “serious setback for the democratic development of Georgia”.
EU Council
Development – Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 in Warsaw in Poland, a country with the Presidency on duty of the EU, an EU for informal development. The main objective of the meeting is to address the issues relating to current humanitarian and EU’s development policies, as well as the strategic challenges for the future.
