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“It’s not only the Europeans who think that. We all think that it must end as soon as possible,” French Finance Minister Roland Lescure, who chaired the meeting, told reporters during a press conference after discussions concluded Tuesday. “We all know that the sooner we reopen the Hormuz Strait, the sooner the economic aspect of this geopolitical conflict will be resolved, the better off we will all be,” he added. But the U.S. laid blame for Europe’s economic predicament on national governments. “It’s [a] tired old tactic to try and blame their government’s abysmal approval ratings on external forces, rather…
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a two-day state visit to China. Images showed Putin descending from his presidential plane before greeting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the airport tarmac. Young Chinese supporters waving Russian and Chinese flags lined the arrival area as a military band and guard of honor welcomed the Russian leader. Footage also showed Putin walking along a red carpet before departing in a motorcade from the airport. The visit comes days after US President Donald Trump’s trip to China and marks the 25th anniversary of the China-Russia friendship treaty.
Tuesday’s drone entered Estonian airspace at noon local time, the Estonian Defense Forces wrote on X. Soon after, a Romanian F-16 training with NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission downed the drone with an air-to-air missile, under the leadership of the Latvian Control and Reporting Center. Earlier in May, a Ukrainian drone crashed into an oil depot in Latvia, leading to the resignation of Latvia’s defense minister Andris Sprūds and ultimately the collapse of the Latvian government. Tuesday’s shootdown appears to be the first time a drone has been downed in Estonia. The Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman apologized for the incursion…
Workers used a crane to install a massive bronze statue of Pelé outside Estadio Jalisco in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Aerial and ground images showed crews lifting and positioning the nine-meter-high sculpture beside the stadium as onlookers gathered to watch. Created by Mexican artist Alejandro Velazco, the monument titled “La Canarinha” depicts Pele celebrating during the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, where Brazil won the tournament. Estadio Jalisco is one of the venues set to host matches during the 2026 World Cup.
“The process of redeploying U.S. military forces and assets in Europe is ongoing, but no decision has been made to reduce U.S. military capabilities in Poland,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said in a post on X. “The decisions being made are in no way directed against our strategic partnership. The Pentagon is currently preparing a new plan for the deployment of its forces across Europe.” ‘Blurred’ picture In practice, the two U.S. announcements will be part of the same drawdown, according to two people familiar with the matter, with the ultimate aim of reducing troop numbers in Germany. The 4,000-strong 2nd Armored Brigade Combat…
Published on 19/05/2026 – 19:07 GMT+2 A palpable sense of embarrassment was noticeable when the Anthem of Europe resounded in the Strasbourg European Parliament on Tuesday, with a clutch of grey heads at the centre of the stage symbolised the Old Continent getting older. The conferral ceremony of the European Order of Merit was meant to celebrate the European Union with an assortment of heavyweights who helped build it and fresh faces who can shape its future. But of the 20 laureates chosen this year, almost all the 13 laureates who actually attended the ceremony belong to the emeritus cohort,…
US President Donald Trump named Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE as the “great leaders and allies” who convinced him to “hold off” on a renewed strike on Iran, propelling the three Gulf countries to the forefront of an expanded political architecture in addition to Pakistan’s mediation efforts in the search for a conclusion of the war in Iran. Trump said that the Qatari, Emirati and Saudi leaders — whom he said he respects — asked him to postpone the renewed military action as “serious negotiation are now taking place”. “In their opinion a deal will be made which will…
PARIS — Former French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe will cooperate fully with investigators after financial prosecutors ordered a judicial inquiry into allegations of embezzlement, a local official linked to Philippe said Tuesday. Philippe, one of the leading candidates ahead of the 2027 presidential election, “takes note” of the opening of the inquiry against him, said the official for Le Havre regional authority, who was granted anonymity in line with protocol rules. “He will, of course, answer all the questions that the [magistrates] will ask him in a very serene fashion, as he always has done,” said the official. France’s National…
The EU is hopeful it can reach a deal on a raft of measures aiming to slash red tape, increase transparency and supercharge domestic production to respond to growing security threats – but significant issues remain regarding autonomy, risking the continent’s security. On Tuesday, members of the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Cypriot EU Council presidency representing member states met in Brussels to rubber-stamp the so-called “Defence Readiness Omnibus” — a set of measures proposed a year ago and aimed at streamlining processes for the defence industry. But divisions have emerged regarding the details of the proposals, particularly…