BRUSSELS: The EU Friday demanded digital giants including Snapchat and YouTube explain how they are protecting children from online harm, as member states explore restricting minors&#39; access to social media at a European level. The European Union has stringent rules regulating the digital space, including what children should be able to see, but there is increasing concern that more needs doing to tackle the issue. Inspired by Australia&#39;s social media ban for under-16s, Brussels is analyzing whether such a measure could work in the 27-country bloc after several states, including France and Spain, pushed for limits on minors&#39; access to platforms. Digital Services Act&nbsp;Europe&#39;s biggest weapon for ensuring platforms tackle illegal content and keep children safe online is the Digital Services Act, which has sparked censorship claims from the US tech sector and retaliation threats from President Donald Trump. Now, as part of &quot;investigative actions&quot; under the DSA, the European Commission has sent a request for information to Snapchat about what steps it is taking to prevent access for children under 13. The commission has also asked Apple&#39;s App Store and the Google Play marketplace to provide details on measures taken to prevent children downloading illegal or harmful apps -- for example, those with gambling services or sexual content. The EU wants to know in particular how Apple and Google stop children downloading tools to create non-consensual sexualized content as well as how they apply apps&#39; age ratings. &quot;Privacy, security and safety have to be ensured, and this is not always the case, and that&#39;s why the commission is tightening the enforcement of our rules,&quot; tech chief Henna Virkkunen said before EU ministers met in Denmark. A request for information can lead to probes and even fines, but does not in itself suggest the law has been broken, nor is it a move towards punishment. Winds of change&nbsp;Regarding Snapchat, Brussels wants to know how the messaging app stops users from buying drugs and vapes, a claim echoed by Danish Digital Minister Caroline Stage Olsen on Friday. It also wants YouTube to provide details on its recommender system, &quot;following reporting of harmful content being disseminated to minors&quot;, the commission said.The demands are not the first under the DSA. The EU is also probing Meta&#39;s Facebook and Instagram, as well as TikTok, over fears they are not doing enough to combat the addictive nature of their platforms for children. In a parallel push on child protection, EU telecoms ministers will Friday discuss age verification on social media and what steps they can take to make the world online safer for minors. They are expected to agree on a joint statement backing EU chief Ursula von der Leyen&#39;s plans to study a potential bloc-wide digital majority age, according to a draft document seen by AFP. Ban on social media&nbsp;Von der Leyen has voiced personal support for such a move, and said last month she would establish an experts&#39; panel &quot;to assess what steps make sense&quot; at the EU level. Denmark, in charge of the rotating six-month EU presidency, has been pushing the bloc to take more collective action through new rules. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Tuesday Denmark planned to introduce a ban on social media for children under the age of 15. France already has a law requiring parental consent for social media users under the age of 15.

Viral

The EU is pressuring tech giants such as Apple, Snapchat, and YouTube to explain how they protect children online, amid rising concerns and proposals for age restrictions and stricter enforcement under the Digital Services Act.

EU grills Apple, Snapchat, YouTube over risks to children

Reuters

BRUSSELS: The EU expects to mobilize over 400 billion euros ($464.5 billion) by 2027 in investments for Global Gateway, its program to boost investments in the Global South, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday. Global Gateway was originally designed to invest 300 billion euros, half of it in Africa, from 2021 to 2027, as an alternative to China&#39;s rival scheme. The projects are in areas such as energy, transport, education and research, along with partnerships to help the European Union secure minerals critical for its green transition and reduce reliance on China. She added that the EU today is launching a Global Gateway Investment Hub, a single-entry platform for companies to propose investments.

Business

The bloc plans to mobilize over €400 billion by 2027 through Global Gateway, investing in energy, transport, education, and minerals, aiming to reduce reliance on China and support development in the Global South.

EU aims for over €400B in Global Gateway investments: von der Leyen 

STRASBOURG: The European Union will take a page out of US President Donald Trump&#39;s tariff playbook on Tuesday with a plan to hike levies and slash quotas for imported steel -- to protect the bloc&#39;s struggling industry from cheap Chinese competition. Urged to act fast to rescue European steel from decline, the EU executive will propose doubling levies on steel imports to 50%, and almost halving the volumes allowed in before tariffs apply. &quot;The European steel industry was on the verge of collapse -- we are protecting it so that it can invest, decarbonize, and become competitive again,&quot; said the bloc&#39;s industry chief, Stephane Sejourne. &lsquo;Trump-style politics&rsquo;&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re not doing Trump-style politics,&quot; he told reporters ahead of presenting the plan at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. But the EU strategy mirrors the one embraced by Trump, who likewise imposed 50% tariffs to keep out cheap metals from China, producer of more than half the world&#39;s steel.&nbsp; Canada&nbsp;has taken similar steps. Subject to approval by the EU&#39;s member states and parliament, the proposal would permanently replace the current safeguard scheme, which imposes 25% duties beyond set import quotas, but ends next year. Sejourne, who will present the measures alongside the bloc&#39;s trade commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, said Europe&#39;s sovereignty was at stake, as the only major market still so open to steel imports. The EU&#39;s trade chief is hoping, meanwhile, to team up with Washington to tackle Chinese overcapacity and has been in talks with his US counterparts to agree on steel import quotas. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Millions of jobs at risk&nbsp;</h2>After the US-EU tariff deal agreed in July, Sefcovic said the European and American steel and aluminium sectors suffered from the same problem. Alongside the proposal being presented on Tuesday, the EU is seeking a &quot;metals alliance&quot; with the United States to ring-fence their respective economies from over-capacity. As the 27-nation EU pushes ahead with decarbonizing industry, steel is critical for renewable energy equipment, from solar panels to wind turbines, and for electric cars. &lsquo;EU needs to act now&rsquo;&nbsp;&quot;The European Union needs to act now, and decisively, before all lights go out in large parts of the EU steel industry and its value chains,&quot; said industry group Eurofer&#39;s president Henrik Adam. Even before the formal announcement, one Belgian trade union welcomed the &quot;ambitious and necessary plan&quot;, while the world&#39;s second-largest steelmaker, ArcelorMittal, saw its shares rise by nine percent in the past week. The steel sector employs around 300,000 people in Europe, and nearly 100,000 jobs have been lost in the past 15 years, the industry says. The current crisis puts those workers at risk as well as 2.3 million indirect jobs, according to Eurofer.

The bloc plans to double steel import tariffs to 50% and cut quotas, mirroring Trump-era policies, to protect its struggling steel industry from cheap Chinese imports and prevent massive job losses across the European Union.

EU channels Trump with tariffs to shield steel sector

Reuters/AP

COPENHAGEN: European leaders meeting in Copenhagen warned that Russia is escalating a hybrid war across the continent and moved to bolster air defenses, including a proposed &ldquo;drone wall,&rdquo; while weighing a loan for Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets. Europe &ldquo;is in the middle of a hybrid war waged by Russia,&rdquo; Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said as she hosted the summit. &ldquo;I hope that everybody recognizes now that there is a hybrid war and one day it&rsquo;s Poland, the other day it&rsquo;s Denmark, and next week it will probably be somewhere else that we see sabotage or we see drones flying,&rdquo; AP reported. &nbsp; Drone incursions prompt defense pushThe meeting followed a string of drone incidents at Danish airports and military sites. A special radar system was set up at Copenhagen airport after unidentified drones forced a closure last week. France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom sent aircraft, ships, and air defenses to Denmark. At the same time, Ukraine dispatched a mission to share expertise on combating drones, according to the AP.&nbsp; Reuters reported Frederiksen calling for a European network of anti-drone measures to &ldquo;protect and, of course, also neutralize intrusion from outside.&rdquo; He went on to add, &ldquo;Europe must be able to defend itself.&rdquo; EU considers frozen assets planLeaders discussed preparing Europe to deter Russian aggression by 2030 amid concerns about the United States&rsquo; focus elsewhere. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the gathering by video as leaders considered ways to sustain military and financial support.&nbsp; A European Commission proposal for a &ldquo;reparation loan&rdquo; to Ukraine, backed by frozen Russian assets, was a central topic. &ldquo;We are not confiscating the assets, but we are taking the cash balances for a loan to Ukraine,&rdquo; Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.&nbsp; Rising security concernsRecent airspace incidents sharpened urgency. Several Russian drones breached Poland&rsquo;s airspace on Sept. 10, prompting North Atlantic Treaty Organization aircraft to intercept some devices in what officials described as the first direct encounter with Moscow&rsquo;s hardware since 2022. Days later, NATO jets escorted three Russian warplanes out of Estonia&rsquo;s airspace.&nbsp; Call to rearmAP reported Frederiksen urged Europe to &ldquo;rearm,&rdquo; buy capabilities, and innovate on drones. &ldquo;When I look at Europe today, I think we are in the most difficult and dangerous situation since the end of the Second World War,&rdquo; she said.

Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz and France's President Emmanuel Macron prior to an informal summit in the Danish parliament at Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen, on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025.

Europe

European leaders meeting in Copenhagen warned that Russia is escalating a hybrid war across the continent and moved to bolster air defenses, including a proposed “drone wall,” while weighing a loan for Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets.

EU leaders in Denmark call for drone defense, Ukraine funding

<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BRUSSELS: The European Union will set new climate targets for 2035 and 2040 ahead of the COP30 summit in Brazil this November, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday, after the bloc missed a United Nations deadline earlier this month.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Von der Leyen announced the plan in a video message to an EU event in Brussels, stressing that the commitments&mdash;known as nationally determined contributions under UN rules&mdash;would be ready in time for the high-profile negotiations in Belem. Other major economies, including China, submitted their targets by the UN deadline.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The move highlights the EU&rsquo;s challenge of balancing ambition with internal divisions. Several member states, including France, Germany and Poland, have urged that the targets be debated at a late October summit, leaving only weeks to finalize positions before COP30. A senior Polish official acknowledged uncertainty, saying it was unclear if agreement could be reached in time.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Von der Leyen acknowledged the political challenges, saying Europe must show flexibility but remain firm on its overall trajectory. &ldquo;The world has changed. Global competition is fierce and not always fair,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;We need more flexibility, more pragmatism, but by staying the course, we provide stability for workers, clarity for businesses, and certainty for investors.&rdquo;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She said the European Union was cutting bureaucratic hurdles for businesses, investing in power grids, and ensuring consumers would see benefits from cheaper renewable energy.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The announcement comes as economic strains, a renewed focus on defense spending, and shifting political winds&mdash;particularly in the US&mdash;have complicated climate policy worldwide. Analysts say COP30 will be a critical test of whether major economies remain committed to climate action.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Europe&rsquo;s climate strategy, long seen as a global benchmark, will now depend on whether its member states can bridge their divisions and deliver new targets before the summit in November.

FILE PHOTO: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers the State of the European Union address to the European Parliament, in Strasbourg, France, September 10, 2025.

Climate

The European Union will set new climate targets for 2035 and 2040 ahead of the COP30 summit in Brazil this November, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday, after the bloc missed a United Nations deadline earlier this month.

New climate targets for EU by COP30 summit, Von der Leyen says

<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LJUBLJANA: Slovenia on Thursday said it was banning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from entering the European Union country to underscore its defense of international law. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The decision was linked to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against the Israeli prime minister, Foreign Ministry official Neva Grasic said, according to the official STA news agency. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The EU nation of some 2 million people, which recognized a Palestinian state last year, has been a vocal critic of Israeli actions in Gaza and Thursday&rsquo;s move against Netanyahu was apparently designed to underscore the country&rsquo;s policies. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Slovenia had already barred Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country and imposed an arms embargo on Israel. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&ldquo;All countries that are bound by the international court, including Slovenia, must not recognize the situation resulting from Israel&rsquo;s illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territory, and must not offer any support in maintaining this situation,&rdquo; she added. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Slovenian government said on X that the decision sends &ldquo;a clear message to the state of Israel that Slovenia expects consistent respect for the decisions of international courts and international humanitarian law.&rdquo; <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By doing so, Slovenia &ldquo;confirms its commitment to international law, universal values of human rights and a principled and consistent foreign policy,&rdquo; the government added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacts at a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (not pictured) at the Prime Minister's Office, in Jerusalem

Slovenia on Thursday said it was banning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from entering the European Union country to underscore its defense of international law.

Slovenia bars Netanyahu entry over International Criminal Court warrant

LISBON: Portugal will recognize a Palestinian state on Sunday, the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Friday.The Official Declaration of Recognition will take place even before next week&#39;s High-Level Conference, it added.Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel already said this week that the country was considering the recognition of a Palestinian state during a visit to the UK.Unlike neighboring Spain, whose government recognized Palestinian statehood in May 2024 alongside Ireland and Norway and called on other EU countries to do the same, Portugal has taken a more cautious approach, saying it wanted to work out a common position with other EU countries first.Outcry against IsraelOnly a handful of the 27 European Union members recognise Palestine as a State, mostly former Communist countries as well as Sweden and Cyprus.The U.N. General Assembly approved the de facto recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine in November 2012 by upgrading its observer status at the world body to &quot;non-member state&quot; from &quot;entity&quot;.Israel is facing a growing global outcry, given that its war against Hamas in Gaza is causing many deaths, starvation and devastation.

Middle East

Portugal will officially recognize a Palestinian state on Sunday, ahead of a High-Level Conference, marking a cautious shift compared to other EU countries, amid ongoing conflict and international pressure on Israel.

Portugal says it will recognize Palestinian state on Sunday 

BRUSSELS: The European Union proposed Friday to bring forward by a year a ban on Russian gas imports as part of new sanctions to sap Moscow&#39;s war chest and please US President Donald Trump.The 19th package of EU sanctions targeting Moscow since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine also seeks to hit firms as well as banks and traders in China, India and other countries accused of helping Russia circumvent sanctions.Under the proposal, which needs approval by the bloc&#39;s 27 member states, the European Commission aims to phase out liquefied natural gas (LNG) purchases from Russia by January 2027.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the &quot;robust&quot; package as &quot;an important step that will intensify pressure on Russia&#39;s war machine and have a tangible impact&quot;.&lsquo;Turn off the tap&rsquo;&quot;Russia&#39;s war economy is sustained by revenues from fossil fuels. We want to cut these revenues,&quot; European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said.&quot;It is time to turn off the tap&quot;.The new sanctions package comes as the United States pressures the EU to end fossil fuel imports from Russia -- and as the bloc seeks in turn to coax Trump to take a tougher stance against Moscow.The US leader has so far held back from upping pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, but last week he said he was ready to do so if allies stopped buying Russian oil and hit China with tariffs.Russian oil imports slashed&nbsp;The EU has already banned most Russian oil under previous rounds of sanctions, slashing the share it imports from 29% in early 2021 to two percent by mid-2025.Only Hungary and Slovakia, friendly to Moscow and Trump, still buy Russian oil.EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Brussels was bringing forward by 12 months a previous pledge to end all imports of Russian LNG from the end of 2027 to the end of 2026.&quot;Moscow thinks it can keep its war going. We are making sure it pays the price for it,&quot; she wrote on X.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 393px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1969005103257379249&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=5de96262c626a7bb0209cccdb3a4022e290fc89e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1969005103257379249">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>In a post on X, Zelensky thanked the EU &quot;for its leadership and unity&quot;.&quot;We count on swift adoption of the 19th package, and we expect other partners to mirror and expand these steps,&quot; he said.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 345px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1969107166700134907&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=5de96262c626a7bb0209cccdb3a4022e290fc89e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1969107166700134907">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Despite a push to end decades of European dependency, Russia still supplied 19% of the EU&#39;s gas in 2024, compared with 45% before the war.That is in part due to an increase in purchases of LNG transported by sea, which have partially offset a sharp fall in pipeline imports.Last year, 32 billion cubic metres of gas entered Europe via the TurkStream pipeline, and 20 billion cubic metres through liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments.The EU has already imposed 18 rounds of sanctions over Moscow&#39;s invasion of Ukraine despite opposition from some member states, notably Hungary and Slovakia.Von der Leyen said that with the latest batch, the EU was &quot;going after those who fuel Russia&#39;s war by purchasing oil in breach of the sanctions&quot;.&quot;We target refineries, oil traders, petrochemical companies in third countries, including China,&quot; she said.Brussels also intends to target crypto platforms and the credit card system MIR, set up by Russia to avoid reliance on US-based networks, she and Kallas said.&lsquo;Shadow fleet&rsquo;The package also seeks to blacklist 118 more vessels in the &quot;shadow fleet&quot; of ageing tankers used by Russia to circumvent oil export curbs, and 45 firms accused of supporting the Russian military-industrial complex.Entities from Russia, China and India would face export bans and tighter controls, Kallas said.While they are likely be seen as an attempt to meet Trump midway, the measures fall far short of his request that allies place up to 100% tariffs on Beijing and New Delhi.That was expected as Brussels, which is generally averse to tariffs, is currently negotiating a trade pact with India and has no appetite for a broader trade war with China.Some diplomats have critically noted that the US demands for European action coincide with US commercial interests, while allowing room for Trump to again stall on taking a tough stance against Russia himself.The United States, the world&#39;s top oil producer, is the largest supplier of LNG to Europe, accounting for almost 45% of total imports.Most LNG is imported through terminals in France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium, though it is hard to know how much is also consumed there or simply passes through towards other nations.&nbsp;

Americas

The EU plans to ban Russian LNG imports by January 2027, accelerating its gas phase-out to weaken Moscow’s war economy and respond to U.S. pressure amid ongoing sanctions efforts.

EU seeks faster Russian gas phase-out after Trump push

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The European Commission is reportedly considering a full ban on Russian tourists entering the European Union as part of its upcoming 19th Sanctions Package in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine.&nbsp;If enacted, this would be the EU&rsquo;s strictest travel restriction on Russian citizens since the conflict began. According to Anadolu Agency, the measure would require unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states, a hurdle that could complicate its adoption.&nbsp;The proposal is said to be spearheaded by Poland, Finland, and the Baltic states, which have consistently pushed for tighter travel restrictions on Russian nationals. Officials familiar with the matter shared this development with TVP World.&nbsp;However, several EU countries that benefit significantly from Russian tourism, including Italy, Spain, Greece, and France, may resist the move. Additionally, Hungary, which maintains friendlier ties with Moscow, is also expected to oppose a full ban.&nbsp;Two paths under considerationAn EU official stated that the European Commission is evaluating two possible options:&nbsp;<ol><li>Non-binding guidance to encourage member states to restrict tourist visas, particularly after a surge in Russian tourism this summer.</li><li>A legally binding ban embedded in the 19th sanctions package, which would apply uniformly across all member states, but could prove more difficult to implement politically.</li></ol>&nbsp;According to Commission data, more than 500,000 Russians were granted Schengen visas in 2024, marking a significant increase from the previous year despite the war and existing sanctions.&nbsp;Details of the 19th Sanctions PackageThe sanctions package, initially scheduled for release on Wednesday but now delayed, will build upon previous rounds that have targeted:&nbsp;<ul><li>Russian financial institutions</li><li>Energy exports</li><li>Individuals and entities linked to the Kremlin</li></ul>&nbsp;The new measures aim to further isolate Russia economically and politically as the war enters a prolonged phase.&nbsp;In a separate but related effort, several EU countries are advocating for a proposal to restrict the movement of Russian diplomats within the Schengen zone.&nbsp;According to TVP World, this measure is being championed by Czechia, Latvia, and other countries on NATO&rsquo;s eastern flank. If approved, it would limit Russian diplomats to the country of their accreditation, significantly curbing their ability to travel freely across the EU.&nbsp;Supporters argue this is a necessary security precaution, especially after the expulsion of Russian agents in recent years who were allegedly operating under diplomatic cover.&nbsp;Trump&rsquo;s position on sanctionsMeanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump has weighed in on the broader sanctions debate. Speaking to reporters on September 14, Trump expressed willingness to impose sanctions on Russia, but emphasized that Europe must first stop buying Russian oil.&nbsp;&quot;Europe is buying oil from Russia. I don&#39;t want them to buy oil,&quot; Trump said.&nbsp;&quot;The sanctions... that they&#39;re putting on are not tough enough, and I&#39;m willing to do sanctions, but they&#39;re going to have to toughen up their sanctions commensurate with what I&#39;m doing.&quot;&nbsp;His remarks highlight ongoing transatlantic disagreements over how far to push economic pressure on Moscow, especially regarding energy imports.

EU considers full ban on Russian tourists in 19th package, facing division among member states over economic and security concerns.

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