Donald Trump’s UK state visit yielded £150 billion in US investment promises across tech, energy and manufacturing sectors. The Tech Prosperity Deal centred on AI and nuclear cooperation. The visit was largely scripted, with the government highlighting economic benefits amid protests and broader geopolitical concerns.

The European Commission is preparing to accelerate the exit from Russian oil, gas, and fossil fuel imports ahead of its prior 2028 deadline. Pressure from the United States has intensified. Resistance from Hungary and Slovakia remains. Legal changes and bans on new contracts are key components of the revised plan.

Brussels enters autumn beset by stalled reforms, budget shortfalls and vanishing credibility. From climate targets to defence procurement, the Commission’s priorities are collapsing under internal division and global pressure.

France’s Prime Minister has been ousted after losing a confidence vote over a failed austerity budget. The collapse leaves President Macron facing the task of appointing yet another prime minister amid a gridlocked parliament, growing economic pressures, and increasing political instability at home and abroad.

Norway is ramping up investment in oil and gas even amid green energy expansion. Output continues to exceed expectations, with new licensing rounds and record field development. Political parties differ on the strategy, but the petroleum sector remains central to the economy and Europe’s energy supply.

French business leaders warn of economic damage after Prime Minister François Bayrou set a 8 September confidence vote linked to budget plans. Stocks fell and bond spreads widened as opposition parties refused support. Markets partially stabilised, but sentiment remains fragile ahead of the vote and any budget revisions.

President Lee Jae Myung begins a visit to Washington on 23 August with fifteen senior executives from South Korea’s largest companies. The trip comes ahead of his 25 August summit with President Trump and will address trade, investment pledges, energy purchases and defence cost-sharing between the two countries.

Pieter Cleppe reveals how Brussels lobbyists are behind the EU’s latest ‘Green Deal’

President Trump ruled out deploying U.S. ground troops to Ukraine but left air support on the table. Discussions are ongoing between U.S. and European planners to structure security guarantees that rely on European boots on the ground and U.S. air defence systems, while remaining mindful of geopolitical sensitivities.

The IEA will reintroduce a “current policies scenario” in its upcoming energy outlook to reflect existing policy pathways. Facing criticism from Energy Secretary Chris Wright—who has threatened U.S. withdrawal—the move aims to rein in aspirational forecasting while maintaining relevance amid political and methodological scrutiny.