Europe suffered an 8% increase in infection from HIV in the last year, according to new figures.
The biggest increase in infection rates was in eastern Europe, according to the World Health Organisation.
The figures were released in advance of World Aids Day on Sunday.
In total some 131,000 people were diagnosed with infection with the virus for the first time last year – an increase of 10,000. About 60% of the infections were in Russia.
WHO said the spread of infection was closely linked to patients being able to get anti-HIV treatment.
During the year there was a 1% rise in cases in the EU area and a 9% increase in eastern Europe and central Asia.
Regional director Zsuzsanna Jakab said: "We know that providing antiretroviral therapy earlier will allow people with HIV to live longer and healthier lives, and will reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to others.
"While the HIV epidemic in Europe has not ended, our goal of halting and reversing the spread of HIV by 2015 is still achievable in many countries."
* Meanwhile Swedish researchers reported on the dangers of a recently discovered strain of HIV.
The new strain has surfaced in West Africa and the researchers say it leads to a much faster development of AIDS than other strains.
The findings come from a study conducted in Guinea-Bissau by Lund University, Sweden, and reported in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
The new virus is a cross between the country’s two most common strains 02AG and A3.
Professor Patrik Medstrand, from the university, said: "New subtypes and recombinant forms of HIV-1 have been introduced to our part of the world, and it is highly likely that there are a large number of circulating recombinants of which we know little or nothing.
"We therefore need to be aware of how the HIV-1 epidemic changes over time."
Faster progression to AIDS and AIDS-related death among seroincident individuals infected with recombinant HIV-1 A3/CRF02_AG compared to sub-subtype A3 Journal of Infectious Diseases November 2013
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