EU Council

Türkiye will reiterate its expectations from the European Union in regard to the modernization of the customs union and visa liberalization during EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations Oliver Varhelyi's visit to Ankara, the Turkish diplomatic sources have said.

The EU has made a significant decision to allocate profits from its frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine's self-defense and recovery efforts amidst ongoing Russian aggression. This announcement came from the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU, which is currently holding the rotating presidency.

Defense Minister Yaşar Güler has criticized Germany for imposing arms export restrictions on Türkiye, alleging that such actions amount to an embargo on NATO.

"Germany is our friend and ally. A NATO member is imposing an embargo on another," Güler said in an interview with daily Milliyet on May 12.

European Council President Charles Michel expressed Brussel's willingness to collaborate constructively with Türkiye, citing shared interests in fostering a stable environment in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

Ankara has criticized the European Union for linking Türkiye-EU ties to the Cyprus question, describing the move as another example of Brussels' lack of strategic vision on Türkiye and global developments.

The inaugural flight between Bulgaria and Romania post their Schengen accession took off from Sofia on schedule at 12:40 p.m.

Amid growing concerns over security threats posed by Russian aggression, Bulgaria and a coalition of 13 other European Union countries have urged the European Investment Bank (EIB) to bolster defense financing. The call, joined by powerhouse nations Germany and France, aims to enhance the bloc's defense capabilities in response to escalating tensions, as reported by Bloomberg.

Approximately 238,000 air pollution deaths could be avoided each year if the EU27 countries actually met World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for air pollution, according to figures from the European Environment Agency (EEA).

And more than 400,000 deaths could be avoided if particle air pollution could be avoided completely.

In a substantial protest on Thursday, farmers unleashed chaos near the European Parliament, pelting eggs and stones at the iconic building. The demonstration, fueled by grievances over taxes and escalating costs, turned volatile as fires ignited in the vicinity.

Switzerland has decided to eliminate passport checks at its airports for travelers flying to and from Bulgaria and Romania, following the European Union's recent move to admit the two countries into "air and sea Schengen".