During Thursday’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, EU officials called for more balanced trade relations. If China fails to deliver, the European Union may reduce its level of openness to Chinese imports, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen indicated. The situation was commented on by EUROPEUM Institute analyst Zuzana Krulichová.

Relations between Brussels and Beijing have often changed dramatically over the years — at times marked by cooperation, at other times by tension, and frequently by concerns over imbalance. Why are relations with China strategically important for Brussels? The situation was commented on by EUROPEUM Institute analyst Zuzana Krulichová.

Trade and the situation in the war in Ukraine will be the main topics of discussion between European Union and Chinese leaders at Thursday’s summit in Beijing. Despite expectations, U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to introduce high tariffs has so far failed to bring the economic interests of the two sides closer together. Experts are sceptical about any further progress in this regard — partly due to the diplomatic slaps delivered to the EU by representatives of the Chinese regime even before the talks began. The situation was commented on for ČT24 by Zuzana Krulichová, analyst at the Institute for European Policy EUROPEUM.

According to the proposal, the EU will gradually stop all imports of Russian gas and oil by the end of 2027, analyst Zuzana Krulichová of the EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy commented for Deník N.

Experts warn that Europe and the United States should try to reduce their dependence on Chinese industry. The situation was commented on by Zuzana Krulichová, an analyst at the EUROPEUM Institute.

If the Slovak Prime Minister were to vote against the sanctions, he could block the renewal of the entire sanctions package. In July, the package is set to expire, including measures such as restricting Russian banks’ access to the SWIFT system and banning pro-Russian media from the European market. This was commented on for Deník N by Zuzana Krulichová, an analyst at the Institute for European Policy EUROPEUM.

Jozef Síkela (STAN) has completed his first six months as EU Commissioner for International Partnerships. He has visited 17 countries on three continents on topics ranging from lithium mining in Chile to transport in Central Asia to education in Africa. His appointment has been hailed as a success by the government, particularly due to his “strong economic portfolio”. However, experts point out that it is too early to really assess his work - there are repeated criticisms of poor communication. Martin Vokálek, executive director of the EUROPEUM Institute, and analyst Zuzana Krulichová commented for iRozhlas.

The European Union could strike one of the biggest trade deals in the world. At least that is what European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says about the free trade agreement with India, which after years of negotiations should be successfully concluded this year. Zuzana Krulichová, an analyst at the EUROPEUM Institute, commented on the agreement for iRozhlas.

The coalition of the willing met on Saturday 10 May in Kiev. What are the parameters of the ceasefire they proposed?

As expected, the 26 EU leaders found a consensus on Ukraine. While the text did not bring any new commitments, it showed a "new standard" of strong statements without the consent of one hundred percent of the European Council members. EUROPEUM Institute analyst Zuzana Krulichová comments on the situation.

The summit had two parts: everyone voted for the rearmament of the EU, while Hungary vetoed further aid to Ukraine. Robert Fico voted in favor, despite his demand for a call for gas transit being ultimately weakened. The commentary is provided by Zuzana Krulichová, an expert on the European Union from the EUROPEUM Institute and Charles University in Prague.

It is mainly about supporting industry in Europe. It is about awakening some capital, enabling companies to invest in defence in the long term and to create some new capacities, which are missing at the moment. Zuzana Krulichová, analyst at EUROPEUM Institute, commented for STVR.