Cabinet ministers have concluded a crisis meeting about keeping vital public services going after the collapse of contractor Carillion. The construction giant, which provides services for schools, prisons and hospitals, has gone into liquidation. Cabinet Office minister David Lidington said the two-hour Cobra committee talks enabled ministers to air any concerns. Source BBC
European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič said on May 23 that the time has come for another round of trilateral talks with Russia and Ukraine to find a “Constructive and stable co-operation between Russia and Ukraine in the field of energy is of utmost importance for the European Union.” Source: New Europe
China will take in more natural gas from the United States to satisfy growing domestic demand, a Chinese consultancy has said amid trade talks between Washington and Beijing seeking to settle differences about a major U.S. trade deficit with Asia’s second-largest economy. Source: Oil Price
The new European Defence Industrial Development Programme, with a €500 million budget for 2019-2020, was informally agreed by MEPs and Council on Tuesday night (22 to 23 May). Source: Euractiv
