Russian War Leads EU Bloc to Push for Faster Trade Deals

  • At least 10 member states call for accelerating trade deals
  • New Asian partnership seen as ‘wake-up’ call for Europe
Photographer: Dominik Reipka/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

A group of European Union countries are pushing to kick start negotiations on stalled free-trade agreements as Russia’s war with Ukraine threatens the bloc’s economic and security interests.

At least nine nations -- including Germany and Spain -- are planning to send a letter to the EU seeking to speed the delayed talks, according to a draft obtained by Bloomberg. France effectively blocked work on pending deals ahead of its presidential election in April.