Fermi Energia's investment decision is contingent on the state guaranteeing a price difference compensation mechanism for the nuclear plant, similar to the one used for wind farms.

At the Estonian Olympic Committee's regular general assembly, former Estonian Athletics Association president Erich Teigamägi was elected the organization's president for the next two years.

The most popular choice for Estonia's next prime minister is Urmas Reinsalu, the latest poll by NGO Ühiskonnauuringute Instituut and the research firm Norstat has found.

The Riigikogu on Wednesday passed amendments to the law that will require police to warn drivers about mobile speed cameras in the future.

Fermi Energia's investment decision is contingent on the state guaranteeing a price difference compensation mechanism for the nuclear plant, similar to the one used for wind farms.

Attorney-at-law Kristjan Tuul has asked the Ministry of the Interior to initiate an oversight procedure into the Estonian Internal Security Service (ISS) over its alleged practice of obtaining the contents of email inboxes without a legal basis or court authorization.

Ukraina president Volodõmõr Zelenskõi ja Slovakkia peaminister Robert Fico arutasid Ukraina Euroopa integratsiooni, energiakoostööd ja ühiseid jõupingutusi rahu saavutamiseks, edastas uudistekanal Ukrinform.

Šveits alistas jalgpalli maailmameistrivõistlustel B-alagrupi kohtumises Bosnia ja Hertsegoviina 4:1, kusjuures kõik väravad löödi teisel poolajal.

A refinery and a shopping centre burned after almost 200 Ukrainian drones struck an area to the south-east of the Russian capital.

The US defence secretary's move follows a US decision to scale back its commitments to a high readiness force within the alliance.

Analysis showed how much the UK could have grown if it had not exited the EU.

Some insist on splitting the bill, others say the asker should pay, while many still see a man paying as romantic.

BRUSSELS — The EU’s communication with the Kremlin has provoked a furious backlash among some European governments, which complained they weren’t informed. European Council President António Costa’s chief of staff, Pedro Lourtie, twice over the past few weeks contacted officials in Moscow as the EU looked for ways to restart negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. With U.S.-led attempts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine appearing deadlocked, European capitals have been divided over how much to prioritize diplomacy over helping Ukraine to win on the battlefield. As a summit of EU leaders got under way in Brussels on Thursday evening, it became clear that many governments were unaware of the initiative. Some said they opposed it happening at all, according to five diplomats with knowledge of the discussions. The disagreement risked overshadowing a gathering that began on a positive note with leaders buoyed by the signing of a provisional U.S.-Iran peace deal earlier in the week. The Baltic countries — Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia — in particular were “furious” about the Russia outreach, according to a European diplomat working on the issue. Several leaders learned about the calls only after they appeared in media reports and were angry about it, a further three diplomats said. The all spoke to POLITICO on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. The Costa team did inform Germany, France and the U.K. — known as the E3 — and the European Commission before the calls took place, one of the diplomats said. Two other diplomats, however, said Berlin had not been pre-warned. Justification Portuguese Lourtie, who has a reputation in Brussels as something of a dealmaker, addressed ambassadors from the EU’s 27 governments on Wednesday when news of the calls, first reported by Bloomberg, became public. While complaining that they had been leaked to the media, he justified them by saying they followed a direct request by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for Europe to get involved in the peace negotiations, according to another EU diplomat with knowledge of the meeting. Costa with chief of staff Pedro Lourtie before a March 2025 EU summit. | Thierry Monasse/Getty Images Lourtie didn’t confirm whether any further calls will take place but pledged to inform ambassadors if so, the diplomat said. The calls were with Putin’s national security adviser, Lourtie told the ambassadors, according to three of the diplomats. Russia doesn’t have a national security adviser, though Sergei Shoigu serves as the secretary of the Security Council, Yuri Ushakov is President Vladimir Putin’s chief foreign-policy aide and Nikolai Patrushev serves as his senior strategic adviser with significant influence over security policy. Who speaks for Europe? The disagreement also reflects wider tensions across the EU. Officials within the European Council and Commission have argued that any future contacts with Moscow should be conducted by an EU institution capable of representing all 27 member countries rather than by individual national leaders pursuing separate initiatives. The E3 format of Germany, France and the U.K. is pushing to lead negotiations in any future talks, telling other EU partners that they have already agreed this approach with Zelenskyy during a meeting in London earlier this month. “We need a format that is capable of taking action,” said a senior German official, adding that such a format would get its “legitimacy” from “involving the other European partners as closely and as trustingly as possible” as well as coordinating closely with Kyiv and Washington. Poland and Italy have also pushed for a role in the talks. Merz is hosting France’s Emmanuel Macron, the United Kingdom’s Keir Starmer, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Poland’s Donald Tusk in Berlin next Wednesday, discussions that diplomats say will likely include the question of dialog with Russia. The dispute underscores the challenge facing EU leaders as they seek to position the bloc in any future peace process involving Ukraine. While all governments agree that Europe should ultimately have a seat at the table, there is less agreement on how to get there — and who should be speaking on their behalf. Gabriel Gavin contributed reporting.

Polls are now closed in a by-election contest that could determine who becomes Britain’s next prime minister. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham hopes to become an MP — which would make him eligible to challenge Keir Starmer for the leadership of the ruling Labour Party. Burnham — whose achievements as a northern mayor have led to him being dubbed the “king of the north” — is unusually popular for a Labour politician among the British public, and also came out on top as Labour members’ preferred next leader in a Survation poll earlier this year. Burnham’s biggest rival in the contest is Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon, a local plumber, who came second in the seat at the last general election in 2024. But while the right-wing populist Reform tops national polls, the party’s hopes of taking the Makerfield seat have been dimmed by the strength of Restore Britain, a small party to Reform’s right. Defeating Reform UK in Makerfield would give Burnham credibility as a politican who can take on Reform leader Nigel Farage after Labour suffered heavy losses in local elections in May. But Starmer has insisted he will fight any challenge from Burnham. Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting has also made clear he will stand in any contest. If Burnham does win, Starmer’s cabinet will be closely watched for signs they could move against him in a bid to speed up an exit. POLITICO has all the latest as the Makerfield votes are cast, the result is declared, and its consequences unfold.

Mosque leader says he was arrested and detained by immigration authorities in retaliation for his Palestine advocacy.

All five goals were scored in the final 30 minutes as the match in Los Angeles erupted to life in the closing stages.

US defence secretary addresses allies in latest attempt to get Europe to raise military budgetsPete Hegseth has announced a review of the US military presence across Europe, in a combative address to Nato allies where he threatened to cut force numbers in countries spending the least on defence.The US defence secretary, speaking at a meeting of Nato defence ministers in Brussels, accused some countries of “free riding” and others of being shameful for not allowing their airbases to be used by US jets bombing Iran in the spring. Continue reading...

Former negotiator believes in an unstable world, it is ‘perfectly possible’ the UK can rejoin the EU with old opt-outsUK could keep special pre-Brexit terms if it rejoined EU, Michel Barnier saysA couple of years ago, Michel Barnier spent a weekend with Boris Johnson’s father, Stanley. It was not some ghoulish Brexit spin-off of The Traitors, but the result of the former EU negotiator’s wife, Isabelle, being a close friend of Johnson’s French cousin, Anne du Boucheron, the owner of Château de la Baronnière, a 19th-century estate in Mauges-sur-Loire, in western France.“We spent a weekend together in a French castle. Very friendly. Long promenades in the forest,” Barnier recalls of Johnson senior, with whom he discussed the former prime minister’s motivation to back Brexit. “It was interesting. Boris was much more European at the beginning. Even if he was critical. I don’t see it as a motivation but it is, perhaps, a method or attitude: to be pragmatic in some way. Cynical. Cynical to get power.” Continue reading...

Edi Rama defends controversial $4bn project that has triggered weeks of angry demonstrations

Draft report by European Commission aims to boost performance of lenders in bloc compared to US rivals