Olaf Scholz

The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) has marked a significant milestone in the nation's journey towards full integration into the Eurozone by finalizing the approval of the design for Bulgarian euro coins.

This crucial step underscores Bulgaria's readiness to adopt the euro as its official currency and represents a pivotal moment in the country's preparations for Eurozone membership.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Joe Biden urged U.S. lawmakers Friday to approve a long-delayed military aid package for Ukraine, warning that Kiev could not hold off Russia's invasion without it.

"The failure of the United States Congress in not supporting Ukraine is close to criminal neglect," Biden said as he hosted Scholz in the Oval Office.

"It is outrageous."

The White House launched a fierce pushback Friday against a brutal special counsel report portraying Joe Biden as elderly and forgetful, describing it as a political hit-job on the president in an election year.

NATO's secretary general called on Europe to increase its arms production to support Ukraine and prevent "potentially decades of confrontation" with Moscow, in an interview published by German media Saturday.

Day 709 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

In a captivating display of diplomatic finesse, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, armed with charm, and French President Emmanuel Macron, complemented by the allure of French hospitality, successfully brokered a breakthrough deal that convinced Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to agree to the European Union providing Ukraine with a substantial 50 billion euros in aid.

European Union leaders on Thursday overcame months of opposition from Hungarian leader Viktor Orban to agree 50 billion euros ($54 billion) of aid for Ukraine, in a move they hailed as a strong message to Russia.

Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov's strategic diplomacy at the European Council has yielded promising results as Bulgaria gears up for full acceptance into the Eurozone and Schengen by January 1, 2025.

Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Nikolai Denkov, stated in Brussels that the removal of land borders between Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece is not currently under political discussion. Denkov, who anticipates discussions with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Bulgaria's priorities during the European Council meeting, highlighted key topics such as Schengen land borders and the Eurozone.

Day 705 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours: