Euobserver.com

Germany and the US have urged Russia not to recognise the sovereignty of self-declared republics in Ukraine, in line with a call by the Russian parliament.

The rise of anti-LGBTI rhetoric by officials in Europe seen as part of a global effort by nationalist-conservative politicians to make political gains by scapegoating LGBTI people.

The stark gap in Covid-19 vaccination rates between Europe and Africa is likely to feed into the EU-AU summit negotiations. But a patent waiver still looks like a no-go for Europe.

MEPs in the civil liberties committee are pressing to ban so-called Golden Passports and Golden Visas, often purchased by wealthy foreigners to obtain citizenship and national residency rights in the EU. "Golden passports undermine the essence of EU citizenship and should be phased out," they said in a statement. People implicated in financial crimes are among those who have bought into the so-called citizenship by investment schemes.

For many politicians in France, Europe is in the midst of a no-holds-barred culture war in which the real enemy is not Russia or China but with emboldened woke fighters on a mission to demolish the "European Way of Life."

The Brussels-based European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) warns the software could lead to an unprecedented level of intrusiveness into citizens' private lives and shake the foundations of a free-thinking society.

KLM-Air France has stopped flights to and over Ukraine, with other European carriers expected to follow after US warnings of potential aggression by Russia. "We won't fly to Ukraine for obvious reasons," KLM-Air France's UK and Ireland manager Fahmi Mahjoub told the BBC on Monday. British Airways flights to Asia were already bypassing Ukraine. Lufthansa was considering a suspension. KLM's Flight MH17 to Malaysia was downed over Ukraine in 2014.

The European Commission said it has plans to handle the fallout from a conflict in Ukraine. "There is nothing specific and detailed that we can share beforehand, just that we will be ready for anything," said a commission spokesperson, who added that the EU executive's plans covered a scenario involving a significant number of refugees. EU member states Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania border Ukraine.

Russia's envoy to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov has changed his line on new Russian military intervention in Ukraine. Russia would attack if "they start blatantly killing Russian citizens anywhere - Donbas [east Ukraine]," Chizhov told The Guardian on Monday. "Russia has never said it intends to do that [protect Russians abroad] by military means," Chizhov told EUobserver when asked, in December, what might trigger a fresh Russian incursion in Ukraine.

In a sign the plan has a measure of momentum, Senegal's interior minister has given a "green light for technical discussions," the European Commission confirmed.

EU states rehearse how to handle a cyber-strike on hospitals and power plants by a Russian-style adversary.

Wednesday's court ruling could be a victory for EU attempts to ensure member states abide by basic legal standards. And it would hugely ramp up political pressure on the EU Commission to act.

Democratic Western countries should not make things even more difficult for Ukraine - a constant high-level diplomatic presence there would be a true show of solidarity.

EU leaders will meet their African counterparts at the sixth AU-EU summit and the European Court of Justice will decide on a key rule-of-law tool.

Energy giants have seen a huge surge in profits while consumers are facing prices going through roof, and there's anger and concern among progressive MEPs and green groups.

Negotiations on the climate and energy elements of a new EU-AU partnership have been on a rocky path ahead of this week's summit, and there hasn't been enough attention on increasing climate impacts in Africa,

Germany and Nordic countries among EU states urging nationals to leave Ukraine after dire US warning.

The EU has urged non-essential staff at its embassy in Kyiv to leave amid heightening tension with Russia.

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Senegalese president Macky Sall unveiled a €150bn plan investment plan for Africa, but in some quarters, Europe's charm offensive is not going well.

The EU wants to "scale up" its military presence in Africa, but with strings attached on human rights, and amid broader concern on gender and sexuality values.