Jennifer Rankin

In Trump’s game of chicken, the EU cannot afford to back down | Nathalie Tocci When threatened with US tariffs, Europe was initially bullish. But the influence of nationalist leaders sympathetic to Trump has caused a split, says Guardian Europe columnist Nathalie Tocci

When it comes to Donald Trump's latest trade war with the EU, it’s Brussels that risks chickening out by @nathalietocci.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

EU risks breaking international law over Israel gas deal, say campaigners Europe accused of ‘trampling over Palestinian rights’ with deal linked to imports from pipeline running parallel to Gaza coast

EU risks breaking international law over Israel gas deal. The little-known EU-Israel energy relationship under the spotlight via ‪@globalwitness.org‬ report

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Von der Leyen survives censure vote but faces calls to reverse EU’s rightward drift Debate on motion against European Commission president lifts lid on simmering discontent among MEPs

Not so many abstentions on paper, but there were at least 83 MEPs in Strasbourg who did not cast a vote.
Compare the 77% turnout in the VDL vote, with the 88% turnout in the very next vote.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Ursula von der Leyen faces rare censure vote in European parliament European Commission president expected to survive but ballot likely to reveal discontent about EU’s rightward drift

"A proxy war" - the vote of censure against Ursula von der Leyen won't pass, but it reveals the discontent of many MEPs who voted for her only one year ago.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Palestinian who worked for EU in Gaza accuses Brussels of ‘abandoning’ him after office closed Exclusive: Mohammed Baraka asks von der Leyen for help, saying he is stranded in Cairo without residency rights

Palestinian who worked for EU in Gaza accuses Brussels of ‘abandoning’ him after office closed via @lisaocarroll.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

EU no longer willing to act alone on climate, 2040 emissions target signals Bloc’s ambition has been curtailed by rise of rightwing populists across the continent

EU no longer willing to act alone on climate - ‪@fionaharvey.bsky.social‬ on what the European Commission's 2040 proposal means

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

He was the EU’s great Brexit survivor. Can Maroš Šefčovič now pull off a trade deal with Trump? EU’s longest-serving commissioner faces arguably his sternest test with the clock ticking before 9 July deadline

From travels on Air Force One with Donald Trump to banter over Brexit: my profile of Maroš Šefčovič, the current longest-serving European commissioner, now at the centre of EU-US trade talks.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

EU may take action against Israel if conditions in Gaza do not improve Bloc’s foreign affairs chief warns of a response unless action is taken to ‘stop the suffering’ in Gaza Strip

Latest on EU-Israel association agreement review. The EU could discuss “further measures and come back to this in July” if no improvement in dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Meanwhile some countries blocking mentioning article 2 review in EU summit text.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Canada and EU sign defence pact amid strained US relations and global instability Amid Trump’s disrespect of old allies, EU and Canada vow more support for Ukraine and joint work on climate crisis

The EU signs a defence agreement with “the most European of the non-European countries".
Meanwhile the 2017 EU-Canada trade deal remains unratified by 10 EU member states.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

The ‘sacrifice zone’: villagers resist the EU’s green push for lithium mining Residents of a Portuguese rural idyll where four vast mines are planned are among those who feel they will pay too high a cost for the energy transition

The very difficult dilemma of the climate crisis laid bare in this great report by Ajit Niranjan from the site of Portuguese lithium mines.

www.com/environment/...

EU cites ‘indications’ Israel is breaching human rights obligations over conduct in Gaza Leaked document marks significant moment in relations with ally but stops short of calling for immediate sanctions

In its incredibly cautious way, EU cites “indications” that Israel is breaking human rights obligations in Gaza and the West Bank - full report on leaked review www.theguardian.com/law/2025/jun...

Brussels celebrates art deco’s mass-produced objects for the middle class An exhibition in the Belgian capital shows the artistic style was first to seek to appeal to a wider group of consumers

Art deco was the first artistic movement that sought to appeal to a wide public say curators of a new exhibition in Brussels.
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

‘I worried I might start finding it normal. But I never did’ – what I learned as the Guardian’s Jerusalem correspondent After four years reporting from Israel and Palestine, our correspondent is returning to the UK. She reveals the grief, horror and hope that defined her time there

“I was worried that I would start finding the situation normal. But it never happened.” Must read by @theguardian.com former Jerusalem correspondent www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...

So as to not deter any applicants: the picture with the link is not the flat on offer! 🤭

Nicușor Dan, the maths prodigy who beat an ultranationalist for Romanian presidency Bucharest’s crusading mayor appeals for ‘specialists, civil society, new people’ to help him deliver change

Nicușor Dan, the modest maths prodigy and anti-corruption campaigner who beat an ultranationalist to Romania’s presidency. Profile by Jon Henley.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...

What will be agreed at today's EU-UK summit
* security and defence partnership, unlocking defence contracts for British arms firms;
* reciprocal access on fishing rights until 30 June 2038;
*SPS deal (don't know yet if this is the final deal);
* youth mobility scheme - details still to be finalised.

A pretty significant concession from the EU that likely helped the breakthrough. The UK has granted the EU full access to British waters until 30 June 2038 - a 12-year extension. But UK gets the SPS deal indefinitely, so not tied to fishing.

🇪🇺🇬🇧EU reset update: understand there was a late night breakthrough in talks between two sides to secure landmark deal, but that there are still some steps to take.

EU ambassadors meeting this morning have decided to approve all three texts to be agreed at the EU-UK summit at Lancaster House. (Launch of written procedure - approval process).

EU and UK at loggerheads over fishing rights and youth mobility Tensions mount as EU diplomats seek common ground for wide-ranging reset in relations with Britain

Disappointed EU diplomats say UK needs to give more ground on fishing and youth mobility deal. The Commission told member states talks with London were very difficult.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...

Calls for Russia’s frozen assets held in Belgium to be used in rebuilding Ukraine Brussels-based Euroclear holds most of Russia’s frozen assets but confiscation could be ‘act of war’

An “act of war” or just restitution- the debate on Russia’s frozen assets. A profile on the little known Belgian institution that holds so much of them. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...

Today's Pfizergate ruling is a landmark. The EU court clearly said that the Commission was wrong in its decision on the text messages between president Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. The decision can't be read other than as stern rebuke for the Commission.

Some key takeaways 🧵

God there were so many of these…

‘People were stunned’: how massive blackout unfolded across Spain and Portugal With mobile networks down and much of Spain’s transport system paralysed, people were left to navigate the chaos as best they could

How a day of chaos in Spain and Portugal unfolded with @ashifakassam.bsky.social and @jakubkrupa.bsky.social
Stay for the phlegmatic Madrid resident at the end.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

‘Any radios?’ Rush to buy supplies in Madrid as blackout hits The lights may be out, but life goes on for families and businesses across the Spanish capital

"Between pragmatism and polite, almost jocular, panic." Rush to buy supplies in Madrid as blackout hits -

@swajones.bsky.social on the scene in the Spanish capital.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

Amazing moment as Vatican crowd erupts into spontaneous applause as Zelenskyy appears on the screen shaking hands with officials at the funeral of Pope Francis

‘You saw he was listening to you’: people Pope Francis met in their hour of need The late pontiff embraced those traditionally on the margins of the church and society. Here, some of those he met describe his impact

‘You saw he was listening to you’: people Pope Francis met in their hour of need
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

If you dream of cross-country rail travel, don’t take Eurocity between Brussels and Amsterdam: nearly eight hours and seven trains for the round trip and a catalogue of failures from Dutch and Belgian railways.

EU fines Apple and Meta for breaching fair competition rules First penalties under landmark Digital Markets Act are fines of €500m to Apple and €200m to Facebook owner

Interesting choice of language from Meta in response to European Commission's €200m fine on the company under the Digital Markets Act: it accuses commission of imposing "a multibillion-dollar tariff on Meta".

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

EU-UK security deal will not be tied to fishing rights, both sides insist European Commission ‘has not set preconditions’ before summit where partnership for €150bn defence procurement is expected to be forged

The EU and UK are moving closer to a defence deal that would allow British companies to benefit from more joint procurement under a €150bn defence fund.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...