Board of Europe?

"Like you did it in ... 1989, when you were the first to cut the barbed wire that was dividing our continent," von der Leyen said in Brussels today. (2/2)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has compared Viktor Orban's electoral defeat to Hungarian uprisings against Soviet communism.

"I really want to say to the Hungarian people: You've done it again. Against all odds. Like you did in 1956 when you couragerously stood up." (1/2)

Trump's anger over Iran thrusts NATO into fresh crisis The 76-year-old alliance has in recent years survived existential challenges, ranging from the war in Ukraine to pressure and insults from Trump. But it is the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran that has near...

From our story on the NATO crisis triggered by the Iran war:

Trump's comments have provoked unprecedented concern that the U.S. will not come to the aid of European allies should they be attacked, whether or not Washington formally walks away.

A city within a city: The secret life of Brussels' Résidence Palace The iconic Résidence Palace marks its centenary this year – a Jazz Age experiment in luxury living that helped reshape Brussels long before the EU arrived.

Super piece on the rich history of Brussels' Résidence Palace by @goodclimate.bsky.social

EU leaders vent anger after Hungary's Orban keeps blocking Ukraine loan European Union leaders failed to convince Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Thursday ​to lift his blockade on a 90-billion-euro ($103 billion) EU loan to help Ukraine keep up its fight against ...

To lift his block on the big Ukraine loan:

Hungarian PM Viktor Orban not only wants Russian oil flowing again through a war-damaged pipeline - but also a guarantee it won't stop.

EU summit chair Antonio Costa said only Russia could give such a guarantee.

Story with @liliebayer.bsky.social

Exclusive: EU's Kallas rejects Belgian PM's call to normalise Moscow ties, get cheap Russian energy European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas pushed back on Tuesday against ​a call by Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to normalise ‌relations with Moscow and regain access to cheap Russian en...

One more from my interview with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas today:

Kallas pushes back against ​a call by Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to normalise ‌relations with Moscow and regain access to cheap Russian energy.

www.reuters.com/world/europe...

Exclusive: EU foreign policy chief Kallas calls on US, Israel to end Iran war European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on the United States and Israel ​on Tuesday to end their war with Iran and said the EU was consulting with governments in the Middle East about h...

Correct link: www.reuters.com/world/europe...

Exclusive: EU foreign policy chief Kallas calls on US, Israel to end Iran war European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on the United States and Israel ​on Tuesday to end their war with Iran and said the EU was consulting with governments in the Middle East about h...

My interview with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas:

- calls on U.S. and Israel ​to end their war with Iran

- says EU is consulting with governments in Middle East about how ‌to bring conflict to a conclusion

(Apologies- wrong link in last post)

My interview with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas:

- calls on U.S. and Israel ​to end their war with Iran

- says EU is consulting with governments in Middle East about how ‌to bring conflict to a conclusion

www.reuters.com/world/europe...

Exclusive: EU foreign policy chief Kallas calls on US, Israel to end Iran war European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on the United States and Israel ​on Tuesday to end their war with Iran and said the EU was consulting with governments in the Middle East about h...

My interview with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas:

- calls on U.E. and Israel ​on Tuesday to end their war with Iran

- says EU is consulting with governments in Middle East about how ‌to bring conflict to a conclusion

www.reuters.com/world/europe...

Highlights of NATO chief's interview with Reuters NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told Reuters on Thursday the alliance was vigilant and ready to defend every inch of its territory after Iran fired a ballistic missile towards NATO member Turkey.

Key quotes – on Iran, Ukraine and more - below.

A big Reuters’ team effort behind this. Huge thanks to all the text and visuals colleagues who did so much of the hard work.

(4/4)

Exclusive: NATO's Rutte 'not deaf' to criticism of his Trump praise, offers more NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Thursday he was "not ​deaf" to criticism that he goes overboard in praising Donald Trump but argued the U.S. president ‌deserved it.

Rutte says he’s "not deaf" to criticism that he goes overboard in praising Donald Trump but argues the U.S. president ‌deserves it.

Also offers praise for Spain’s contribution to NATO, despite spat with Trump over U.S. bases and defence spending.

(3/4)

NATO's Rutte backs Macron's nuclear revamp but says US umbrella is ultimate guarantee NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Thursday welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron's pledge to expand his country's nuclear deterrent but said the U.S. nuclear umbrella would ​remain the ultimate...

Rutte welcomes Emmanuel Macron's pledge to expand France's nuclear deterrent but says the U.S. nuclear umbrella will remain the ultimate guarantor of European security.

(2/4)

Exclusive: No talk of triggering NATO's Article 5 over Turkey missile shoot-down, Rutte says NATO does not plan to trigger its Article 5 mutual defence clause over the shooting down of a ballistic missile headed for Turkey, Secretary General Mark Rutte told Reuters on Thursday, amid fears the...

⚡Short thread with main stories from my interview with NATO boss Mark Rutte today:

NATO does not plan to trigger its Article 5 mutual defence clause over the shooting down of a ballistic missile headed for Turkey, Rutte says, amid fears the alliance could become embroiled in U.S.-Iran war.

(1/4)

Exclusive: NATO's Rutte does not see need to invoke Art. 5 after missile incident The shooting down of a ballistic missile headed for Turkey by NATO ​air defences does not provide immediate reason to trigger ‌the alliance's Article 5 mutual defence clause, its Secretary General Mar...

Spoke to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte today. First story below, more to come.

European capitals push back as Ukraine seeks fast-track EU membership Ukraine’s push for a fast track into the European Union as part of any ​peace deal has hit stiff resistance from EU governments, who do not want to open the Pandora’s box of problems that they fear a ...

Ukraine’s push for a fast track into the European Union as part of any ​peace deal has hit stiff resistance from EU governments, who don't want to open the Pandora’s box of problems they fear a quick accession would ‌unleash.

New from @liliebayer.bsky.social, me and Kyiv bureau chief Daniel Flynn

Hungary's Orban asks EU to go verify Druzhba pipeline damage Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Wednesday asked the EU for a "fact-finding mission" to assess damage to the Druzhba oil pipeline in Ukraine, and suggested this could help unblock new EU fundi...

Latest from Reuters' @kateabnett.bsky.social:

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has asked the EU for a "fact-finding mission" to assess damage to the Druzhba oil pipeline in Ukraine, and suggested this could help unblock new EU funding for Kyiv, a letter seen by Reuters showed.

Exclusive: Iran nears deal to buy supersonic anti-ship missiles from China Iran is close to a deal with China to purchase anti‑ship cruise missiles, according to six people with knowledge of the negotiations, just as the United States deploys a vast naval force near the Iran...

Exclusive: Iran nears deal to buy supersonic anti-ship missiles from China

Great reporting from Reuters' @irishjreuters.bsky.social @phreuters.bsky.social @gavinfinch.bsky.social

EU's Costa urges Hungary's Orban to respect 90 bln euro loan deal for Ukraine, letter shows European Council President Antonio Costa on Monday urged Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to honour an EU deal for a 90 billion euro ($106.11 billion) loan to Ukraine, after Budapest said it woul...

Costa also tells Orban: "When leaders reach a
consensus, they are bound by their decision. Any breach of this commitment constitutes a violation of the principle of sincere cooperation."

("Sincere cooperation" is mentioned in the EU's founding treaties.)

In a letter seen by Reuters, Costa says he'll raise the issue of oil supplies with Ukrainian President Zelenskiy in Kyiv tomorrow.

But he also says: "No Member State can be allowed to undermine the credibility of decisions taken collectively by the European Council."

(2/3)

European Council President Antonio Costa has written to Hungarian PM Viktor Orban, urging him to honour an EU deal from December to give Ukraine a vital 90 bln euro loan.

Budapest has declared it will block the loan until Russian oil is flowing to Hungary again through the Druzhba pipeline.
(1/3)

Exclusive: Germany seeks more F-35 jets as European fighter program falters, sources say Germany is considering ordering more U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets, two sources told Reuters, a move that would deepen Berlin's reliance on American military technology as its joint next-generation figh...

Big scoop from @sasilink.bsky.social and @michaelstone.bsky.social:

Germany is considering ordering more U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets - a move that would deepen Berlin's reliance on American military technology as its joint next-generation fighter program with France falters.

How an unsolved 1971 homicide led to a surprise DNA connection A detective investigating a killing stumbled onto a “case within a case,” as he called it, involving long-lost siblings who hadn’t seen each other for 62 years.

Just caught up with this brilliant, moving story. Based on amazing detective work that became about far more than solving a cold case.

The detective's name is Zufall (chance or coincidence in German), which seems almost unbelievably perfect.

www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

Europe aims to rely less on US defence after Trump's Greenland push European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reflected a feeling of profound change among European leaders at this weekend's Munich Security Conference when she said: "Some lines have been cross...

"Some lines have been crossed that cannot be uncrossed anymore."

Analysis from the Munich Security Conference, with @irishjreuters.bsky.social & @sasilink.bsky.social

NATO has begun "Arctic Sentry", a mission to strengthen its presence in the Arctic NATO said on Wednesday it had begun a mission to strengthen its presence in the Arctic as part of an agreement to defuse severe tensions within the alliance prompted by U.S. President Donald Trump's d...

NATO says it has begun a mission to strengthen its presence in the Arctic - part of efforts to defuse severe tensions in the alliance prompted by U.S. President Donald Trump's desire for the U.S. to acquire Greenland.

We may soon need an emergency break from emergency brakes...

...and those who don't know the difference between the two.

Hegseth expected to skip NATO ministers' meeting next month, sources say U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is not expected to attend a NATO defence ministers' meeting in Brussels next month, two sources said, the second time in a row a Trump administration official has s...

Pete Hegseth is not expected to attend next month's NATO defence ministers' meeting - 2nd time in a row that a Trump Cabinet official skips a NATO ministerial meeting.

www.reuters.com/world/hegset...

NATO boss Rutte slaps down calls for European army prompted by Trump fears NATO boss Mark Rutte on Monday dismissed calls by some leading European politicians for a separate European army, prompted by doubts over Donald Trump's commitment to the continent's security that wer...

NATO's Rutte deploys Dutch bluntness to slap down calls for a European army - an idea revived recently by Spain's foreign minister and the EU's defence commissioner.

"I think Putin will love it."

"Think again."

"Keep on dreaming."

"Hey, good luck."

Very unusual for the head of NATO's military committee to comment like this - a clear response to Trump's remark about NATO troops in Afghanistan, even if it's not explicitly mentioned.

The fact he's done so suggests the strength of feeling in NATO military circles about that remark.