Author: staff

Listen on Spotify Apple Music Amazon Music EU foreign ministers are meeting in Luxembourg today to discuss a hefty list of geopolitical crises. But compared with past gatherings, something feels … different. That might be because, without the presence of an obstructionist Hungary, the meeting could finally result in movement on several key topics. Ian and Sarah discuss whether we can expect decisive action to be taken on issues like the unblocking of aid to Ukraine or possible sanctions against Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Next, we give you the lowdown on the election results in Bulgaria where ex-fighter jet pilot Rumen Radev…

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“By definition, everybody understands of each other that the loyalty is to your political bosses and to delivering results to their instructions,” said Ivan Rogers, about national ambassadors to the EU, a role he performed for the U.K. in Brussels until 2017. And, whatever Ódor thought about these instructions personally, he followed them to the letter. While even those who worked closely with Ódor were uncertain about whether he was simply following orders or shared Orbán’s desire to bash Brussels, his reputation as the outgoing prime minister’s fixer may well be his downfall, according to five diplomats and officials from…

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NATO routinely reiterates support for the treaty, but the new statement comes ahead of a weekslong U.N.-linked review conference of the agreement in New York at the end of April. The pact has come under unprecedented pressure from growing geopolitical disputes, growing fears around Chinese nuclear armament and Russia’s all-out war in Ukraine. In recent months, France has said it would increase the size of its nuclear arsenal as it enters early-stage talks with other European countries to extend its deterrent in response to Russian aggression — even as Paris insists this does not violate the NPT. Meanwhile, the U.S.…

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Magyar, however, has announced he will halt the ICC withdrawal by June 2, which would be a year after Hungary filed a formal withdrawal notification to the U.N. secretary-general. Asked by reporters what this would mean for Netanyahu’s planned visit this fall — he has already accepted Hungary’s invite — Magyar said: “I made this clear to the Israeli prime minister as well … it is the Tisza government’s firm intention to stop this and ensure that Hungary remains a member of the ICC.” He added: “If a country is a member of the ICC and a person who is…

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Asked whether the pair got back together after Macron called a snap election in 2024, Attal said: “Yes, we never really lost track of one another … we carried on talking as if we didn’t want the break-up to be total and become a reality. I feel extremely lucky,” he added. But the renewal of their romantic relationship could turn into a potential conflict of interest, given Attal’s national ambitions in France. The former PM, who is a lawmaker and leader of Macron’s Renaissance Party, made no secret of his intention to run in the next presidential election. Attal is…

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“The Americans who have been tasked with the Board of Peace … are also discovering that the established institutions are quite useful. The World Bank, the [United Nations], different agencies actually have a lot of experience,” he said in an interview at Norway’s representation to the EU. Trump’s administration has kept the Palestinian Authority somewhat at arm’s length in plans to govern Gaza, notably denying entry to the United States to anyone holding a Palestinian Authority passport. But chief EU diplomat Kaja Kallas welcomed Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa in Brussels as a special guest — and Eide said…

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday he had been wrong to appoint Labour politician Peter Mandelson as UK envoy to Washington, seeking to quell anger over a scandal surrounding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s long-time associate. Starmer, whose popularity with the British public and many MPs in his own centre-left Labour Party has slumped, has also struggled to manage a controversy that threatens to bring down his leadership. Addressing parliament about the deepening political row, Starmer said: “At the heart of this, there is also a judgment I made that was wrong. I should not have appointed Peter…

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Turkey said on Monday it had arrested 90 people with suspected links to the so-called Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, two weeks after a deadly shootout outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul. A total of 198 people were detained a day after the 7 April attack in a nationwide sweep against “the terrorist organisation Daesh,” the Arabic acronym for the group. The 90 other suspects arrested in 24 of Turkey’s provinces include “members of the terrorist organisation,” and people “involved in its financing…and suspects disseminating propaganda,” the interior ministry said. Authorities have not officially connected these arrests to the shootout…

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