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Euractiv's Transport Brief brings you the latest roundup of news affecting the transport sector in Europe.

President Maia Sandu launched a campaign to promote an upcoming referendum on Moldova's push to join the European Union on Monday (18 March), calling on civil leaders to rally support for the country's accession to the 27-member bloc.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) could move one step closer to loosening its lending criteria to unlock more direct investment into defence as soon as Thursday (21 March), when it expects to get the final signal it needs from the European Union's 27 member states, Euractiv understands.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday (19 March) will try and convince European allies that President Joe Biden's administration is still committed to supporting Ukraine, even as Washington has essentially run out of money to continue arming Kyiv.

Famine is imminent and likely to occur by May in northern Gaza and could spread across the enclave by July, a UN-backed report said on Monday (18 March), after more than five months of war which have shattered the Palestinian territory and cut off supplies.

European liberal forces will be warming up for an electoral battle against Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a Wednesday (20 March) meeting to launch their joint "Renew Europe Now" electoral campaign platform in the hopes of mitigating the predicted loss of votes.

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about the Polish president's aides threatening to block the foreign minister's EU Defence Commissioner ambitions, Bulgaria risking to lose its pro-European government, and so much more.

Western governments lined up on Monday (18 March) to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin's reelection as unfair and undemocratic, while China, India and North Korea congratulated the veteran leader on extending his rule by a further six years.

Bulgaria risks losing its pro-European government if Boyko Borissov's GERB and We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB), the two main formations that have been negotiating a cabinet for over a week, fail to reach a deal by midday on Tuesday (19 March).

Romania will allow the training of Ukrainian pilots at its Fetești Air Base and the transit of military equipment that Finland donated to Ukraine, President Klaus Iohannis announced on Monday.

Czechia will propose banning imports of Russian and Belarusian grain from entering the EU at this week’s European Council, according to Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný.

As Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski began the process of recalling more than 50 foreign ambassadors, the president’s chief of staff warned that a lack of cooperation on foreign policy could lead to disapproval of Sikorski’s bid to head the new EU Defence Commissioner portfolio.

Former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont has expressed his willingness to be detained, albeit temporarily, if he returned to Spain after winning the snap regional elections on 12 May, his lawyer Gonzalo Boye said in an interview with a local radio station.

Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf affirmed his desire for peace during his speech on Monday at the NATO flag-raising ceremony in the Swedish parliament.

The bill to legalise cannabis in Germany is in danger of being delayed indefinitely due to significant opposition from the states, but Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is determined not to give up on his flagship initiative.

On this episode of the Today in the EU podcast :As the EU summit on 21 and 22 March looms, farmers take centre stage on the table of the discussions.

After weeks of disagreements, EU foreign ministers on Monday (18 March) agreed in principle to impose sanctions against Israeli settlers for attacking Palestinians in the West Bank and to add further sanctions on members of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

The European Parliament's ENVI committee is scheduled to convene today, 19 March, to discuss the new pharmaceutical framework and vote on the compromised text regarding the draft regulation and the revised directive.

Bulgarian health authorities are preparing to introduce permanent fast access for citizens to their health files via mobile phones, as a measure to combat widespread corruption and healthcare budget abuses.

Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke and MEP Tomislav Sokol have brought Europe's ambition to establish a European Health Data Space (EHDS) to a pivotal moment, with a provisional agreement empowering patients and researchers.