China’s state-owned energy major CNPC has replaced France’s Total in Iran’s South Pars gas project, according to Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh. The French company withdrew from Iran under pressure of US sanctions. [...]

Incumbent Chancellor and Christian Democrats chair Angela Merkel is to leave the top party post in December, having refused to see re-election. In contrast to the German “Mutti,” who opened the country's borders to over one million migrants in 2015, all three CDU leader candidates have spoken out for stricter regulation. [...]

A US officer had a central role on the bridge ahead of the collision, which may set the Norwegian Navy back its entire annual budget; however, he had no formal responsibility, the national broadcaster NRK reported. [...]

An Afghan migrant has been arrested in Germany for allegedly slitting the throat of an elderly man whose home he worked in. The man’s daughter, a charity worker, had suggested he hire the asylum seeker. [...]

Nord Stream 2 AG, a Swiss-based firm behind the construction of Gazprom’s gas pipeline across the Baltic Sea, has laid about 250 kilometers (155 miles) of pipes, company spokesman Jens Mueller told Sputnik. [...]

German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and called for international efforts to tackle the migration crisis after a number of countries, including the United States, have refused to sign the accord. [...]

Germany adopted an "open doors" policy in 2015, when a vast migrant wave flooded Europe. The ratings of Merkel's ruling party have since plummeted due to growing crime rates, for which some of the German chancellor's critics blame migrants. [...]

French President Emmanuel Macron has embarked on a charm offensive at the German parliament, hailing cooperation between Paris and Berlin as a protective force against global chaos and foes beyond Europe’s borders. [...]

Donald Trump’s turbulent European visit started with an “acrimonious” conversation with British Prime Minister Theresa May, who called to celebrate the Republican wins in the midterm elections, a Washington Post report claims. The conversation, which was never officially reported by either side, came on Friday as Trump was travelling to Paris aboard Air Force One, the newspaper claims citin [...]

Amid growing disagreements between Washington and Berlin, ranging from the tariff dispute to the row over the NATO spending and US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, Gerhard Schroeder has demanded convergence with China. [...]

Following years of floating within the bloc, the idea of Europe creating joint military forces is on the agenda after the French President and German Chancellor called on their EU allies to unite. While the EU leadership backed the initiative, it got a mixed response among European politicians. [...]

French President Emmanuel Macron claimed “Patriotism is the exact opposite of nationalism.” This is widely seen as a direct criticism of Donald Trump. After all, Trump calls himself a nationalist. Is ‘nationalism’ a dirty word? Says who? CrossTalking with John Laughland, George Szamuely, and Lew Rockwell. [...]

The creation of a European army would be a boon for Russia-EU relations, various military experts have told RT. It would mean getting rid of the US political diktat – and that's why Washington will not allow it. Were the European Union to create an army of its own, as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have recently suggested, the friction with NATO would be en [...]

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States and Ukraine will cooperate on halting the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said after a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Pavlo Klimkin in Washington, DC. "We will keep working together to stop the Nord Stream 2 project that undermines Ukraine's economic and strategic security," Pompeo stated on Friday. [...]

Three Russian naval vessels have refuelled in Ceuta, a Spanish port town in northeast Africa, after a long hiatus, raising the eyebrows of Spain's Western allies. In 2016, Russia rescinded its request to dock ships in Ceuta after NATO allies voiced concerns that its ships were used to target civilians in Syria, which Russia denied. [...]

US President Donald Trump’s early morning Twitter jibe at France over its historical war losses to Germany was met with ridicule on Twitter, with many reminding him that France played a crucial role in the American Revolution. [...]

If Germany and France get their wish of developing a European army, Austria wants no part of it. The defense minister's office said it would opt out, as it would conflict with Vienna's constitution and neutrality. [...]

Russia has been implementing a comprehensive plan to diminish the country's reliance on the dollar as a proactive measure amid the Trump administration's sanctions spree. Moscow is not alone in seeking to de-dollarize its economy. Market players from Europe to Asia are increasingly switching to national currencies. [...]

After a 500 year-long struggle for recognition of its status as a European power, Russia has positioned itself as a pivot to the East to develop Greater Eurasia, Glenn Diesen, a professor at the Higher School of Economics, told Sputnik, adding that this may spell the end of the Western-centric geo-economic infrastructure. [...]

VIENNA - The Eurochambers president Leitl told Sputnik on Tuesday that he welcomed the creation of a free trade zone between Europe and Russia, dubbing it a perfect opportunity. "This would be a perfect opportunity. [...]

Government officials have agreed to conduct a joint march with far-right groups on Poland’s Independence Day, raising concerns about the legalization of fascist views in Poland. The march has drawn hundreds of thousands. Since 2009, the celebration of Polish Independence Day has become a rallying point for far-right organizations from all over Europe, some of which openly describe themselves as [...]

The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Austrian ambassador on Friday to protest over ‘sensationalist media leak’ about a former military officer accused of spying for Moscow, and expressed concern over damage to relations. Earlier, the Austrian government confirmed reports in the national media that a retired Austrian colonel was being prosecuted for espionage. [...]