EU politicians call Brussels summit a success
Latvia joins the euro. Croatia joins the European Union. Serbia enters EU accession talks and Kosovo expands its ties with the bloc. A sense of optimism ruled at the two-day EU leaders summit. READ MORE
Gazprom Tries to Discourage Europe to Use Ukrainian Underground Gas Storage Facilities
Gazprom’s Head Miller stated that Russia will never pump gas from into Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities (UGSF) whatever beneficial terms Kiev would suggest. It’s noteworthy that on the eve Gazprom decided to grant Ukraine 1 billion USD as the advance payment for the transit which shall be used to purchase gas for UGSF. READ MORE
Lithuania: Small country with a big job
As of July 1, the affairs of the European Union will be in Lithuania's hands. It's the first time that the small Baltic nation takes over the presidency of the European Council, and major tasks await. READ MORE
Why the Absence of Climate Change at the G8 Summit is No Big Deal
The G8 Summit agenda is as good a snapshot as any of the preoccupations of the global elite. Over the past few years, the summits offered opportunities for the leaders of world’s largest industrialized economies to reflect — and occasionally even to commit to new actions — on international terrorism, the global financial crisis, and other issues of the moment. So what does it mean when an important topic is dropped from the official agenda, as happened last week in Northern Ireland when climate change failed to make the cut? READ MORE
Irish minister: Presidency restored Ireland's reputation in Europe
The public in Ireland is proud of what has been achieved under Ireland's presidency of the EU Council after some tough years. For the Irish people, the presidency has given them a newfound sense of pride and restored a tarnished reputation, says Lucinda Creighton. READ MORE
Ukraine – EU agreement 'in the balance'
Signing the EU-Ukraine association agreement in November hangs in the balance, Poland’s foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski said after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg. READ MORE
"Turkey-EU relations exponentially decelerated especialy after Gezi Park protests"
JTW team held an interview with USAK Center for European Union Studies expert Mustafa Kutlay, analyzing the Gezi Park protests as regards to the Turkey-EU relations. Kutlay stated that EU’s remarks concerning the Gezi Park protests are not particularly resulted from Turkey’s stance. He stressed that this issue is linked with the fundamental rights and freedoms which are assured in the EU’s legal texts. READ MORE
Germany blocks Turkey's EU accession talks
Germany blocked the next step in the European Union's membership talks with Turkey over Ankara's crackdown on anti-government protests. Berlin blocked the decision to open a new chapter in the long-running accession talks because “there are still open questions,” Associated Press reported, referring to a diplomat from an EU nation. READ MORE
East in the European Union Context
Annual Summits of the states of Central and Eastern Europe gather the leaders of the countries of the region, which has the potential of not only consolidating role, but also to help Europe to find its place in the world after crisis. Such meetings are the only consultation forum of regional character, uniting the states located between Baltic Sea, Black Sea and the Adriatic, by this independently of that whether they are NATO, European Union, Euro zone or not. That is why they represent important international events, for example, two years ago in Warsaw, where 20 heads of the states were present. The US President Barak Obama was an honorable guest. READ MORE
