960 billion euro budget overcomes a dispute between Britain and France.

Decision comes as a blow to PM Erdogan's Turkish government.

E.U.officials said Latvia's willingness to join next year is a vote of confidence for the shared currency.

The European Union said it was seeking "further information and reassurance" from U.S. authorities.

Bashar Assad's comment on the arrival of the long-range S-300 air defense missiles in Syria will further ratchet up tensions in the region.

The main Western-backed opposition bloc urged the E.U. to supply rebels with weapons.

The European Union decision, coupled with Russia's renewed pledge to supply President Assad's regime with advanced missiles, could transform an already brutal civil war into an East-West proxy fight.

European Union nations decided to lift an arms embargo on Syria as Russia disclosed it has a contract to sell the Syrian government sophisticated anti-aircraft missiles.

Moscow has unabashedly sent weapons to Assad's regime — and European Union arms deliveries could partially re-balance the firepower in the war.

Some members feel more weapons would only increase the killings.