The European Union delayed the release of a plan to phase out Russian fossil fuels as it weighs the impact of the US administration’s pivot on Ukraine, struggles to lower energy prices and strives to maintain unity among member states.

Hungary has threatened to block the latest package of sanctions against Russia unless it receives guarantees on the resumption of gas supplies through Ukraine.

European Union leaders at a meeting next week will discuss the appointment of a special envoy representing the bloc in possible negotiations around ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to people familiar with the matter.

After President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine three years ago and hiked energy prices to weaken Western support, the 27 nations weaned themselves off a dependency on Russian natural gas in record time.

European Union President Ursula von der Leyen is likely to discuss preventing restricted technologies from places such as India reaching Russia in violation of sanctions when she visits the South Asian nation from Thursday,

Hungary wants to remove eight individuals from the European Union's Russia sanctions list and receive fresh guarantees on Ukraine gas transit talks before agreeing to renew the restrictions, EU diplomats said.

And despite decades of integration under the European Union, who speaks for Europe – or what the bloc desires to be – is perhaps less clear now than at any point in recent years. Internal cleavages over immigration,

Russian war would be a catastrophe for China as well,’ analyst says as Beijing looks for opportunities amid shifting geopolitics.