Morning opening: Welcome to Brussels
Jakub Krupa
After yesterday’s Nato summit in The Hague, European leaders have travelled 176 km south to Brussels (1 hour 36 minutes on a practice, however with connection in Rotterdam) the place they meet for at this time’s European Council assembly of the EU.
On the agenda:
-
Ukraine (together with a video name with Volodymyr Zelenskyy),
-
the Center East,
-
European defence and safety,
-
competitiveness, and
-
migration.
They can even talk about the scenario in Moldova and the broader enlargement coverage in the direction of the western Balkans.
The leaders ought to begin arriving any second now, and I’ll carry you their feedback as they go into the room the place it occurs.
It’s Thursday, 26 June 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa right here, and that is Europe Reside.
Good morning.
Key occasions
-
Axiom-4 mission carrying Polish, Hungarian astronauts docks with International Space Station
-
Tensions mount ahead of Budapest Pride on Saturday
-
Slovakia wants sanctions package delayed, ready to veto
-
Latvia ‘very committed’ to further sanctions on Russia, Belarus, PM says
-
EU should aim to accept Ukraine into bloc by 2030, Lithuanian president says
-
Hungary’s position on Ukraine ‘regrettable’, Ireland’s Martin says
-
‘Atmosphere focused on getting a deal,’ Ireland’s PM says on talks with US
-
Negotiated trade deal with US ‘extremely important,’ Irish PM says
-
Finnish PM hopes to see sanctions against Russia passed today
-
Change in Nato mindset brought on by Vladimir Putin as much as Donald Trump – analysis
-
Dutch PM ‘hopeful’ to see new sanctions passed by EU
-
‘Rebellion is the only way,’ Hungary’s Orbán criticises EU’s migration plans, rejects Ukraine’s membership bid
-
Morning opening: Welcome to Brussels
Axiom-4 mission carrying Polish, Hungarian astronauts docks with Worldwide Area Station
A US industrial mission carrying crew from India, Poland and Hungary has simply docked with the International Space Station, with astronauts from these international locations going to house for the primary time in many years.
Axiom Mission 4, or Ax-4, launched from Nasa’s Kennedy Space Middle in Florida at 2.31am native time yesterday with a brand-new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule driving atop a Falcon 9 rocket.
The car docked with the orbital lab on Thursday and can stay there for as much as 14 days. The organisers stated that “throughout their two-week keep aboard the orbiting laboratory, the crew of Ax-4 will have interaction in science, outreach, and industrial actions.”
Onboard the spacecraft are the Indian check pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, the mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary, and the US commander Peggy Whitson, a former Nasa astronaut who now works for the corporate Axiom Area, which organises non-public spaceflights amongst different issues.
The final time Poland or Hungary despatched folks to house, their present crop of astronauts had not but been born – and again then they had been referred to as cosmonauts, as they flew on Soviet missions earlier than the autumn of the iron curtain.
You may watch the arrival and their first feedback right here:
Tensions mount forward of Budapest Delight on Saturday
Jon Henley
Since we’re speaking about Hungary, tensions are mounting there forward of Budapest’s Delight parade on Saturday.
A reminder: in March, the intolerant authorities of prime minister Viktor Orbán launched a brand new assault on LGBTQ+ rights, making it an offence to carry or attend any occasion violating contentious “youngster safety” laws that bars “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to minors.
Hungarian police stated final week that on these grounds, they had been banning the capital’s Delight march. Nevertheless the mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, has vowed it’ll go forward as a result of it was being organised as by metropolis corridor and municipal occasions don’t require police approval.
Greater than 70 MEPs and several other main nationwide politicians together with the Dutch training minister, Spanish tradition minister, and the previous Irish and Belgian prime ministers Leo Varadkar and Elio Di Rupo, have stated they’ll attend in solidarity.
On Wednesday the European Fee president, Ursula von der Leyen, urged Hungarian authorities on social media to permit the parade, vowing:
“To the LGBTIQ+ neighborhood in Hungary and past: I’ll at all times be your ally.”
Orbán retaliated late on Wednesday night, saying in his own post:
“I urge the European Fee to chorus from interfering within the legislation enforcement affairs of Member States, the place it has no position to play.”
(As reported earlier, he was additionally requested about it once more this morning, at 9:45.)
Now it has emerged that after 33 embassies in Budapest expressed help for the march, Hungary’s justice minister, Bence Tuzson, wrote to plenty of them this week warning workers to remain away: “The authorized scenario is obvious: the Delight parade is a legally banned meeting,” he stated in the letter, seen by AFP.
“Those that participate in an occasion prohibited by the authorities commit an infraction. Kindly be certain that your co-workers and colleagues are duly knowledgeable of those information, in an effort to keep readability.”
And the organisers of the Delight parade, of their flip, have despatched a letter to the embassies insisting that the police had no proper to ban the occasion and that the march was “neither banned nor illegal,” promising it will “go forward as deliberate”.
Slovakia needs sanctions bundle delayed, able to veto
Hungary and Slovakia stay against adopting the 18th bundle of sanctions at this time.
Hungary’s Orbán signalled earlier that he acquired some provides from the EU on potential areas for compromise (9:45), however, in distinction, Slovakia’s place appeared to have hardened in the previous couple of days.
On Monday, the nation’s overseas minister Juraj Blanár steered Slovakia was able to help the bundle because it doesn’t instantly have an effect on its pursuits.
However speaking to reporters this morning, prime minister Robert Fico stated he would ask for the bundle to be delayed, and will even veto it utterly.
Slovak media are reporting that Fico is annoyed with the EU’s separate proposal on vitality imports from Russia, together with on nuclear gas, and need to use the specter of blocking the sanctions to get concessions there.
One to observe.
Latvia ‘very dedicated’ to additional sanctions on Russia, Belarus, PM says
Latvian prime minister Evika Siliņa says that whereas she isn’t positive if the 18th sanctions bundle could be agreed at this time, Latvia stays “very dedicated” to additional measures in opposition to Russia and Belarus.
She says “it’s crucial to maintain Russia out of monetary sources” that fund the persevering with struggle on Ukraine.
She says she sees no motion from Russia that may point out its willingness to finish the battle because it continues to bomb Ukraine.
“We name for a ceasefire, but when not ceasefire is reached, they should go additional with subsequent sanctions bundle in opposition to Russia,” she says.
Romania’s new president Nicușor Dan says his focus is on overseas affairs at this time, with specific curiosity on the scenario in Moldova, the broader Black Sea area, and the persevering with help for Ukraine.
Spain’s Pedro Sánchez says he’s satisified with the end result of the Nato summit in The Hague, which he says was tough however strikes the proper stability.
Equally to Eire’s Martin, he urges the EU to behave to enhance the circulation of humanitarian support into Gaza, and droop the bloc’s affiliation settlement with Israel over alleged violation of human rights.
Curiously, he hyperlinks it with the 18th bundle of sanctions on Russia, saying it will be a double normal to pursue it whereas not reacting to Israel’s actions.
He’s additionally requested about US president Donald Trump’s risk he would make Spain pay double for refusing to enroll to the brand new Nato spending goal.
He says defence and commerce are two separate points, factors out that Spain has a commerce deficit with the US, and notes that the EU’s commerce coverage is run from Brussels.
EU ought to goal to simply accept Ukraine into bloc by 2030, Lithuanian president says
Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda says the EU ought to open the six remaining clusters of negotiations for Ukraine’s EU membership by the tip of the 12 months and goal to confess the nation to the bloc by 1 January 2030, Reuters studies.
Hungary’s place on Ukraine ‘regrettable’, Eire’s Martin says
Eire’s Martin is fairly outspoken this morning.
Requested about Ukraine’s accession to the EU, he calls Viktor Orbán and Hungary’s opposition to the transfer “deeply, deeply regrettable” and “very problematic.”
He says Eire “will do what we at all times do, would search to influence” on this, as he insists that “it’s crucial that that accession pathway begins.”
He says that figuring out that the EU membership has had a transformative influence on Eire, he doesn’t need to get in the way in which of stopping anybody searching for to affix the EU.
Equally on Israel, he repeatedly calls out “the diploma of carnage and destruction” in Gaza, saying it “cries out for a humanitarian response from Europe.”
“I feel that type of tactic and sample of undermining those that would even query what’s occurring in Gaza, that additionally has to cease,” he says.
‘Environment centered on getting a deal,’ Eire’s PM says on talks with US
Eire’s Martin additionally continues on the US commerce scenario:
“I do genuinely detect an environment that’s centered on getting a deal, each on the US aspect and on the European Union aspect, and that’s the place our focus in Eire is.
Really getting a deal is vital for certainty in order that we all know the panorama out forward of us and that trade is aware of the panorama forward of it, in order that we are able to defend jobs, which is our primary precedence.”
Negotiated commerce take care of US ‘extraordinarily vital,’ Irish PM says
Irish prime minister Micheál Martin is up subsequent.
He says that getting a negotiated commerce association with the US earlier than the 9 July deadline is “extraordinarily vital to present certainty to market, certainty to buyers, to staff and to trade.”
“Each effort needs to be made to get a touchdown zone that we are able to reside with. It’s not splendid. It’s not optimum. Europe doesn’t need tariffs, however we now have to take care of the scenario that’s earlier than us,” he says.
Martin additionally says Eire is “not pleased” with the delays within the Ukrainian accession course of, with “some international locations slowing down the method” (hello Hungary!).
“It’s a really basic problem that speaks to the way forward for Ukrainians, but additionally of Europe, and the European Union, and Eire has been outspoken from the very starting of this that there needs to be a pathway for Ukraine to develop into members of the European Union.”
Martin additionally says he’ll increase the problem of “the dire, catastrophic humanitarian scenario in Gaza,” saying it’s “incomprehensible” that Europe is just not placing extra strain on Israel.
Luxembourgish prime minister Luc Frieden says the Nato summit in The Hague was “the summit of unity and energy for Europe” as he praises the end result of the talks.
He says the EU must “deepen the only market” to generate financial progress.
He pointedly says “we want open commerce, and we’re in opposition to tariffs,” as he hopes to get a take care of the US forward of the 9 July deadline.
On Ukraine, he says “we have to proceed to be supportive of Ukrainian folks.”
On Gaza, he says the scenario in Gaza continues to be “horrible” from a humanitarian standpoint, and whereas Europe has “at all times been on the aspect of Israel in [terms of] its proper to self-defence,” extra must be completed to enhance the scenario of Palestinians.
Finnish PM hopes to see sanctions in opposition to Russia handed at this time
Finnish prime minister Petteri Orpo additionally begins by praising the end result of the Nato summit in The Hague yesterday.
He then says he hopes the leaders will attain an settlement on the brand new sanctions bundle to place strain on Putin in a bid to finish the invasion on Ukraine.
He stresses the necessity to cross the bundle at this time, and says he hopes that the 2 international locations signalling their dissent – that’s Hungary and Slovakia – will ultimately again it too.
Change in Nato mindset introduced on by Vladimir Putin as a lot as Donald Trump – evaluation
Dan Sabbagh
Donald Trump could prefer to take the credit score for nearly all the 32 allies agreeing to a sharp increase in defence spending, however the truth is that the dramatic change within the Nato mindset was as a lot introduced on by Vladimir Putin.
The Russian president’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was the primary jolt, however there’s a second uncomfortable actuality. If there’s a sustainable ceasefire in Ukraine, it’ll imply the deployment of a European-led peacekeeping power within the nation – and after some time, Russia’s army would possibly will inevitably get better.
Mark Rutte’s sycophantic, however efficient, dealing with of Trump, definitely helped carry a few constructive summit in The Hague, although even the Nato chief needed to concede that describing Trump as “daddy” – a father determine who needed to inform Iran and Israel to cease combating – was maybe “a query of style”.
The manoeuvres weren’t refined, however they had been however efficient. A late schedule change gave Trump an evening in King Willem-Alexander’s palace, full with breakfast, leaving Trump to comment on how effectively he had slept, although what significantly appears to have hit residence was listening to every of the alliance’s different 31 leaders give a three-minute speech, one thing that is likely to be assumed to have bored him.
“I got here right here as a result of it was one thing I’m presupposed to be doing, however I left right here a bit of bit completely different,” he stated as he mirrored on the morning assembly in an upbeat press convention.
Make no mistake, after Trump’s re-election and significantly in February, the alarm throughout Nato was actual. That month, Trump began speaking to Putin about Ukraine, and rowed with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, within the Oval Workplace – whereas his defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, made a speech that was interpreted as a warning that within the not too distant future Europe may need to defend itself.
However what helped persuade Nato’s different leaders to spend extra was a fear about Trump’s dedication. Nato planners consider that if Russia had been to conform to a ceasefire, it might rapidly, inside maybe three, 5 or seven years, pose a severe risk to the alliance’s japanese flank.
As we wait to listen to from extra leaders to reach, let me bounce on Schoof’s feedback and convey you our defence and safety editor Dan Sabbagh’s evaluation of yesterday’s Nato summit in The Hague.
German chancellor Friedrich Merz is just not within the temper for prolonged conversations as he arrives at his first European Council.
He lists the matters to be mentioned at this time, and endorses the European Fee’s proposals to enhance the bloc’s competitveness globally and “efforts to succeed in a commerce settlement with the US.”
And, on a private word, he says he hopes to have the ability to make a contribution to assist Europe transfer ahead efficiently.
Dutch PM ‘hopeful’ to see new sanctions handed by EU
Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof arrives subsequent, contemporary from the profitable Nato summit in The Hague.
He (not surprisingly) says it was a “superb summit,” which “achieved a giant consequence” with the brand new 5% defence spending goal.
He additionally tells reporters it’s clear that the US stays dedicated to Nato and Article 5, and hopes for a decision to commerce points quickly.
On sanctions in opposition to Russia, Schoof backs the “robust” bundle and says he’s “hopeful” that will probably be handed throughout at this time’s assembly.
‘Riot is the one manner,’ Hungary’s Orbán criticises EU’s migration plans, rejects Ukraine’s membership bid
Hungary’s Viktor Orbán is the primary chief to reach.
One of many key points at this summit is whether or not the leaders will have the ability to agree on the 18th bundle of sanctions in opposition to Russia.
Hungary has been a vocal critic of the proposal, threatening (as common) to dam it. Slovakia can be partially in opposition to the brand new bundle.
However in his trade with the Hungarian media, Orbán seems to sign he acquired compromise provide from the EU’s overseas coverage chief, Kaja Kallas. One to observe.
He then takes a number of questions from worldwide reporters.
He will get requested what he would do if one among his 5 kids needed to attend the Budapest Delight march this weekend, banned by the Hungarian police.
He says:
They’re all adults. So, they make their very own selections in their very own lives.
On Ukraine, he says he worries that “if we combine Ukraine into the European Union, we might combine the struggle.”
“We’d not prefer it to be collectively in a single neighborhood with a rustic that’s at struggle and represents an imminent hazard for us. If a member of the EU is at struggle, it means the EU is at struggle, and we don’t prefer it.”
He will get requested if his calculation would change if there was a ceasefire.
“Yeah, however there’s no ceasefire,” he solutions.
On EU-US commerce, he says the issue is the Individuals have “a heavyweight dealmaker,” whereas the EU’s negotiators are “relatively weak.”
On migration, he requires “revolt, revolt, revolt” in opposition to the EU’s guidelines as he criticises the insufficient response thus far.
“We’ve mentioned 100 instances easy methods to change … the regulation of migration. And nothing occurred, they only [keep] coming in,” he says.
He tells his fellow leaders that “for those who come collectively to have a pleasant assembly and good discuss, it’ll by no means ork.”
“The one approach to cease it, as we Hungarians have completed, … that no one can step into the territory of Hungary with out having the permission from the Hungarian authorities,” he says.
“What I recommend to all my colleagues, revolt, revolt, revolt. … Riot is the one manner,” he says.
Morning opening: Welcome to Brussels
Jakub Krupa
After yesterday’s Nato summit in The Hague, European leaders have travelled 176 km south to Brussels (1 hour 36 minutes on a practice, however with connection in Rotterdam) the place they meet for at this time’s European Council assembly of the EU.
On the agenda:
-
Ukraine (together with a video name with Volodymyr Zelenskyy),
-
the Center East,
-
European defence and safety,
-
competitiveness, and
-
migration.
They can even talk about the scenario in Moldova and the broader enlargement coverage in the direction of the western Balkans.
The leaders ought to begin arriving any second now, and I’ll carry you their feedback as they go into the room the place it occurs.
It’s Thursday, 26 June 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa right here, and that is Europe Reside.
Good morning.
