BRUSSELS — The European Union’s environment ministers struck a deal watering down a proposed 2040 target for cutting planet-warming emissions and set a new 2035 climate plan. Following marathon negotiations all day Tuesday and into Wednesday morning, ministers unanimously approved the bloc’s long-overdue climate plan, rescuing the EU from the international embarrassment of showing up empty handed this month’s COP30 summit. The plan, which is a requirement under the Paris Agreement, sets a new goal to slash EU emissions between 66.25 percent and 72.5 percent below 1990 levels until 2035. That plan is not legally binding but sets the direction of EU climate policy for the coming five years. The range is similar to an informal statement that the EU presented at a climate summit in New York in September. Ministers also adopted a legally-binding target for cutting emissions in the EU by 85 percent by 2040. The deal mandates that another 5 percent reduction be achieved by outsourcing pollution cuts abroad through the purchase of international carbon credits. On top of that, governments would be allowed to use credits to outsource another 5 percentage points of their national emissions reduction goals. Ministers also backed a wide-ranging review clause that allows the EU to adjust its 2040 target in the future if climate policy proves to have negative impacts on the EU’s economy. The deal also foresees a one-year delay to the implementation of the EU’s new carbon market for heating and car emissions, which is set to start in 2027. Hungary, Slovakia and Poland did not support the 2040 deal, while Bulgaria and Belgium abstained. The rest of the EU27 countries backed it. Lawmakers in the European Parliament now have to agree on their own position on the 2040 climate target and negotiate with the Council of the EU before the target becomes law. 

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music Beim EU-Gipfel trifft Friedrich Merz auf die Realität europäischer Politik und auf die Blockade des belgischen Premiers Bart De Wever. Der Streit um die Nutzung eingefrorener russischer Staatsvermögen für einen 140-Milliarden-Euro-Kredit an die Ukraine bringt die Verhandlungen ins Wanken. Hans von der Burchard berichtet über Druck, Deals und womögliche diplomatische Nachtschichten. Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es jeden Morgen ab 5 Uhr. Gordon Repinski und das POLITICO-Team liefern Politik zum Hören – kompakt, international, hintergründig. Für alle Hauptstadt-Profis: Der Berlin Playbook-Newsletter bietet jeden Morgen die wichtigsten Themen und Einordnungen. Jetzt kostenlos abonnieren. Mehr von Host und POLITICO Executive Editor Gordon Repinski: Instagram: @gordon.repinski | X: @GordonRepinski.

BRUSSELS — A weeks-long stalemate holding up the latest package of sanctions against Russia was ended Wednesday night after Slovakia lifted its veto, the Danish presidency of the Council of the EU confirmed. The bulk of the package — the 19th to be imposed on Moscow since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago — focuses on sapping the Kremlin’s war chest by imposing restrictions on energy traders and financial institutions, many of them in third countries. Companies helping the Russian war effort will be targeted, in addition to 117 new tankers considered to be part of the shadow fleet that ships Russian fossil fuels in violation of the oil price cap. Earlier this week, energy ministers from 27 member countries agreed by qualified majority to a landmark phaseout of Russian gas, against the objections of Slovakia and Hungary. Slovakia had vowed to hold up the sanctions package unless it was given assurances on how to combat high energy prices and aid heavy industries like car making. Austria and Hungary had also expressed concerns over the sanctions package but lifted their veto in recent days. Slovakia was the last country blocking the new restrictions — and had sought concessions in the statement to be agreed at Thursday’s summit of EU leaders in Brussels. “All our demands … were included [in the statement],” a Slovak diplomat confirmed to POLITICO. The summit will seek to stress the EU’s support of Ukraine, in light of U.S. President Donald Trump’s pressure on Kyiv to cede territory to Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to join parts of the meeting in Brussels. Leaders are expected to emphasize the need to further hit Moscow with hefty sanctions over its war against Ukraine. Defense spending as well as the use of frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv are all on the agenda. The sanctions package will also significantly expand the number of non-Russian companies banned from doing business with the bloc in a bid to prevent Moscow from circumventing the restrictions. Defense spending as well as the use of frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv are all on the agenda. | Sergey Shestak/EPA Specifically, the bloc seeks to add export controls on another 45 companies that are deemed to be working together to evade sanctions. Those include 12 Chinese, two Thai and three Indian entities that have enabled Russia to circumvent the bloc’s sanctions. The package also restricts the movement of Russian diplomats within the EU. They will have to notify other EU governments of their movements before crossing the border of their host country. The package will now go through a so-called written procedure, where capitals have until Thursday morning to speak up. If no one does, the text is approved.

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music Beim EU-Gipfel in Kopenhagen zieht Friedrich Merz neue Linien: weniger Brüssel, mehr Nationalstaat, Bürokratieabbau statt Verschuldung und eine klare Ansage, dass Europa notfalls auch ohne die USA verteidigungsfähig sein muss. Seine fünf Europa-Prinzipien markieren eine Wegmarke in seiner Kanzlerschaft . Im 200-Sekunden-Interview erklärt der neue Heeresinspekteur Christian Freuding, wie die Bundeswehr zusätzliche Soldaten gewinnen will, warum 2029 als Bedrohungsjahr ernst genommen wird und weshalb Freiwilligkeit beim Wehrdienst ein erster Schritt ist . Innenpolitisch steckt Nina Warken im Kassen-Dilemma: Die Beiträge steigen weiter, der Schätzerkreis droht neue Löcher aufzureißen und dazu kommt Widerstand gegen Leistungskürzungen. Jürgen Klöckner ordnet ein, wie knapp die Optionen werden . Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es jeden Morgen ab 5 Uhr. Gordon Repinski und das POLITICO-Team liefern Politik zum Hören – kompakt, international, hintergründig. Für alle Hauptstadt-Profis: Der Berlin Playbook-Newsletter bietet jeden Morgen die wichtigsten Themen und Einordnungen. Jetzt kostenlos abonnieren.

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music Beim EU-Gipfel geht es heute um Drohnenabwehr, eingefrorene russische Milliarden und den Dauerblockierer Viktor Orbán. Kanzler Friedrich Merz vollzieht eine Kehrtwende – und will 140 Milliarden Euro aus russischen Assets für die Ukraine als zinsloses Darlehen freigeben. Und die Debatte über Einstimmigkeit oder Mehrheitsentscheid geht weiter. Im 200-Sekunden-Interview fordert die FDP-Europaabgeordnete und Verteidigungspolitikerin Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann eine klare Linie: Putins Geld beschlagnahmen, Sanktionen verschärfen, die Drohnenabwehr ernsthaft aufbauen, aber Umsicht walten lassen nach Forderungen danach etwas vom Himmel zu holen. Innenpolitisch will die Bundesregierung härter gegen Terrorvorbereitungen vorgehen. Ricarda Breyton von WELT erklärt, wie der Gesetzentwurf über EU-Vorgaben hinausgeht. Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es jeden Morgen ab 5 Uhr. Gordon Repinski und das POLITICO-Team liefern Politik zum Hören – kompakt, international, hintergründig. Für alle Hauptstadt-Profis: Der Berlin Playbook-Newsletter bietet jeden Morgen die wichtigsten Themen und Einordnungen. Jetzt kostenlos abonnieren. Mehr von Host und POLITICO Executive Editor Gordon Repinski: Instagram: @gordon.repinski | X: @GordonRepinski.

BRUSSELS — EU countries are racing to secure a deal on the bloc’s next seven-year budget before French presidential elections in April 2027, which they fear could hand power to the far right. A seismic political shift in the EU’s second-largest country could disrupt the politically sensitive budget negotiations, which must be unanimously approved by national capitals and are driven by domestic priorities.   The president of the European Council, António Costa — who will broker the final stage of the talks — is working to secure a deal in the Council by the end of 2026, his spokesperson, Maria Tomasik, told reporters on Friday. “At the European Council in December 2026, there will be blood on the walls,” said a senior EU diplomat, anticipating fierce negotiations. The diplomat, like others quoted in this story, was granted anonymity to speak freely. While French far-right National Rally party leader Marine Le Pen has been barred from running for public office after a French court found her guilty of embezzling European Parliament funds, she has challenged the ruling. Even if the decision is confirmed, the party’s second in command, Jordan Bardella, is seen as a serious contender to win the next election. The risk of a far-right victory in France is the main reason why budget negotiations are being fast-tracked, five officials and EU diplomats told POLITICO. That’s because National Rally’s far-right platform — which includes slashing France’s contributions to the EU budget and downsizing military aid to Ukraine — could throw a spanner in the Council negotiations. Jordan Bardella, is seen as a serious contender to win the next election. | Adnan Farzat/Getty Images Fueling the sense of urgency, other major EU countries, including Spain and Italy, are also set to go to the polls in 2027, adding a further layer of uncertainty to the budget talks. This rapid timeline has caused some annoyance among some, such as Italy and Poland, which are critical of the Commission’s €1.816 trillion proposal. They argue that fast-tracking negotiations makes it harder for them to make substantial changes — and plays into the hands of fiscally disciplined Northern countries, who support the Commission’s blueprint.   Costa’s timeline, however, would leave enough time for the European Parliament to make its changes before the budget comes into force on Jan. 1, 2028. BUDGET FAST-TRACK Negotiations on the EU’s next common fund are notoriously torturous. During the last round, a deal was only sealed at the end of a four-night meeting between EU leaders. But veterans of that summit, including Costa, are keen to do things differently this time. For the time being, the Danish Council presidency is fast-tracking technical talks, much to the chagrin of several EU countries that would like more time to review the Commission’s proposal. “We need time to understand better what’s been put on the table and all its implications,” said a second EU diplomat. Earlier this week, Italy and six other EU countries urged a slower pace of negotiations during a meeting of deputy ambassadors. Critics argue that the current deadlines for submitting amendments are unreasonable. Tensions are expected to come to a head next Wednesday during a budget-focused meeting of EU ambassadors. The Danish presidency wants to agree on a counterproposal for the budget — a so-called negotiating box — in time for a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels in December. Three EU diplomats said that Denmark is fast-tracking talks to bring forward the work before the Cypriot presidency, which has a very different set of priorities, takes over in January 2026. CLARIFICATION: This article was updated on Sept. 19 to make the quotation by Maria Tomasik more precise.

Denmark summoned the top U.S. diplomat in Copenhagen on Wednesday after Danish media reported that Americans with ties to President Donald Trump had carried out covert influence operations in Greenland. Danish broadcaster DR reported that at least three U.S. citizens linked to the U.S. government were involved in activities that, reportedly, authorities fear could be used covertly to support Trump’s desire to make Greenland part of the United States. Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said the U.S. chargé d’affaires — currently its most senior diplomat in Denmark — had been summoned in response. He called any interference in Danish affairs “unacceptable,” and emphasized that Copenhagen “will of course not accept covert operations on our territory,” in a statement emailed by his ministry, according to the AP. “It worries me greatly because we do not spy on friends,” Rasmussen also said in response to a report in The Wall Street Journal. According to DR, one of the men compiled lists of Greenlanders supportive of, or critical toward, U.S. influence, while others maintained political and business contacts on the island. It was unclear whether they acted independently or under direction from U.S. officials. The move comes amid ongoing tensions over Greenland, a mineral-rich, self-governing Danish territory. Earlier this year, Trump told CNN that Washington would “100 percent” gain control of Greenland, even repeatedly threatening to use military force. Greenland is strategically important for U.S. military and Arctic security interests. Contacted by DR, Denmark’s security and intelligence service, known as PET, said the territory “is the target of influence campaigns of various kinds” and had strengthened monitoring in cooperation with Greenlandic authorities.

Denmark is prepared to face down the European Parliament over tougher migration rules, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told lawmakers as her country takes up the six-month presidency of the Council of the EU. “We have to lower the influx of migrants to Europe,” she said in Strasbourg on Tuesday. Frederiksen has built a reputation as the black sheep of European social democrats because she often sides with the right in pushing forward tougher rules on asylum and border checks. “What has been mainstream among our populations for quite many years is now mainstream for many of us politicians as well, finally,” she said. “Maybe not in Parliament, but gladly, and I am really happy about that, in the European Council,” where several leaders of EU countries leaders are determined to address migration problems. In pushing for a tougher approach Frederiksen finds herself on the same side as right-wing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and center-right Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The Parliament ― the bloc’s only directly elected body ― is more divided than Europe’s governments, however. With a right-wing bloc pushing for stricter rules, and a center-left bloc opposing them, it will be complicated for the house’s centrist political families to come to any agreement on legislation. Following the EU election in June last year, which saw a surge in support to right-wing and far-right parties elected on an anti-migration base, the European Commission announced it would propose rules that would increase deportations, as well as a revision of the safe third country concept to allow for easier returns of migrants to countries they are not originally from. It would also make it easier for countries to set up so-called return hubs. TOUGH PRIORITY Migration is one of the topics where the center-right European People’s Party could bypass its traditional mainstream allies and use the support of right-wing and far-right groups. “It is challenging Europe, affecting people’s lives, and the cohesion of our societies,” Frederiksen said. “We saw it very clearly in the European Parliament elections last year. Migration was a tough priority for many Europeans, including myself.” Denmark, whose EU presidency will run until the end of 2025, will prioritize the proposals the Commission has already set out, and also “provide a much more effective response to Russia,” which, Frederiksen said, was “using migration as a weapon at our eastern borders.” “Our citizens expect us politicians to find new solutions with a good reason and European citizens have a right to feel safe in their own countries,” she said. “That is why we need to strengthen our external borders.”

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music Europe baked, the Atomium shut early — and Brussels finally unveiled its long-delayed climate target. Host Sarah Wheaton speaks with POLITICO Climate Reporter Louise Guillot, Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Nick Vinocur and EU Politics Reporter Max Griera about the EU’s new 2040 goal: What a 90 percent emissions cut really means, why critics say it’s already being softened, and how Denmark’s presidency of the Council of the EU plans to juggle climate, migration and more amid stormy politics. We also pull back the curtain on Ursula von der Leyen’s powerful gatekeeper, Bjoern Seibert — and on Viktor Orbán’s crackdown on Budapest Pride. Later, POLITICO’s Cities Correspondent Aitor Hernández-Morales joins to explore how Europe’s cities are navigating the heat — both political and literal — and why so many mayors are now turning to Brussels for help with urgent issues like housing.

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music Die Strompreise bleiben hoch – und die versprochene Entlastung für Haushalte kommt nicht. Friedrich Merz und Lars Klingbeil geraten unter Druck, weil ihr Koalitionsvertrag eine Senkung der Stromsteuer versprach – doch im verabschiedeten Haushalt fehlt davon jede Spur. Selbst in der SPD wächst der Unmut. Rasmus Buchsteiner erklärt, warum es zwischen Union und SPD jetzt auf eine leise Lösung ankommt. Im 200-Sekunden-Interview begegnet Armand Zorn (SPD) der Kritik direkt – und verteidigt das bisherige Vorgehen mit Blick auf den Haushalt und die Verantwortung. Und: Die dänische EU-Ratspräsidentschaft beginnt – mit ehrgeizigen Zielen bei Klima und Wettbewerbsfähigkeit. Johanna Sahlberg analysiert, wie Dänemark gegen den Brüsseler Gegenwind segeln will, auch wenn das schwierig wird.  Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es morgens um 5 Uhr. Gordon Repinski und das POLITICO-Team bringen euch jeden Morgen auf den neuesten Stand in Sachen Politik — kompakt, europäisch, hintergründig. Und für alle Hauptstadt-Profis: Unser Berlin Playbook-Newsletter liefert jeden Morgen die wichtigsten Themen und Einordnungen. Hier gibt es alle Informationen und das kostenlose Playbook-Abo. Mehr von Berlin Playbook-Host und Executive Editor von POLITICO in Deutschland, Gordon Repinski, gibt es auch hier:   Instagram: @gordon.repinski | X: @GordonRepinski.