Josep Borrell

BRUSSELS - In a new draft declaration on preparations for a December 13 EU-Western Balkans summit, the EU calls for expediting the Western Balkans' accession to the bloc and urges Belgrade and Pristina to make swift progress on normalisation of relations and implement reached agreements without further delay or preconditions, including an agreement on the path to normalisation of relations and

Israeli troops are fighting the radical Palestinian movement "Hamas" in the heart of the largest city in the southern part of Gaza - Khan Younis. At the same time, thousands of displaced civilians sought shelter near Egypt and in the enclave's desolate coastal area. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of the danger of an "imminent total breakdown of law and order" in Gaza.

China said Wednesday European Union export policies towards Beijing do not "make sense", on the eve of a high-level summit in the Chinese capital.

European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen warned Tuesday, ahead of an annual EU-China summit, that Europe won't tolerate its soaring trade imbalance with China forever.

While the president of the European Commission stressed that EU states would prefer negotiations to a trade war she left an implied threat of protectionist measures on the table.

Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, arrived in Skopje on November 29, emphasizing North Macedonia's imperative to finalize constitutional amendments as part of its EU accession process.

The European Commission has proposed to revive high-level dialogue and deepen cooperation with Türkiye in the fields of trade, migration as well as visa facilitation and upgrading customs while underlining the latter's strategic importance to the European Union as a regional power.

He said that during the meeting he informed the ministers of foreign affairs of NATO member countries about the state of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and the situation in the Western Balkans.

The focus of the meeting will be the Russian war against Ukraine and the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The Secretary General of the Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, said before the meeting that the heads of diplomacy of the member countries will discuss the possibility of a permanent increase in the number of members of the KFOR mission in Kosovo.

Delegations from European Union member states and Middle Eastern and north African countries are meeting yesterday in Barcelona, Spain, to discuss the crisis in Gaza, where a fragile pause in fighting is set to expire.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also attended in meeting.

Bulgaria's Defense Minister, Todor Tagarev, has highlighted the country's potential as a significant ammunition producer relative to its population and economic stature. Foreseeing an extended conflict in Ukraine, Tagarev anticipates a growing demand for military stockpiles across EU nations, presenting a lucrative opportunity for Bulgaria's defense industry.