Georg von Harrach

EU agrees to unlock €16.4 billion in EU funding for Hungary "subject to reforms" by the new government led by Peter Magyar

Rutte concedes that he has failed to convince European allies to commit to spending 0.25% of GDP on #Ukraine. But the NATO chief says there is now an open discussion (others would call it an argument) about a few countries "doing the heavy lifting" in support of Ukraine.

Allies should not be surprised if Trump takes more troops out of Europe, says NATO supreme commander. The redeployment of 5,000 soldiers will not undermine NATO security in Europe, General Grynkewich insisted.

King's Speech goes ahead, despite questions over the future of Keir Starmer's government, with promises of closer relations with the EU. #kingsspeech #keirstarmer

Keir Starmer refuses to resign after disasterous election results for Labour in England, Scotland and Wales. "I know I have my doubters and I need to prove them wrong and I will"

EU's foreign affairs chief burns Putin's choice of former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder as negotiator to end the war in #Ukraine. "Schröder has been high level lobbyist for Russian state-owned companies. So, it is clear why Putin wants him", says @kajakallas.bsky.social. #Russia

Macron: "Allies like the United States and the European Union have much better things to do than to repeatedly threaten destabilisation" But "everything is on the table" including the EU's trade bazooka, the French Preisdent warns after Trump threatens fresh tariffs on the EU

Von der Leyen insists "a deal is a deal" after Trump threatens to impose new tariffs on the EU. “We are prepared for every scenario”, @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu added #tariffs #trump #EU #trade

Keir Starmer's former Chief of Staff, Morgan McSweeney, says he thought Peter Mandelson was the right man to become Ambassador to the US because the UK was exposed after #brexit and Mandelson was best placed to get Trump to agree to a trade deal.

Zelenskyy gives von der Leyen a steer #soundon #Ukraine #EU

EU warns of serious and prolongued energy crisis. EU's Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen: Even if we have peace tomorrow, this will go on for months or years. EU trying to protect wider economy #Iran #Trump #Energy #Economy #EU

Nonetheless, UK and France will advance plans for a mission to escort ships. Keir Starmer said more than a dozen countries had offered to supply vessels and equipment so far. #Hormuz

Macron welcomes ceasefire announcements in Iran and Lebanon and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as "encouraging, even if we must consider them with caution" #Iran #Trump #Hormuz

EU keen to work with Peter Magyar to release billions of Euro in funding frozen because of concerns over rule of law in Hungary. Hungarians have "reclaimed their European path", said @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu #Hungary #Orban #PeterMagyar

European allies were "a bit slow", but are now there has been a "mindset shift" and "nearly without exception" are providing massive support to the US in its war against Iran, says NATO chief, Mark Rutte #Iran #Trump #StraitofHormuz

EU warns US against attacking Iran's civilian infrastructure, urging Trump to respect international law. #Iran #Trump #EU

NATO chief Mark Rutte says more than 30 countries including the UK, Japan and Australia are working on reopening Strait of Hormuz, but admits that they don't yet know how or when. #Trump #Iran #MiddleEast #Hormuz #Oil

UN tells US to end Middle East war. It's at risk of getting "completely out of control", warns Antonio Guterres #Trump #US #Iran #MiddleEast

War in the Middle East will weigh on the European economy, but "we are well positioned to navigate this uncertainty", European Central Bank chief @president.ecb.europa.eu insists. #ECB #Economy #EU #Iran #Trump

If high energy prices in Europe persist "we're in deep trouble", says Belgian Prime Minister #Oil #Iran #Trump

NATO chief Mark Rutte's reaction to Trump's 'disappointment': Allies are "working together" on how to reopen the Strait of Hormuz #Iran #Trump #Oil #StraitofHormuz

If the UK wants to rejoin the EU's Single Market and Customs Union "with all associated privileges and duties", they will be welcomed with open arms, says @jnbarrot.bsky.social French Foreign Minister #Brexit #EU #UK

More than 30 countries including US, UK and Germany agree to release 400 million barrels of oil to stabilise the markets, @iea.org confirms, but warns a resumption of shipping through Strait of Hormuz is vital #Iran #MiddleEast #Trump #Oil

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has asked member states to release 400 million barrels of oil reserves. We will "contribute our share" because we believe in solidarity, says Germany's energy minister, Katherina Reiche #Iran #Trump #Oil

EU txpayers have paid an additional €3 billion for oil and gas due to the war in the Middle East, says @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu. #Iran #Energy #Russia #Trump #Oil #Gas #EU

Dropping oil sanctions on Russia will undermine US goals in Iran, @valdisdombrovskis.ec.europa.eu warns Trump. We must "strictly enforce the G7 [oil] price cap...the opposite would be self defeating...as we know that Russia is also supporting Iran's war effort" #Oil #Iran #Ukraine #Russia #Trump

Spain's Minister of Economy says European consumers are feeling the concequences of Middle East crisis "in our pockets". We need to stop this war, @carloscuerpo.bsky.social urges. #Iran #Trump #MiddleEast #Oil

EU criticises Zelenskyy over his tit for tat with Orban over the damaged #Druzhba pipeline. Ukraine president's language and threats are "unacceptable", said an EU spokesperson. The EU is looking into "options to support the resumption of oil supplies", he added

"This conflict could continue for some time", warns British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirms UK government's first charter flight finally took off this afternoon from Oman's capital Muscat after a significant delay. #Iran

EU foreign affairs chief: Iran is trying to spread the war to the wider region. "One day there's war and the next day there's democracy" is not usually how it goes in the Middle East, warns @kajakallas.bsky.social #Iran #MiddleEast #Trump

Rutte: Iran posed a threat to Europe as well as Middle East. "We are all better off" with Khamenei gone and Iran's nuclear and ballistic threat "beaten and degraded", says NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte #Iran

Zelenskyy: Each of you understands what fills Putin's wallet with money and allows him to drag out this war...The time has come to fully ban all participants in Russia's aggression from entire Europe." #Ukraine #Russia #EU

EU could reconsider using Russian assets to fund Ukraine if Hungary blocks €90 billion loan, suggests @kajakallas.bsky.social Orban is angry Ukraine hasn't repaired a pipeline supplying Hungary with Russian oil. Kallas says she could see why that might not be Ukraine's priority

UK and France offering a nuclear umbrella to the rest of Europe is an "open debate" says @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu #security #nuclear #europe

Zelenskyy says Russia used the Trump-requested pause on energy infrasturture attacks as time to build up missile and drone stocks to fire on Ukraine during the current coldest days.

European defence without the US is a pipe dream, says NATO Secretary General. It would cost billions more and without the US nuclear umbrella, "good luck". I don't mind Trump publishing our text messages, says Mark Rutte. #Daddy #NATO #Trump #EU #Defence

Trump rules out taking Greenland "by force" but doubles down on taking ownership of it through "immediate negotiations" with Denmark. #WEF26 #Davos

EU is planning a "massive European investment surge in Greenland", @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu announces. If Trump moves ahead with his threat of tariffs, Europe's reaction will be "unflinching, united and proportional" #Greenland #Trump #Tariffs

Starmer: A trade war is in no one's interests #Greenland #Trump

European Council President Costa draws parallels between Russia's war in Ukraine with Trump's threats towards Greenland. The EU cannot accept violations of international law whether in Gaza, Latin America, Ukraine or Greenland, @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu says

EU's climate service now estimates global warming will breach 1.5°C in May 2029. When the Paris Agreement was signed, #Copernicus estimated it would not happen until March 2043. #COP30 #environment #globalwarming climate.copernicus.eu/rapid-approa...

NATO allies now producing more ammunition than Russia, says Secretary General Mark Rutte. #Ukraine #NATO #defence

European Convention on Human Rights "must embrace this century", says @coe.int President @alain-berset.coe.int. We must ensure the #ECHR's "proper functioning", he said in a signal he is willing to open "dialogue" with the UK, Denmark, Italy about its use, particularly in migration cases

EU fears sale of Anglo American's nickel business to a Chinese state-owned company could lead to cut to Europe's supplies. Nickel is used in electronics, batteries and for making stainless steel. European Commission has launched an investigation on competition grounds.

"Putin [may] try to open new fronts" if there is no ceasefire and plan for ending the war in #Ukraine, says Zelenskyy To Putin, it doesn't matter whether countries are in the EU or NATO, warned the Ukrainian President. #Russia

France could contribute to Trump's 'Stabilisation force' for Gaza by providing training, equipment, "or possibly even troops. At this stage, it's too early to tell", a spokesperson said this afternoon #Gaza #Palestine #GazaCeasefire #StabilizationForce #ISF

European Parliament President pays tribute to victims of #Manchester synagogue attack

Withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights would mean leaving the Council of Europe, warns @alain-berset.coe.int. Something only Russia and Belarus have done. The UK has been a member since the Council of Europe was founded in London in 1949. #ECHR #Migration #COE

British Prime Minister confirms that a migrant was returned to France this morning. It is an important "proof of concept" and will be 'ramped up', Keir Starmer promises. #migrants #UK #France

EU is prepared to fund a "drone wall" across eastern Europe, says spokesperson, following @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu's backing for the idea which Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been pushing for. #drones

EU's @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu should put pressure on Germany over Israel's actions, says Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel. Luxembourg has announced that it will join the UK, France, Canada and Belgium in recongising the State of Palestine next week. #UNGA #Gaza

NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe announces "integrated" defensive line from the north of Finland through the Baltic states, Poland and down to the Black Sea in response to drone attack. The UK, France and Denmark have already pledged equipment #EasternSentry #NATO #Russia

Security guarantees for #Ukraine must be "similar to NATO's Article 5 with continued United States engagement", insists European Council President Costa @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu

Trump says US-EU tariff deal could be struck within the hour, but says he won't go lower than 15 percent ahead of his meeting with @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu. #tariffs #trumptariffs #Turnberry

Trump deal will see UK, Germany and Finland amongst the European countries sending "massive numbers of military equipment" to Ukraine bought from/ back-filled by the US, says NATO chief Mark Rutte. Includes Patriot air defences, Trump confirms.

EU says Israel has agreed to open up Gaza crossing points to allow in "substantial increase of daily trucks for food and non-food items" following negotiations #Gaza #Israel #humanitarianaid

European Commission President @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu survives a vote of no confidence in the European Parliament.

EU watching to see if UK and France go ahead with 'one in one out' migrant "experiment" despite reservations. Ahead of the Franco-British summit, Europe Minister Stephen Doughty would not be drawn on whether a deal would in fact be agreed. #UKFrance #migration #EU #StateVisit #Macron #Starmer