On 13 March, Azeri and Armenian officials announced that they had concluded a draft peace agreement and the restoration of interstate relations between the two countries, with a view to ending the historic conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. However, consultations between the foreign ministers of the two states are currently underway to confirm the date and location of the final agreement.

On 12 March, the European Commission announced swift and proportionate countermeasures to protect European businesses and consumers in the face of the US imposing new tariffs on European imports of steel and aluminium. These European countermeasures could apply to American exports of goods representing up to €26 billion, constituting an economic scope equivalent to that of American customs duties. The Commission has stated that it remains open to dialogue with a view to finding a negotiated solution, emphasising the importance of avoiding measures harmful to the economies on both sides of the Atlantic.

On 14 March, the Council approved the right to negotiate a regulation on plants obtained using new genomic techniques. The proposal aims to strengthen innovation and sustainability in the agri-food sector, while contributing to food security and the reduction of external dependencies. This new legislation would therefore adapt European rules to the technological developments of recent decades. For more information, a study on the subject was published in 2023 by the Foundation.

On 14 March, the Council extended the restrictive measures against Russia until 15 September 2025. These restrictions include travel bans and asset freezes. On the same day, the Council also adopted a position with a view to introducing taxes on the remaining agricultural products from Russia and Belarus. The aim is to reduce Russian export revenues. The products affected by these new taxes represent 15% of agricultural imports from Russia in 2023. The European Parliament must adopt its position for an agreement to be reached.

The Ateneum National Art Museum is hosting an exhibition entitled 'Crossing Borders – Travelling Women Artists in the 1800s' until 24 August. This cultural event brings together for the first time the works of more than 50 women artists from the Nordic countries, the Baltic states, Poland and Germany who were active in the 19th century. The exhibition highlights little-known women artists and their networks, emphasising the importance of Germany as an artistic destination over France.

Until 10 October, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is presenting the in situ exhibition: Refik Anadol. Through this presentation, the museum offers the general public the chance to discover a new series devoted to installations designed and created in interaction with their host location and which push the boundaries of contemporary practices. This exhibition calls upon artists from several disciplines (visual arts, technology, music and performance), and explores new ways of perceiving and inhabiting space.

The Milton Keynes Gallery is hosting the exhibition 'Portrait of America' by the American pop artist Andy Warhol until 29 June. This exhibition of works dating from the 1950s to the 1980s includes early drawings, painted silkscreen prints and photographic series illustrating Warhol's collaborations with artists, friends, filmmakers and celebrities. More than 130 works, including the famous Marilyn series, images of Liz Taylor and Warhol himself, are presented on the occasion of this collaboration between the Milton Keynes Gallery, the Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland.

On 13 March, the President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, took part in the 8th European Union-South Africa Summit in Cape Town, together with the South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa. The leaders addressed the most pressing global and regional issues. They also discussed ways to intensify the European Union's strategic partnership with South Africa in a wide range of sectors (cooperation, human rights, green transition, growth and development), and announced a €4.7 billion 'Global Gateway' investment package to stimulate sustainable trade.

On 11 March, the Council extended the mandate of the military operation in the Mediterranean, entitled EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, until 31 March 2027. A new task has been added to the operation's mandate: illegal activities other than arms trafficking are now included in IRINI's control, surveillance and information gathering activities. The operation was launched on 31 March 2020 to make a concrete contribution by the Union in support of the return to peace and stability in Libya through the implementation of the UN arms embargo imposed on the country.

Faced with security challenges and growing geopolitical tensions, the European Union must strengthen its defence and affirm its unity more than ever. To shed light on these crucial issues, the Robert Schuman Foundation conducts research to promote European values. Recognised as being of public interest, it operates thanks to donations from individuals and companies. Your support is essential to the pursuit of this mission of analysis and information. By making a donation, you benefit from a tax reduction of 66% of the amount paid for individuals and 60% for companies. Act for Europe while reducing your taxes!

The recently published issue 419 of the magazine France Forum calls for a European reawakening. Indeed, the international context places the European Union and its values (pluralism, solidarity, etc.) at a crossroads. Through objective and detached analyses of current events and European strategic positioning, including those of Pascale Joannin and Jean-Dominique Giuliani, the magazine highlights the idea that the Union is not a given, but something that is practised and chosen.

'It is all very well to point out the deficiencies of the European armies, thus playing Putin's game, but with Europe, one must never despair.' According to Jean-Dominique Giuliani, Europe will emerge stronger from this period, revealing a deep attachment to freedoms and to Liberty. As it has done every time it has faced crises, it will resist in order to safeguard democracy. So we must not listen to the Cassandras.

On 11 March, MEPs adopted a €1.9 billion support plan for Moldova. This agreement includes €520 million in grants and €1.5 billion in low-interest loans. The aim is to accelerate socio-economic reforms in the country to strengthen its resilience and advance its EU integration project, mitigating the impact of the war provoked by Russia in Ukraine. This agreement must now be approved by the Council before it can be published in the Official Journal.

On 12 March, the Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, encouraged Turkey to play a key role in the peace process between Ukraine and Russia. During a meeting in Ankara with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he emphasised the importance of stabilising the region through effective negotiations. The Polish head of government also emphasised the need to prioritise the reconstruction of Ukraine, while mentioning the growing cooperation between their two countries within NATO.

For several months, the Serbian government has been in the grip of a wave of protest after the collapse of the roof of a station last November in Novi Sad, which caused the death of fifteen people and aroused the anger of the population against the corruption and negligence of the authorities. On 15 March, the student movement organised the largest gathering in the country's history, bringing together nearly 300,000 people in Belgrade to challenge Aleksandar Vučić's regime and replace it with a transitional government.

On 17 March, the OECD published its report on the economic outlook for 2025. Global GDP growth forecasts have been revised downwards, from 3.3% to 3.1%, and for 2026, from 3.3% to 3%, following growth of 3.2% in 2024. The OECD reports in particular an increase in trade barriers in several G20 economies as well as greater uncertainties affecting investment and household spending. In addition, inflationary pressures persist in several economies. The OECD therefore recommends that monetary authorities remain vigilant and that budgetary measures be adopted to ensure debt sustainability, by reallocating expenditure and increasing revenue. According to the organisation, ambitious structural reforms must be carried out to improve the foundations for growth.

In a resolution adopted on 12 March, MEPs reiterate that the European Union is Ukraine's main strategic ally, particularly in light of the recent positions of the United States, and that it must therefore help it to defend its right to legitimate self-defence. With this resolution, they welcome the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, proposed on 11 March. In this resolution, the MEPs state that Ukraine must be able to reject hasty agreements, without any guarantee of security in the medium and long term, and that any blackmail would be unacceptable.

On 17 March, the Council approved a third payment to Ukraine under the special facility set up for it. This payment amounts to almost €3.5 billion in grants and loans. The objective is in line with previous payments: to ensure the country's macro-financial stability and to ensure its reconstruction and modernisation. With this payment, Ukraine has already received almost €20 billion since the launch of the facility a year ago. This approval comes after the Council considered that the country had met the necessary conditions set out in the facility plan, including reforms to increase the use of renewable energy and the development of a strategy for agricultural and rural development.