European Union

European Council President Charles Michel made an effort to open Russian President Vladimir Putin's eyes to his country's losses in Ukraine and to the effect of sanctions in a phone call on Friday (22 April).

The unilateral closing of the border between France and Germany from March to June 2020, decided by the German government without any consultation with the French regional and national authorities, has been experienced as a traumatic moment, amplified by the mistrust and hostility that has developed among citizens on both sides of the border.

With the EU’s plan for Ukraine’s recovery in the making, the president of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Werner Hoyer warned that the country’s reconstruction will require huge investments from both public budgets and private capital.

New research suggests that the main cause of mental health decline during the COVID-19 pandemic was social distancing rules.

While the EU is still waiting for the European Commission to propose a common framework on promoting farming practices that help remove carbon from the atmosphere, Slovakia has charged ahead and drawn up a new land-use climate fund.

A Russian general declared on that Moscow wants to seize all of southern and eastern Ukraine, as it presses on with a new offensive after its campaign to capture the capital Kyiv collapsed last month.

Five European lawmakers from the Greens lodged a lawsuit against the European Commission for not fully disclosing its Covid vaccine contracts with the pharmaceutical industry. The commission says it is in "the business of respecting contracts."

Le Pen has switched from talk of Frexit to talk of primacy of French law — but her softer language masks just as hard an attack on the EU project as ever.

There are just two candidates left to choose from in French elections Sunday: Macron and Le Pen. But a third figure, Russia's Putin, also hangs in the air.

Details of how 'Bloody January' unfolded in Kazakhstan indicate Russia planned its intervention well in advance — and that puts Almaty in Putin's debt.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin will host Ukraine-focused defence talks with allies at Ramstein Air Base in Germany next week, the Pentagon said on Thursday (21 April).

The sombre moment of Russia's invasion of Ukraine requires that China and the EU put aside their differences and strengthen their cooperation on the green transition — even if doing so is difficult.

Written by Eric Pichon and Martin russell.

While the UN Human Development Index, which assesses progress in the standard of living, health and education, ranks Russia among the ‘very high human development’ countries, other data suggest a more nuanced reality.

Russia has gone from Soviet-era egalitarianism to extremes of wealth and poverty. Economic growth during the first decade under Vladimir Putin’s leadership slightly reduced the gap between rich and poor, but inequality is still higher than in most developed countries. Factors such as corruption and low taxes for the rich exacerbate the income gap. Free public healthcare and a relatively inclusive education system apparently mitigate inequality. However, many hospitals are ill-equipped, and universities struggle to compare with foreign counterparts.

Since 2014 and the invasion of Crimea, Russians’ living conditions have deteriorated. Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine and the imposition of Western sanctions is already placing a burden on the poorest members of Russian society, as prices increase and staple goods begin to run out. The social contract between Russians and Putin, often considered as one in which citizens ceded certain freedoms and civil liberties in exchange for stability and prosperity, is now under strain.

This briefing is partly based on and updates previous EPRS publications on socioeconomic inequality and on the education system.

Read the complete briefing on ‘Human development in Putin’s Russia: What the data tell us‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Russia’s 15-year-olds’ ability to use their knowledge and skills Public spending in Russia, Ukraine and the EU on health, education and the armed forces Official and perceived poverty in Russia: A huge gap Income and wealth inequalities in Russia and Europe in 2021 Income and wealth inequalities in Russia over time Total unemployment: Russia, EU and Ukraine (% of total labour force) Human Development Index scores for EU, Russia, Ukraine and the world GDP per capita and its annual growth in EU, Russia and Ukraine

Kosovo and Serbia have failed to agree on the issue of license plates, an issue that sparked unrest along the border in September 2021, after the deadline expired on Thursday, 21 April.

Committee and political groups’ meetings, Brussels

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

With the run-off vote for the French presidency taking place on Sunday, Europe is watching France with bated breath: the latest polls put the liberal incumbent Macron ahead of his far-right rival Le Pen, but his victory is by no means certain. Undecided and left-leaning voters will be crucial for the outcome. Commentators see the vote as decisive for the EU's future.