Charles Michel

EU leaders on Wednesday weighed a response to suspicions of Russian meddling ahead of June elections in the bloc, with several states pushing for sanctions targeting "malign activities" by Moscow.

Brussels has issued escalating warnings about Russia sowing disinformation ahead of the polls, and seeking to weaken Western support for Ukraine as it fights off Moscow's invasion.

European leaders have reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to Ukraine, pledging urgent assistance to bolster the nation's defense capabilities. The assurances came during a high-level meeting in Brussels, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed European leaders via video link, highlighting the pressing need for enhanced security measures in the face of escalating tensions.

This article was produced by Tanjug in collaboration with European news agencies as part of the European Newsroom (ENR) project.

BRUSSELS - The EU leaders' decision to initiate negotiation talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) marked a historic moment for the country.

European leaders have unveiled a series of decisive measures aimed at bolstering support for Ukraine and strengthening the European Union's defense capabilities, following a high-stakes meeting chaired by European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

European Council President, Charles Michel, has publicly expressed gratitude to Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov for his dedicated service and significant contributions to Bulgaria's European integration efforts.

EU leaders on Thursday agreed to open talks with Bosnia on joining the bloc, though negotiations will only begin in earnest once the Balkan country has passed more key reforms.

"Congratulations! Your place is in our European family. Today's decision is a key step forward on your EU path," European Council head Charles Michel wrote on X, as leaders met at a Brussels summit.

Berlin is seeking to send a "positive signal" to Turkey about its ties with the European Union, with the inclusion of a paragraph to this effect in the conclusions of the ongoing summit in Brussels, Euractiv reported on Thursday.

Discussions are ongoing to decide whether EU-Turkey relations will be on the European Council's agenda at the two-day EU summit in Brussels starting Thursday. 

European Union leaders are convening in Brussels to address the escalating crisis in Ukraine and explore significant military and financial measures to bolster support for the country.

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.