{"id":4440,"date":"2025-12-17T10:53:41","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T10:53:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=4440"},"modified":"2025-12-17T10:53:41","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T10:53:41","slug":"eu-chiefs-welcome-uks-decision-to-rejoin-erasmus-as-big-step-forward-europe-live-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=4440","title":{"rendered":"EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 &#8211; Europe live | Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"liveblog-body\"><gu-island name=\"EnhancePinnedPost\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{}\"\/><\/p>\n<div id=\"pinned-post\" data-gu-marker=\"pinned-post\" data-component=\"pinned-post\" class=\"dcr-r5tmyr\"><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"pinned-post-checkbox\" name=\"pinned-post-checkbox\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"dcr-11n52fl\"\/><\/p>\n<div id=\"collapsible-body\" class=\"dcr-1axsptg\">\n<article class=\"block dcr-1xlsn8h\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">&#8216;Big step forward,&#8217; EU chiefs say as they welcome UK&#8217;s decision to rejoin Erasmus<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>EU trade commissioner Maro\u0161 \u0160ef?ovi?, who was directly involved in the talks, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MarosSefcovic\/status\/2001223409108136262\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">hailed the UK\u2019s move<\/a> to rejoin Erasmus as a \u201cbig step forward\u201d<\/strong> stressing it will \u201cboost people-to-people ties\u201d between the EU and the UK.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">European Commission president <strong>Ursula von der Leyen also <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/vonderleyen\/status\/2001225697214218660\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">welcomed the decision,<\/a><\/strong> saying it will \u201copen the door to new shared experiences and lasting friendships\u201d.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news&quot;,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;block-69427f1b8f085301b168f377&quot;,&quot;queryParams&quot;:{&quot;page&quot;:&quot;with:block-69427f1b8f085301b168f377&quot;},&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-69427f1b8f085301b168f377#block-69427f1b8f085301b168f377\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2025-12-17T10:30:35.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-gb\" title=\"Wednesday, 17 December 2025 at 10:30 Greenwich Mean Time\">10.30 GMT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<p><label for=\"pinned-post-checkbox\" id=\"pinned-post-button\" class=\"dcr-zw7tgl\"><span id=\"svgminus\" class=\"dcr-yhdhkr\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M1 10.75v2.5h22v-2.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span id=\"svgplus\" class=\"dcr-yhdhkr\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"m10.8 13.2.425 9.8h1.525l.45-9.8 9.8-.45v-1.525l-9.8-.425-.45-9.8h-1.525l-.425 9.8-9.8.425v1.525z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-90inr0\"><gu-island name=\"KeyEventsCarousel\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;keyEvents&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;6942889a8f0867fecfcdca03&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;We would like to hear from people who may want to participate in the programme from 2027 and those who have taken part in the past.&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;8ccb13a0-1a52-4d86-a91a-5fac0bd71374&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;If you are keen to take part in the scheme, tell us why. For those who took part in the past, how did you find it? Would you recommend it?&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;c0df11e1-fca0-49d8-bf59-9fdbb19981f0&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Share your views and experience with us.&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;d4bdb3bb-1484-40d6-8c34-b4019640cef2&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement&quot;,&quot;prefix&quot;:&quot;Related: &quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share your views on the UK rejoining the EU Erasmus student exchange programe&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;e41d8386-8ea1-45a5-a287-ed7907ac5120&quot;,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;thumbnail&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/education\/2025\/dec\/17\/share-your-views-on-the-uk-rejoining-the-eu-erasmus-student-exchange-programe&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1765968026000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.40\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1765968289000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.44\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1765968289000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.44\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;10.44&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Share your views on the UK rejoining the EU Erasmus student exchange programe&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Wed 17 Dec 2025 10.44 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sitting on the steps of the Portico and Quad at University College London (UCL), Bloomsbury, London.&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Students sitting on the steps of the Portico and Quad at University College London (UCL), Bloomsbury, London.&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Photograph: Benjamin John\/Alamy&quot;}},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;The scheme officially known as &lt;strong&gt;Erasmus+ will be reopened to those involved in education, training, culture and sport from 2027,&lt;\/strong&gt; after discussions in London and Brussels to fulfil a Labour election manifesto pledge.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;8e8f279c-d086-4f1f-bc4c-1e205f1de16c&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;The UK government said &lt;strong&gt;up to 100,000 people of all ages could benefit in the first year,&lt;\/strong&gt; and stressed that &lt;strong&gt;Erasmus membership \u201cwill create educational and training opportunities for British apprentices, further education students and adult learners,&lt;\/strong&gt; as well as those in higher education\u201d.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;347cc2f7-cf37-4fc3-9596-b0b26f7ef7f7&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;David Hughes&lt;\/strong&gt;, chief executive of the Association of &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/education\/colleges\\&quot;&gt;Colleges&lt;\/a&gt;, said the announcement was \u201cbrilliant news\u201d for staff and students of all ages in further education colleges.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;80f34487-5e10-4553-b3cc-4e35c7c3859a&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;He added: \u201c&lt;strong&gt;For students, it widens their perspective on the world, opening their eyes to different cultures and different ways of life&lt;\/strong&gt;, and for staff, the opportunity to learn from other countries on how they deliver technical education and skills is invaluable.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;641d8918-ee63-4404-b3bc-dd94c3bf4e88&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;\u201cI am sure &lt;strong&gt;colleges will be delighted that they can offer these opportunities to students and staff.\u201d&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;d17ba85f-30db-4a10-995c-fd282faa102f&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;For university students, &lt;strong&gt;the decision means they will be able to spend up to a year studying at European universities as part of their UK degree courses without paying extra fees,&lt;\/strong&gt; while UK universities will be able to accept European students under the same terms.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;a5f676b7-a5fd-4a9a-b0ef-636ab56bc378&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Those &lt;strong&gt;travelling to Europe under the scheme will be eligible for a grant to help with the costs of living abroad,&lt;\/strong&gt; including those studying at FE colleges or on work placements.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;fc9d8bd8-f9f3-41cc-bfa3-09f902ed1d3f&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;Erasmus scheme started in 1987 as a university exchange programme&lt;\/strong&gt; but has expanded over the past decade to include work and training placements, as well as funding for school trips and cultural events.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;ec8ba8b6-e2a3-4aae-863f-2b98ce490d9a&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The UK &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/education\/2020\/dec\/24\/uk-students-lose-erasmus-membership-in-brexit-deal\\&quot;&gt;left Erasmus after Brexit&lt;\/a&gt;, with Boris Johnson claiming the programme did not offer value for money.&lt;\/strong&gt; The government set up a more restricted student travel programme, known as the Turing scheme. No announcement has yet been made about the future of the Turing scheme.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;c1801d5d-b582-440f-9c83-2715df4b2c94&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement&quot;,&quot;prefix&quot;:&quot;Related: &quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;UK to rejoin EU\u2019s Erasmus student exchange programme &quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;652f0dd8-d057-482b-a28d-a3f389b1334c&quot;,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;thumbnail&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/dec\/16\/uk-to-rejoin-eu-erasmus-student-exchange-programme&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1765965856000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.04\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1765966148000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.09\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1765966148000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.09\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;10.09&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;UK to rejoin EU\u2019s Erasmus student exchange programme&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[{&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Richard Adams&quot;,&quot;imageUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/static\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2008\/06\/05\/richardadams_140x140.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=5c5675c87c18e33448b37bf600f99ba4&quot;}],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Wed 17 Dec 2025 10.44 GMT&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Wed 17 Dec 2025 08.51 GMT&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;69427f1b8f085301b168f377&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EU trade commissioner Maro\u0161 \u0160ef?ovi?, who was directly involved in the talks, &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/x.com\/MarosSefcovic\/status\/2001223409108136262\\&quot;&gt;hailed the UK\u2019s move&lt;\/a&gt; to rejoin Erasmus as a \u201cbig step forward\u201d&lt;\/strong&gt; stressing it will \u201cboost people-to-people ties\u201d between the EU and the UK.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;e20ea81c-3cab-499f-818f-43892cb6c2fa&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;European Commission president &lt;strong&gt;Ursula von der Leyen also &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/x.com\/vonderleyen\/status\/2001225697214218660\\&quot;&gt;welcomed the decision,&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/strong&gt; saying it will \u201copen the door to new shared experiences and lasting friendships\u201d.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;1d3ce150-abca-458a-b7d2-d89a65f98515&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:true,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1765965595000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;09.59\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1765967435000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.30\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1765965774000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.02\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;10.02&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;'Big step forward,' EU chiefs say as they welcome UK's decision to rejoin Erasmus&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Wed 17 Dec 2025 10.44 GMT&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Wed 17 Dec 2025 08.51 GMT&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;694279718f0867fecfcdc969&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;And &lt;strong&gt;we have just had an official confirmation of our reporting overnight that the UK is set to rejoin the European Union\u2019s Erasmus+ programme from 2027.&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;52d90ac7-5c41-4d75-861c-bfcf639fabf6&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The UK contribution for the 2027\/28 academic year will be \u00a3570m pounds ($760m)&lt;\/strong&gt;, the British government said, adding that &lt;strong&gt;the deal included a 30% discount compared to the default terms under the current trade deal with the EU, &lt;\/strong&gt;Reuters noted.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;861ae497-05c6-40f7-b380-a81c866d63cf&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;As &lt;strong&gt;Pippa Crerar&lt;\/strong&gt; noted, &lt;strong&gt;the breakthrough on Erasmus will help the UK government demonstrate progress in its push to improve relations with the EU,&lt;\/strong&gt; after Keir Starmer declared last month that \u201cwe do need to get closer\u201d with the bloc, and with public opinion softening.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;315e9a50-a2ad-4ba5-aa56-2639222198aa&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement&quot;,&quot;prefix&quot;:&quot;Related: &quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;UK to rejoin EU\u2019s Erasmus student exchange programme &quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;aa4d6153-c96d-4677-906a-d6697114e098&quot;,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;thumbnail&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/dec\/16\/uk-to-rejoin-eu-erasmus-student-exchange-programme&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1765964145000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;09.35\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1765964373000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;09.39\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1765964374000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;09.39\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;09.39&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;UK set to rejoin EU's Erasmus scheme in 2027&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Wed 17 Dec 2025 10.44 GMT&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Wed 17 Dec 2025 08.51 GMT&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;6942772a8f085fc7033b5378&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;In the last half an hour &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2025-12-17\/us-readies-new-russia-sanctions-if-putin-rejects-peace-deal\\&quot;&gt;Bloomberg News reported&lt;\/a&gt; that &lt;strong&gt;the US is \u201cpreparing a fresh round of sanctions on Russia\u2019s energy sector,\u201d as it seeks to put more pressure on the Kremlin&lt;\/strong&gt; to engage with the peace process on Ukraine (\u00a3).&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;949b86bb-eb2a-401a-bacf-6264b64b2016&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Moscow has just responded saying it had not seen the report,&lt;\/strong&gt; and it was still waiting for a debrief with the US after the Berlin talks over the weekend and on Monday.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;befd65a9-34ae-4251-8918-ae16db72c8cf&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1765963562000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;09.26\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1765963687000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;09.28\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1765963687000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;09.28\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;09.28&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;US looking at fresh sanctions on Russia's energy sector to push it to negotiate with Ukraine - reports&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Wed 17 Dec 2025 10.44 GMT&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Wed 17 Dec 2025 08.51 GMT&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;69426e268f085fc7033b533b&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;If you want to &lt;strong&gt;test various scenarios ahead of tomorrow\u2019s debate on Russian frozen assets&lt;\/strong&gt;, you can &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/council-eu\/voting-system\/voting-calculator\/\\&quot;&gt;use this handy calculator to see what is needed to get the proposal passed&lt;\/a&gt; under the so-called qualified majority vote, or QMV (expect to hear a lot about it in the next 48 hours).&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;0a84985c-5fdd-41c5-9b2e-b0814af6b9f1&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;As we know, the opposition is led by &lt;strong&gt;Belgium &lt;\/strong&gt;and its outspoken prime minister &lt;strong&gt;Bart de Wever&lt;\/strong&gt;, with &lt;strong&gt;Bulgaria&lt;\/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Czech Republic,&lt;\/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Malta&lt;\/strong&gt; also against. &lt;strong&gt;Italy&lt;\/strong&gt; has some doubts too (at least for now?), and &lt;strong&gt;Hungary&lt;\/strong&gt;, traditionally, is against anything that would help &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/ukraine\\&quot; data-component=\\&quot;auto-linked-tag\\&quot;&gt;Ukraine&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;e3d8c955-4af7-43c5-a534-71fbdabb2586&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Slovakia&lt;\/strong&gt; appears to be leaning towards &lt;em&gt;against&lt;\/em&gt; too, with prime minister &lt;strong&gt;Robert Fico&lt;\/strong&gt; saying this morning that he won\u2019t support anything that prolongs the war and would increase military spending.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;7d88a142-1df6-4aeb-8e2b-611e0e745626&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Last week Fico said \u201cI will not support anything, &lt;strong&gt;even if we have to sit in Brussels until the New Year,&lt;\/strong&gt; which would lead to support for Ukraine\u2019s military expenditures.\u201d&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;cd610aa4-8639-47ec-a3bd-6ae7d8f22d64&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don\u2019t give them ideas, Robert.&lt;\/em&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;e5a6b91c-8fc0-4b44-997a-c85000aea3f8&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;As it stands, &lt;strong&gt;that\u2019s not enough to block the proposal (unless France switches sides, essentially)&lt;\/strong&gt; \u2013 but that\u2019s assuming the supporters will &lt;em&gt;really&lt;\/em&gt; push it to the vote. While &lt;em&gt;technically &lt;\/em&gt;possible&lt;em&gt;,&lt;\/em&gt; it feels deeply implausible &lt;em&gt;politically.&lt;\/em&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;74fcdd04-6cff-4e3c-8a10-12ac8fb841c9&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Let\u2019s see if we get any further political signals from the capitals during the day.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;ceddb334-0973-4ea3-8852-efd72e354980&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1765961478000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;08.51\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1765962052000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;09.00\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1765962042000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;09.00\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;09.00&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Who stands where on EU reparations loan for Ukraine?&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[{&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Jakub Krupa&quot;,&quot;imageUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2025\/01\/22\/Jakub_Krupa.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=41cc9981ec7b067e2d3b5391c5a68a4f&quot;,&quot;largeImageUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2025\/01\/22\/Jakub_Krupa.png?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=4a039a2b765744058f3c2c677268513e&quot;}],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Wed 17 Dec 2025 10.44 GMT&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Wed 17 Dec 2025 08.51 GMT&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;694268278f0867fecfcdc8e9&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;EU leaders are entering final stages of negotiations ahead of this week\u2019s crunch European Council meeting in Brussels,&lt;\/strong&gt; at which they will have to decide the critical decision on whether to use frozen Russian assets to fund a reparations loan for &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/ukraine\\&quot; data-component=\\&quot;auto-linked-tag\\&quot;&gt;Ukraine&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;4fe3aade-705c-4054-88b4-fecffd025764&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Some 24 hours before they start their talks on Thursday, &lt;strong&gt;there is no agreement in sight, as Belgium continues to oppose the European Commission\u2019s proposals as it worries about possible legal challenges from Russia&lt;\/strong&gt;. 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Council President Antonio Costa, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrive for an EU Summit at the European Council building in Brussels last March.&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;European Council President Antonio Costa, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrive for an EU Summit at the European Council building in Brussels last March.&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Photograph: Omar Havana\/AP&quot;}},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;The European Commission president, &lt;strong&gt;Ursula von der Leyen,&lt;\/strong&gt; has just opened a debate on the summit in the European Parliament, saying &lt;strong&gt;\u201cthere is no more important act of European defence than supporting Ukraine\u2019s defence,\u201d &lt;\/strong&gt;adding that &lt;strong&gt;\u201cthe next days will be a crucial step for securing this.\u201d&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;b260849a-3ff1-4645-84d7-7ba580cb9c71&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;She outlined both options given to the EU leaders ahead of tomorrow\u2019s summit \u2013 the loan or new joint borrowing \u2013 but stressed:&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;204fbca1-f8a4-4642-9009-8822924d089a&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;\u201cWe will have to decide which way we want to take, which route we want to take. But one is one thing is very, very clear. &lt;strong&gt;We have to take the decision to fund Ukraine for the next two years in this European Council.\u201d&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;b99b24ff-7568-4178-b652-d8ddefad2fe7&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Prepare for a long Thursday night, everyone.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;dbb422d0-75c0-4ae1-85c9-a7513d8fbb33&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;More broadly, von der Leyen told EU lawmakers that \u201cEurope must be responsible for its own security.\u201d&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;fd23aca5-007b-4b99-a086-09d9afcffe59&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;She added: \u201cThis is no longer an option. It is a must.\u201d&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;0245c166-88a3-41e6-ad14-85f3e6eee623&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Let\u2019s see what they the leaders will do this week, then.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;c1c2265f-2faa-482b-847d-db83e5f4561e&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I will bring you all the key updates throughout the day.&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;43627197-8639-4bc8-9029-f05405664d38&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;It\u2019s &lt;strong&gt;Wednesday, 17 December 2025,&lt;\/strong&gt; it\u2019s &lt;strong&gt;Jakub Krupa&lt;\/strong&gt; here, and this is &lt;strong&gt;Europe Live.&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;e67d9a30-3542-44ad-9ee9-c6b978acc969&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Good morning.&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;4d672a49-c3b8-4ab9-9d06-9b93f243eba8&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1765961478000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;08.51\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1765961445000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;08.50\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1765961478000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;08.51\u00a0GMT&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;08.51&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Morning opening:&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[{&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Jakub Krupa&quot;,&quot;imageUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2025\/01\/22\/Jakub_Krupa.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=41cc9981ec7b067e2d3b5391c5a68a4f&quot;,&quot;largeImageUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2025\/01\/22\/Jakub_Krupa.png?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=4a039a2b765744058f3c2c677268513e&quot;}],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Wed 17 Dec 2025 10.44 GMT&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Wed 17 Dec 2025 08.51 GMT&quot;}],&quot;filterKeyEvents&quot;:false,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;key-events-carousel-mobile&quot;,&quot;renderingTarget&quot;:&quot;Web&quot;,&quot;serverTime&quot;:1765968821031}\"><span id=\"key-events-carousel-mobile\"\/><span class=\"dcr-90inr0\"><\/p>\n<p>Key events<\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/gu-island><gu-island name=\"FilterKeyEventsToggle\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;filterKeyEvents&quot;:false,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;filter-toggle-mobile&quot;}\"><span id=\"filter-toggle-mobile\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-alru3r\"><label id=\"src-component-70011_description\" data-component=\"filter-key-events\" data-link-name=\"filter-key-events-on\" class=\"dcr-rrspei\"><button id=\"src-component-70011\" role=\"switch\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-labelledby=\"src-component-70011_description\" class=\"dcr-dh5oqp\"\/>Show key events only<\/p>\n<p><span>Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/label><\/div>\n<p><\/gu-island><\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"block-6942889a8f0867fecfcdca03\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">Share your views on the UK rejoining the EU Erasmus student exchange programe<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>We would like to hear from people who may want to participate in the programme from 2027 and those who have taken part in the past.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">If you are keen to take part in the scheme, tell us why. For those who took part in the past, how did you find it? Would you recommend it?<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>Share your views and experience with us.<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"80dc76f3-9030-4c82-aa9d-f7a0f9ae2125\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\"><gu-island name=\"RichLinkComponent\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{&quot;richLinkIndex&quot;:3,&quot;element&quot;:{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement&quot;,&quot;prefix&quot;:&quot;Related: &quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share your views on the UK rejoining the EU Erasmus student exchange programe&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;80dc76f3-9030-4c82-aa9d-f7a0f9ae2125&quot;,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;inline&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/education\/2025\/dec\/17\/share-your-views-on-the-uk-rejoining-the-eu-erasmus-student-exchange-programe&quot;},&quot;ajaxUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/api.nextgen.guardianapps.co.uk&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0}}\"\/><\/figure>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news&quot;,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;block-6942889a8f0867fecfcdca03&quot;,&quot;queryParams&quot;:{&quot;page&quot;:&quot;with:block-6942889a8f0867fecfcdca03&quot;},&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6942889a8f0867fecfcdca03#block-6942889a8f0867fecfcdca03\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<aside data-ad-slot=\"true\" class=\"ad-slot-container ad-slot-desktop dcr-jko40v\"\/>\n<aside data-ad-slot=\"true\" class=\"ad-slot-container dcr-jko40v\"\/>\n<article id=\"block-694285ee8f085fc7033b5418\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\"\/>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The last available Erasmus+ <a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/assets\/eac\/factsheets\/factsheet-uk-2020_en.html\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">country report for the UK based on 2020 data<\/a> shows that <strong>University of Glasgow, University of Bristol, and University of Edinburgh were the three top UK universities sending students abroad,<\/strong> with <strong>most people coming into the UK from Spain, France and Germany.<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"99c8a3ef-2672-4264-a7d4-24b300791d24\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Students enjoying the sunshine at The Old College courtyard and quadrangle, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Scotland<\/span> Photograph: Craig Brown Stock\/Alamy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Just over 16,000 European students came into the UK as part of from the scheme in 2019\/2020, with almost 6,000 trainees on top of that figure. 9,800 UK students and 6,500 trainees went in the other direction, data show.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news&quot;,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;block-694285ee8f085fc7033b5418&quot;,&quot;queryParams&quot;:{&quot;page&quot;:&quot;with:block-694285ee8f085fc7033b5418&quot;},&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-694285ee8f085fc7033b5418#block-694285ee8f085fc7033b5418\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6942839f8f085301b168f3c8\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\"\/>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">We are also <strong>getting first reactions from members of the European Parliament.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>Sandro Gozi<\/strong>, an Italian politician elected to European Parliament from France, welcomed the agreement on the UK rejoining Erasmus+, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/sandrogozi\/status\/2001233948169404790\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">saying<\/a> it was <strong>\u201cexcellent news\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cA concrete step to rebuild people-to-people ties,\u201d he said, congratulating the EU and UK negotiators.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news&quot;,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;block-6942839f8f085301b168f3c8&quot;,&quot;queryParams&quot;:{&quot;page&quot;:&quot;with:block-6942839f8f085301b168f3c8&quot;},&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6942839f8f085301b168f3c8#block-6942839f8f085301b168f3c8\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2025-12-17T10:30:24.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-gb\" title=\"Wednesday, 17 December 2025 at 10:30 Greenwich Mean Time\">10.30 GMT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-694280208f085301b168f38a\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">UK to rejoin EU\u2019s Erasmus student exchange programme<\/h2>\n<div class=\"dcr-dzkvsd\">\n<div class=\"dcr-uae6pk\"><img src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/static\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2008\/06\/05\/richardadams_140x140.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=5c5675c87c18e33448b37bf600f99ba4\" alt=\"Richard Adams\" class=\"dcr-lysqes\"\/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-sa35sa\">Richard Adams<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><em>Education editor<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>Young people across the UK will be able to study or gain work experience through the EU\u2019s Erasmus scheme for the first time since <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/politics\/eu-referendum\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Brexit<\/a>, after the government announced an agreement to rejoin at a cost of \u00a3570m.<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"51fee982-5428-4738-aab4-f7c8a4a85c99\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Students sitting on the steps of the Portico and Quad at University College London (UCL), Bloomsbury, London.<\/span> Photograph: Benjamin John\/Alamy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The scheme officially known as <strong>Erasmus+ will be reopened to those involved in education, training, culture and sport from 2027,<\/strong> after discussions in London and Brussels to fulfil a Labour election manifesto pledge.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The UK government said <strong>up to 100,000 people of all ages could benefit in the first year,<\/strong> and stressed that <strong>Erasmus membership \u201cwill create educational and training opportunities for British apprentices, further education students and adult learners,<\/strong> as well as those in higher education\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>David Hughes<\/strong>, chief executive of the Association of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/education\/colleges\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Colleges<\/a>, said the announcement was \u201cbrilliant news\u201d for staff and students of all ages in further education colleges.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">He added: \u201c<strong>For students, it widens their perspective on the world, opening their eyes to different cultures and different ways of life<\/strong>, and for staff, the opportunity to learn from other countries on how they deliver technical education and skills is invaluable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cI am sure <strong>colleges will be delighted that they can offer these opportunities to students and staff.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">For university students, <strong>the decision means they will be able to spend up to a year studying at European universities as part of their UK degree courses without paying extra fees,<\/strong> while UK universities will be able to accept European students under the same terms.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Those <strong>travelling to Europe under the scheme will be eligible for a grant to help with the costs of living abroad,<\/strong> including those studying at FE colleges or on work placements.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The <strong>Erasmus scheme started in 1987 as a university exchange programme<\/strong> but has expanded over the past decade to include work and training placements, as well as funding for school trips and cultural events.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>The UK <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/education\/2020\/dec\/24\/uk-students-lose-erasmus-membership-in-brexit-deal\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">left Erasmus after Brexit<\/a>, with Boris Johnson claiming the programme did not offer value for money.<\/strong> The government set up a more restricted student travel programme, known as the Turing scheme. No announcement has yet been made about the future of the Turing scheme.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"92d158e5-6812-4468-a783-be52d249d973\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\"><gu-island name=\"RichLinkComponent\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{&quot;richLinkIndex&quot;:12,&quot;element&quot;:{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement&quot;,&quot;prefix&quot;:&quot;Related: &quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;UK to rejoin EU\u2019s Erasmus student exchange programme &quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;92d158e5-6812-4468-a783-be52d249d973&quot;,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;inline&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/dec\/16\/uk-to-rejoin-eu-erasmus-student-exchange-programme&quot;},&quot;ajaxUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/api.nextgen.guardianapps.co.uk&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0}}\"\/><\/figure>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news&quot;,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;block-694280208f085301b168f38a&quot;,&quot;queryParams&quot;:{&quot;page&quot;:&quot;with:block-694280208f085301b168f38a&quot;},&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-694280208f085301b168f38a#block-694280208f085301b168f38a\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<aside data-ad-slot=\"true\" class=\"ad-slot-container ad-slot-desktop dcr-jko40v\"\/>\n<aside data-ad-slot=\"true\" class=\"ad-slot-container dcr-jko40v\"\/>\n<article id=\"block-69427f1b8f085301b168f377\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">&#8216;Big step forward,&#8217; EU chiefs say as they welcome UK&#8217;s decision to rejoin Erasmus<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>EU trade commissioner Maro\u0161 \u0160ef?ovi?, who was directly involved in the talks, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MarosSefcovic\/status\/2001223409108136262\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">hailed the UK\u2019s move<\/a> to rejoin Erasmus as a \u201cbig step forward\u201d<\/strong> stressing it will \u201cboost people-to-people ties\u201d between the EU and the UK.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">European Commission president <strong>Ursula von der Leyen also <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/vonderleyen\/status\/2001225697214218660\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">welcomed the decision,<\/a><\/strong> saying it will \u201copen the door to new shared experiences and lasting friendships\u201d.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news&quot;,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;block-69427f1b8f085301b168f377&quot;,&quot;queryParams&quot;:{&quot;page&quot;:&quot;with:block-69427f1b8f085301b168f377&quot;},&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-69427f1b8f085301b168f377#block-69427f1b8f085301b168f377\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2025-12-17T10:30:35.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-gb\" title=\"Wednesday, 17 December 2025 at 10:30 Greenwich Mean Time\">10.30 GMT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-69427b518f085fc7033b539a\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\"\/>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The official EU-UK \u201cjoint statement\u201d on Erasmus is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/ukeu-summit-key-documentation\/uk-eu-joint-statement-html\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Here is the key bit:<\/p>\n<blockquote data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-w9py1s\">\n<p><em>\u201cFollowing the Summit, the European Commission and the United Kingdom have <strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">concluded their negotiations for the UK\u2019s association to Erasmus+ in 2027.<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">The United Kingdom association to Erasmus+ in 2027 would offer significant opportunities across the education, training, sport and youth sectors<\/strong> for individuals in the United Kingdom and the European Union, particularly for those in the younger generation. The European Commission and the United Kingdom look forward to these opportunities becoming available. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>They are pleased that the specific terms of this association, including mutually agreed financial terms, represent a fair balance between the UK\u2019s contributions and the benefits the programme offers and pave the way for United Kingdom participation in the programme in 2027.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news&quot;,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;block-69427b518f085fc7033b539a&quot;,&quot;queryParams&quot;:{&quot;page&quot;:&quot;with:block-69427b518f085fc7033b539a&quot;},&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-69427b518f085fc7033b539a#block-69427b518f085fc7033b539a\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-69427a598f085301b168f341\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<div class=\"dcr-dzkvsd\">\n<div class=\"dcr-uae6pk\"><img src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2025\/01\/22\/Jakub_Krupa.png?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=4a039a2b765744058f3c2c677268513e\" alt=\"Jakub Krupa\" class=\"dcr-lysqes\"\/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-sa35sa\">Jakub Krupa<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Admittedly, as a former Erasmus exchange student in the UK, I may not be fully objective on this, but allow me to say personally that it just feels right to see the UK back in the scheme.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Exciting times for students on both sides of the English channel.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news&quot;,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;block-69427a598f085301b168f341&quot;,&quot;queryParams&quot;:{&quot;page&quot;:&quot;with:block-69427a598f085301b168f341&quot;},&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-69427a598f085301b168f341#block-69427a598f085301b168f341\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<aside data-ad-slot=\"true\" class=\"ad-slot-container dcr-jko40v\"\/>\n<article id=\"block-694279718f0867fecfcdc969\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">UK set to rejoin EU&#8217;s Erasmus scheme in 2027<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">And <strong>we have just had an official confirmation of our reporting overnight that the UK is set to rejoin the European Union\u2019s Erasmus+ programme from 2027.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>The UK contribution for the 2027\/28 academic year will be \u00a3570m pounds ($760m)<\/strong>, the British government said, adding that <strong>the deal included a 30% discount compared to the default terms under the current trade deal with the EU, <\/strong>Reuters noted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">As <strong>Pippa Crerar<\/strong> noted, <strong>the breakthrough on Erasmus will help the UK government demonstrate progress in its push to improve relations with the EU,<\/strong> after Keir Starmer declared last month that \u201cwe do need to get closer\u201d with the bloc, and with public opinion softening.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"b4146cf3-3f10-481b-87a3-1f20292b7aa0\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\"><gu-island name=\"RichLinkComponent\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{&quot;richLinkIndex&quot;:3,&quot;element&quot;:{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement&quot;,&quot;prefix&quot;:&quot;Related: &quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;UK to rejoin EU\u2019s Erasmus student exchange programme &quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;b4146cf3-3f10-481b-87a3-1f20292b7aa0&quot;,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;inline&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/dec\/16\/uk-to-rejoin-eu-erasmus-student-exchange-programme&quot;},&quot;ajaxUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/api.nextgen.guardianapps.co.uk&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0}}\"\/><\/figure>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news&quot;,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;block-694279718f0867fecfcdc969&quot;,&quot;queryParams&quot;:{&quot;page&quot;:&quot;with:block-694279718f0867fecfcdc969&quot;},&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-694279718f0867fecfcdc969#block-694279718f0867fecfcdc969\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6942772a8f085fc7033b5378\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">US looking at fresh sanctions on Russia&#8217;s energy sector to push it to negotiate with Ukraine &#8211; reports<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In the last half an hour <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2025-12-17\/us-readies-new-russia-sanctions-if-putin-rejects-peace-deal\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Bloomberg News reported<\/a> that <strong>the US is \u201cpreparing a fresh round of sanctions on Russia\u2019s energy sector,\u201d as it seeks to put more pressure on the Kremlin<\/strong> to engage with the peace process on Ukraine (\u00a3).<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>Moscow has just responded saying it had not seen the report,<\/strong> and it was still waiting for a debrief with the US after the Berlin talks over the weekend and on Monday.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news&quot;,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;block-6942772a8f085fc7033b5378&quot;,&quot;queryParams&quot;:{&quot;page&quot;:&quot;with:block-6942772a8f085fc7033b5378&quot;},&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6942772a8f085fc7033b5378#block-6942772a8f085fc7033b5378\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<aside data-ad-slot=\"true\" class=\"ad-slot-container ad-slot-desktop dcr-jko40v\"\/>\n<article id=\"block-69426e268f085fc7033b533b\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">Who stands where on EU reparations loan for Ukraine?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"dcr-dzkvsd\">\n<div class=\"dcr-uae6pk\"><img src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2025\/01\/22\/Jakub_Krupa.png?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=4a039a2b765744058f3c2c677268513e\" alt=\"Jakub Krupa\" class=\"dcr-lysqes\"\/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-sa35sa\">Jakub Krupa<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">If you want to <strong>test various scenarios ahead of tomorrow\u2019s debate on Russian frozen assets<\/strong>, you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/council-eu\/voting-system\/voting-calculator\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">use this handy calculator to see what is needed to get the proposal passed<\/a> under the so-called qualified majority vote, or QMV (expect to hear a lot about it in the next 48 hours).<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">As we know, the opposition is led by <strong>Belgium <\/strong>and its outspoken prime minister <strong>Bart de Wever<\/strong>, with <strong>Bulgaria<\/strong>, <strong>Czech Republic,<\/strong> and <strong>Malta<\/strong> also against. <strong>Italy<\/strong> has some doubts too (at least for now?), and <strong>Hungary<\/strong>, traditionally, is against anything that would help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/ukraine\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Ukraine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>Slovakia<\/strong> appears to be leaning towards <em>against<\/em> too, with prime minister <strong>Robert Fico<\/strong> saying this morning that he won\u2019t support anything that prolongs the war and would increase military spending.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Last week Fico said \u201cI will not support anything, <strong>even if we have to sit in Brussels until the New Year,<\/strong> which would lead to support for Ukraine\u2019s military expenditures.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><em>Don\u2019t give them ideas, Robert.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">As it stands, <strong>that\u2019s not enough to block the proposal (unless France switches sides, essentially)<\/strong> \u2013 but that\u2019s assuming the supporters will <em>really<\/em> push it to the vote. While <em>technically <\/em>possible<em>,<\/em> it feels deeply implausible <em>politically.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Let\u2019s see if we get any further political signals from the capitals during the day.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news&quot;,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;block-69426e268f085fc7033b533b&quot;,&quot;queryParams&quot;:{&quot;page&quot;:&quot;with:block-69426e268f085fc7033b533b&quot;},&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-69426e268f085fc7033b533b#block-69426e268f085fc7033b533b\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2025-12-17T09:00:52.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-gb\" title=\"Wednesday, 17 December 2025 at 09:00 Greenwich Mean Time\">09.00 GMT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<aside data-ad-slot=\"true\" class=\"ad-slot-container dcr-jko40v\"\/>\n<article id=\"block-694268278f0867fecfcdc8e9\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">Morning opening:<\/h2>\n<div class=\"dcr-dzkvsd\">\n<div class=\"dcr-uae6pk\"><img src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2025\/01\/22\/Jakub_Krupa.png?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=4a039a2b765744058f3c2c677268513e\" alt=\"Jakub Krupa\" class=\"dcr-lysqes\"\/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-sa35sa\">Jakub Krupa<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>EU leaders are entering final stages of negotiations ahead of this week\u2019s crunch European Council meeting in Brussels,<\/strong> at which they will have to decide the critical decision on whether to use frozen Russian assets to fund a reparations loan for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/ukraine\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Ukraine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Some 24 hours before they start their talks on Thursday, <strong>there is no agreement in sight, as Belgium continues to oppose the European Commission\u2019s proposals as it worries about possible legal challenges from Russia<\/strong>. More worryingly for the countries supporting the loan, more countries seem to be having some doubts, including Italy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>Technically, the European Council could push ahead with a qualified majority vote, even if Belgium and <\/strong><em><strong>some<\/strong><\/em><strong> countries oppose the plan.<\/strong> But politically, the optics of doing that and acting against the will of the most invested member state\u2019s will would be pretty tricky. <strong>Either way, it could very easily end up in mess.<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"de4782c2-ecc1-4fe5-9e2c-6cca500e0ae0\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">European Council President Antonio Costa, Ukraine&#8217;s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrive for an EU Summit at the European Council building in Brussels last March.<\/span> Photograph: Omar Havana\/AP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The European Commission president, <strong>Ursula von der Leyen,<\/strong> has just opened a debate on the summit in the European Parliament, saying <strong>\u201cthere is no more important act of European defence than supporting Ukraine\u2019s defence,\u201d <\/strong>adding that <strong>\u201cthe next days will be a crucial step for securing this.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">She outlined both options given to the EU leaders ahead of tomorrow\u2019s summit \u2013 the loan or new joint borrowing \u2013 but stressed:<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cWe will have to decide which way we want to take, which route we want to take. But one is one thing is very, very clear. <strong>We have to take the decision to fund Ukraine for the next two years in this European Council.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Prepare for a long Thursday night, everyone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">More broadly, von der Leyen told EU lawmakers that \u201cEurope must be responsible for its own security.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">She added: \u201cThis is no longer an option. It is a must.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Let\u2019s see what they the leaders will do this week, then.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>I will bring you all the key updates throughout the day.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">It\u2019s <strong>Wednesday, 17 December 2025,<\/strong> it\u2019s <strong>Jakub Krupa<\/strong> here, and this is <strong>Europe Live.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>Good morning.<\/strong><\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news&quot;,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;block-694268278f0867fecfcdc8e9&quot;,&quot;queryParams&quot;:{&quot;page&quot;:&quot;with:block-694268278f0867fecfcdc8e9&quot;},&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=EU chiefs welcome UK\u2019s decision to rejoin Erasmus as \u2018big step forward\u2019 - Europe live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-694268278f0867fecfcdc8e9#block-694268278f0867fecfcdc8e9\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<p><gu-island name=\"LiveBlogEpic\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{&quot;sectionId&quot;:&quot;world&quot;,&quot;shouldHideReaderRevenue&quot;:false,&quot;tags&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;world\/series\/europe-live-with-jakub-krupa&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Series&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Europe live with Jakub 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Krupa&quot;,&quot;bylineImageUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2025\/01\/22\/Jakub_Krupa.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=41cc9981ec7b067e2d3b5391c5a68a4f&quot;,&quot;bylineLargeImageUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2025\/01\/22\/Jakub_Krupa.png?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=4a039a2b765744058f3c2c677268513e&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;profile\/richardadams&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Contributor&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Richard Adams&quot;,&quot;bylineImageUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/static\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2008\/06\/05\/richardadams_140x140.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=5c5675c87c18e33448b37bf600f99ba4&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;tracking\/commissioningdesk\/uk-foreign&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Tracking&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;UK Foreign&quot;}],&quot;isPaidContent&quot;:false,&quot;contributionsServiceUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/contributions.guardianapis.com&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2025\/dec\/17\/ukraine-russia-war-eu-european-council-frozen-assets-zelenskyy-europe-live-news&quot;,&quot;keywordIds&quot;:&quot;world\/europe-news,world\/ukraine,world\/russia,world\/ursula-von-der-leyen,world\/world,world\/eu,education\/education,politics\/eu-referendum&quot;,&quot;renderingTarget&quot;:&quot;Web&quot;}\"\/><\/div>\n<p>#chiefs #UKs #decision #rejoin #Erasmus #big #step #Europe #live #Europe<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8216;Big step forward,&#038;#8217&hellip; 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