Leyen

EU leaders face a decisive choice on how to finance Ukraine’s war effort at a crunch summit this week, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urging capitals to agree a plan to tap frozen Russian assets. “There is no more important act of European defense than supporting Ukraine’s defense. The next days will be a crucial step for securing this, it is up to us to choose how we fund Ukraine’s fight,” von der Leyen told lawmakers ahead of the meeting, underscoring the pressure on leaders to unlock long-term…

BRUSSELS — European Union leaders reached an overnight agreement to ban imports of Russian gas by autumn 2027, a landmark step aimed at severing a major revenue stream for Moscow and marking, in the words of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, "the dawn of a new era" of energy independence from Russia. The compromise, struck between EU capitals and the European Parliament, sets a staggered timetable: long-term pipeline contracts will be prohibited from Sept. 30, 2027 — provided EU gas storage levels are…