Ali Walker

POLITICO Q&A: UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin As wars rage in Ukraine and Gaza, European football’s figurehead explains why he thinks the world is at its most dangerous point since the 1930s.

⚽ Čeferin also discussed his "sympathy" for Crystal Palace; why European games in foreign countries are a bad idea; and the current state of UEFA relations with FIFA.

We've also published the full transcript of the interview here ⬇️

💣 Čeferin expanded on his concern about the state of the world — "not been as dangerous since the ’30s of the last century” — in a sprawling interview that touched on: Israel and Gaza, Russia, modern Balkan history, Hungary and political correctness.

💥 Čeferin is adamant that UEFA was making a global humanitarian point, not a political one, with its recent "Stop Killing Children" slogan — and he tore into critics who attacked the message from staunchly pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian sides alike.

Don’t punish athletes for warmongering politicians, UEFA boss says European football president also defends “Stop Killing Children” banner after backlash from staunchly pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups.

🚨 Exclusive: European football chief Aleksander Čeferin denounced “reckless politicians” for fueling the “slaughter” of kids around the world — and defended a “Stop Killing Children” banner recently displayed by his organization, UEFA.

Here's everything he told me in Monaco 👇🧵

Top human rights group challenges FIFA over Trump and 2026 World Cup Human Rights Watch says football’s governing body should be prepared to “reconsider” choice of U.S. as tournament co-host.

🚨 New scoop: According to a leaked letter sent to Gianni Infantino, a top human rights organization said it has “grave concerns” about the Trump administration’s border policies affecting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA chief dismisses US border policy fears in private World Cup remarks Gianni Infantino told top football officials the White House’s insistence that fans go home after the tournament was in tune with other nations’ border policies.

News: Behind closed doors, Gianni Infantino is insisting to the world's most powerful football officials that Donald Trump's border crackdown won't affect the World Cup.

He has even praised Trump and JD Vance for their enthusiasm about welcoming foreign fans.

More from inside the FIFA Council ⬇️

FIFA chief dismisses US border policy fears in private World Cup remarks Gianni Infantino told top football officials the White House’s insistence that fans go home after the tournament was in tune with other nations’ border policies.

🚨 SCOOP: In a private meeting today, FIFA President Gianni Infantino dismissed fears that Donald Trump's tough border policies will hurt the 2026 World Cup.

He also slammed the media for its reporting around the issue of fans entering the United States for the tournament, and leaving at the end.

Like an episode of The Wire: Brussels gang wars spiral out of control “Mafia” shootings with Kalashnikovs trigger alarm in the city as politicians convene an emergency meeting.

Brussels is grappling with an outbreak of violence after drug-fueled turf wars — including Kalashnikovs being fired in busy public places — rocked the city this week.

@elenagiordano.bsky.social, @ketrinjochecova.bsky.social and @hannecl.bsky.social get inside the political response.

Trump doubles down on kicking Palestinians out of Gaza U.S. president claims no American soldiers will be needed for “one of the greatest and most spectacular developments of its kind on Earth.”

Trump says no US troops will be needed for “one of the greatest and most spectacular developments of its kind on Earth.” www.politico.eu/article/dona...

🌴🤯 Global fury is building over Donald Trump’s plan to turn Gaza into the Middle East "Riviera."

Rapid reaction story from @clothildegouj.bsky.social, @cleacaulcutt.bsky.social, @elenagiordano.bsky.social, @noahkeate.bsky.social and Laura Hülsemann, working across the Middle East and Europe.

Russia to Trump: Back off Ukraine’s rare earths The Kremlin delivers a warning to U.S. president over military aid proposal.

A senior Russian official today slammed U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal that he could continue to support Ukraine's war effort in exchange for access to its rare earth resources.

Story here by @elenagiordano.bsky.social 👇

Grafstrom lecturing the EU. Remarkable.

Via @aliwalker.bsky.social.

FIFA launches fervent defense of Saudi Arabia World Cup in letter to EU lawmakers MEPs had criticized the world football governing body for awarding the 2034 tournament to the Gulf petromonarchy.

💥 Exclusive: FIFA chief Gianni Infantino's top lieutenant has struck back at criticism from the European Parliament over awarding the 2034 Men's World Cup to Saudi Arabia.

Full details from FIFA's four-page letter here ⬇️

85 percent of Greenlanders don’t want Trump takeover, new poll says Survey lands as Danish prime minister tours Europe to try shore up support for keeping the Arctic island out of American clutches.

85 percent of Greenlanders don’t want Trump takeover, new poll says www.politico.eu/article/gree... @aliwalker.bsky.social

Trump’s got a radioactive time bomb under Greenland’s ice The U.S. would inherit an environmental time bomb of its own making if it lays claim to the massive Arctic island.

Deep in Greenland’s frozen wilderness, a radioactive secret sleeps beneath the ice — and it threatens to be a headache for Donald Trump and the United States.

Fantastic reported historical feature here from @sebstarcevic.bsky.social.

Find the argument that media should ignore the Greenland comments pretty unconvincing — and a very US-centric view.
Can't expect Europeans to just shrug if the soon-to-be US president suggests invading a European country/associated territory, however ludicrous the idea.

The method in Trump’s Greenland madness The climate skeptic is responding to the reality of the Arctic’s melting ice: more resource extraction, faster trade routes, new military bases.

NEW: Donald Trump’s demand for Greenland is no 19th-century imperial throwback.

Rather it signals a hypermodern reality: a world transforming thanks to climate change, with China, Russia and the United States jostling to take advantage.

www.politico.eu/article/dona...

Donald Trump Jr.’s visit was ‘staged,’ says Greenland lawmaker “We know how they treat the Inuit in Alaska. Make that great before trying to invade us,” Pipaluk Lynge tells POLITICO.

🚨 Scoop: A senior Greenlandic politician slammed Donald Trump Jr.’s “staged” visit to the island.

“We know how they treat the Inuit in Alaska,” she told @politico.eu. “Make that great before trying to invade us.”

Trump Jr.’s rep called the criticism “ridiculous” 👇 www.politico.eu/article/dona...

FIFA chief Infantino warned by EU lawmakers over Saudi Arabia World Cup Members of the European Parliament say they have “grave concerns” about the 2034 tournament.

🚨 SCOOP: European lawmakers have written to FIFA President Gianni Infantino to express their "grave concerns" about Saudi Arabia being awarded the 2034 football World Cup.

Read the letter here ⬇️

‘Future is Europe’ mural is a thing of the past It may or may not be resurrected.

If you work in the European Quarter, you’ve seen the mural on Rue de la Loi, a wash of color in an otherwise grey, traffic-choked street.

It was torn down today to make room for new European Commission offices. But it could be revived!

A very Brussels bubble scoop 👇 www.politico.eu/article/brus...

7 reasons why Romanian voters are hacked off — by the numbers From poverty to emigration and corruption, here are some the issues at the top of Romanian voters’ minds — and politicians’ programs.

We're heading into the second of three closely watched election weekends for Romania, and parties outside the political mainstream look poised to make big gains.

On @politico.eu I look into the reasons why Romanian voters are tired of the status quo, from inequalities to widespread corruption.

Von der Leyen’s holiday to Greece prompts criticism from top EU watchdog The European Commission took way too long to provide documents about the trip, European Ombudsman says.

New: The body that investigates complaints about maladministration in EU institutions has slapped Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the wrist over her vacation to Greece as a guest of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Story here by @nstamouli.bsky.social 👇

Romanian election results are now official.

Liberal Elena Lasconi qualifies for the presidential runoff after beating socialist candidate Marcel Ciolacu by 2,742 votes out of the 9,242,198 ballots cast.

Romania election stunner: Unexpected hard-right candidate surges in presidential vote Ultranationalist Călin Georgescu comes from nowhere to lead center-left PM Marcel Ciolacu and liberal Elena Lasconi in first round.

Stunning presidential vote in Romania, where a hard-right candidate came from nowhere to win the 1st round.

Liberal candidate is set to squeak into the 2nd round, edging out the socialist PM.

Almost 37% of Romanians voted for ultranationalists.

The EU will be on tenterhooks for the Dec. 8 runoff.

BREAKING: Andy Murray is to coach Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in January.

Djokovic says: “I am excited to have one of my greatest rivals on the same side of the net, as my coach.”

World War III has officially begun, Ukraine’s ex-top general says The former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army has a grim outlook on the state of the war.

It's too late, World War 3 has already begun, says the former commander-in-chief of Ukraine's army.

@ketrinjochecova.bsky.social has the write-up of Valery Zaluzhny's eye-popping speech as Russia fires bigger missiles, enlists North Korean troops and the West ramps up its military aid for Kyiv.

Finland urges NATO, EU to shield critical networks after undersea cables damaged Defense minister tells POLITICO that “Russia has [the] capability and willingness to do sabotage in Europe.”

🚨 Exclusive: I spoke with Finland's Defense Minister
Antti Häkkänen about the Baltic Sea cable damage, NATO, and safeguarding critical infrastructure.

Read the full interview here on @politico.eu
www.politico.eu/article/finl...

Introducing POLITICO Europe's team of breaking news reporters to Bluesky.

🇮🇹 @elenagiordano.bsky.social
🇦🇺 @sebstarcevic.bsky.social
🇨🇿 @ketrinjochecova.bsky.social
🇭🇺 @krmcsngr.bsky.social

We cover a swathe of topics from war in Ukraine, to Dutch politics, to Giorgia Meloni, to undersea mysteries.

Journalist in the Politico office

The US Capitol on a perfect sunny day.

The Vietnam War memorial with the Washington Monument in the background.

Neil Armstrong's spacesuit from when he walked on the moon.

Spent a week in Washington D.C. earlier this month for the U.S. election. Between the hospitality of Politico colleagues and the dramatic news agenda, it was an all-time career highlight week.

Did a little bit of sightseeing too, when the schedule allowed.