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PRAGUE -- European Union leaders struggled Friday to bridge significant differences over a natural gas price cap as winter approaches and Russia’s war in Ukraine fuels a major energy crisis, driving up prices for consumers and businesses. The price cap is one of several measures the 27-nation bloc is preparing to contain an energy crisis in Europe that some fear could lead to rolling blackouts, factory shutdowns and a deep recession over the winter in economies already weakened by the coronavirus pandemic. Russia has reduced or cut off natural gas supplies to 13 EU member nations as European governments bolster their support for Ukraine in the form of weapons, money, aid and sanctions on Moscow. The potential for shortages has led to surging gas and electricity prices that could climb hi...

BERLIN -- Germany wants the huge economic damage resulting from global warming to be discussed at this year's United Nations climate talks, Germany's foreign minister said Friday. Vulnerable countries have long demanded that big polluters be held accountable for the effects that their greenhouse gas emissions are having around the world, including the destruction caused by extreme weather and sea level rise resulting from rising global temperatures. But rich nations that account for the majority of planet-warming emissions since the start of the industrial era have largely opposed efforts to formally debate the ‘loss and damage’ issue for fear they might have to pay climate reparations. Last year's U.N. climate talks in Glasgow failed to reach agreement on establishing a special fund fo...

WARSAW, Poland -- Britain's defense secretary said Tuesday that Russia's war on Ukraine has been a “wake-up call” for NATO members, making them realize that their militaries need to be better and invest more in defense. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said many nations in Europe had become complacent after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and that Russian President Vladimir Putin has become “in a sense, a gift to NATO.” He spoke during a panel discussion at the Warsaw Security Forum, a two-day gathering of trans-Atlantic leaders, security and defense experts. Conference attendees included Ukraine's first lady, Olena Zelenska, who thanked Poland and other allies for their support of her country. Wallace described Putin as a “pantomime villain” who “reminded us that there really i...

Elon Musk has gotten into a Twitter tussle with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the tech billionaire floated a divisive proposal to end Russia’s invasion. The Tesla CEO, who on Tuesday revived a $44 billion deal to take control of Twitter, argued in a tweet that to reach peace Russia should be allowed to keep the Crimea Peninsula that it seized in 2014. He also said Ukraine should adopt a neutral status, dropping a bid to join NATO following Russia’s partial mobilization of reservists. Musk also crossed red lines for Ukraine and its supporters by suggesting Monday that four regions Russia is moving to annex following Kremlin-orchestrated “referendums” denounced by the West as a sham should hold repeat votes organized by the United Nations. Musk noted Crimea was part of Rus...

BRUSSELS -- Leaders from more than 40 countries meeting in the Czech capital Thursday are set to launch a “European Political Community” aimed at boosting security and prosperity across the continent. But critics claim the new forum is an attempt to put the brakes on European Union enlargement. The Prague meeting is the brainchild of French President Emmanuel Macron and is backed by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. It’s taking place with Russia’s war on Ukraine in its eighth month and as pressure builds to allow Ukraine to join the 27-nation EU. “The war in Ukraine and the legitimate aspiration of its people, just like that of Moldova and Georgia, to join the European Union, encourages us to rethink our geography and the organization of our continent,” Macron said in May in a speech outlin...

BRUSSELS -- The head of the European Union’s executive arm vowed Wednesday to introduce checks on key EU infrastructure, including energy, after the suspected sabotage of natural-gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the damage last week to the Nord Stream pipelines linking Russia and Germany has "shown how vulnerable our energy infrastructure is” and a comprehensive plan is needed to ensure the safety of key EU networks, including for data. “We need to stress test our infrastructure,” von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. “We need to identify whether we have weak points and where these weak points are.” She also said that satellite surveillance will be used to detect potential threats. Amid Russia’s seven-mo...