Germany urges EU expansion to counter Russia's influence
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has warned against Russian influence. She said that helping Western Balkan countries to join the European Union is a crucial part of countering the threat from Moscow.
Germany's foreign minister on Monday said smoothing the path to European Union membership was key to staving off the influence of the Kremlin in Eastern Europe.
Annalena Baerbock said the EU cannot afford to neglect areas like the Western Balkans and leave them exposed to Russian interference after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
What Baerbock said about Russia
"We cannot allow ourselves grey areas anywhere in Europe and must do everything we can together to close flanks that Russia can use for its policy of destabilization, disinformation, and infiltration," she said before heading on a trip to Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
"Taking the six states in the region under our wing on their way into the European Union has become a geopolitical necessity in light of Russia's brutal imperialism," Baerbock said before departing for the region.
Providing support for the countries could include "strengthening their democratic institutions, improving their resilience, and offering their people economic prospects", Baerbock said.
How close are the Western Balkans to EU membership?
The Western Balkans include the former Yugoslavian regions of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia, plus Albania.
Brussels is urging the countries to pursue the reforms needed to join the 27-member political and economic bloc. It views Montenegro as being the furthest along the path to accession, but the pace is slow.
Read Full Article:
India targets net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, says Modi
India’s economy will become carbon neutral by the year 2070, the country’s prime minster has announced at the COP26 climate crisis summit in Glasgow. The target date is two decades beyond what scientists say is needed to avert catastrophic climate impacts. India is the last of the world’s major carbon polluters to announce a net-zero target, with China saying it would reach that goal in 2060, and the United States and the European Union aiming for 2050.
COP26: What climate summit means for one woman in Bangladesh
China's carbon emissions are vast and growing, dwarfing those of other countries. Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. In 2020, China's President Xi Jinping said his country would aim for its emissions to reach their highest point before 2030 and for carbon neutrality before 2060. His statement has now been confirmed as China's official position ahead of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. But China has not said exactly how these goals will be achieved.
Why China's climate policy matters to us all
China's carbon emissions are vast and growing, dwarfing those of other countries. Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. In 2020, China's President Xi Jinping said his country would aim for its emissions to reach their highest point before 2030 and for carbon neutrality before 2060. His statement has now been confirmed as China's official position ahead of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. But China has not said exactly how these goals will be achieved.
Deliver on promises, developing world tells rich at climate talks
A crucial U.N. conference heard calls on its first day for the world's major economies to keep their promises of financial help to address the climate crisis, while big polluters India and Brazil made new commitments to cut emissions. World leaders, environmental experts and activists all pleaded for decisive action to halt the global warming which threatens the future of the planet at the start of the two-week COP26 summit in the Scottish city of Glasgow on Monday. The task facing negotiators was made even more daunting by the failure of the Group of 20 major industrial nations to agree ambitious new commitments at the weekend.