European Union nations that border Russia or are located near the Russian border will flesh out proposals to boost their defence and security, Finland's prime minister said ahead of a summit in Helsinki on Tuesday.

Leaders of eight easternmost European Union nations are gathering in Helsinki on Tuesday to plot a roadmap for how to secure as much funding as possible for building up defenses against Russia.

The European Union on Friday indefinitely froze Russia’s assets in Europe to ensure that Hungary and Slovakia, both with Moscow-friendly governments, can’t prevent the billions of euros from being used to support Ukraine.

European Union leaders are gathering this week at the end of political year dominated by U.S. President Donald Trump

France is creating a last-minute hurdle for a major trade deal between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc.

France and Italy want stronger safeguards for farmers and are urging a delay to the EU vote on Mercosur, threatening a deal decades in the making.

Oil revenue is a key part of Russia’s economy, allowing President Vladimir Putin to pour money into the war effort against Ukraine without worsening inflation for everyday people and avoiding a currency collapse.

Cyprus joined the EU in 2004 as a war-divided island and could offer Ukraine a blueprint for accession. The island will take over the EU’s rotating presidency from Denmark on Jan. 1 and has promised to continue work on Ukraine’s bid.

China on Tuesday dramatically reduced tariffs on European Union pork imports worth over $2 billion in the final ruling of an anti-dumping investigation widely seen as a response to the bloc's duties on Chinese electric vehicles.

European Union officials are finalizing a major overhaul of its migration system, including streamlined deportations and increased detentions.

France is seeking to delay a European Union vote scheduled for this week on a free-trade agreement with some of the largest South American economies, saying that measures to protect the bloc’s farmers and consumers are insufficient.

The future of proposed EU “flagship” defence projects - including a counter-drone system initially called a drone wall - is in doubt as European Union leaders plan to snub a call to endorse them at a summit in Brussels next week.