All posts tagged: Ursula von der Leyen

Beijing threatens retaliation over EU moves to curb imports from China – POLITICO

Beijing threatens retaliation over EU moves to curb imports from China – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The statement came in reaction to a meeting of top EU officials on Friday to brainstorm on how to counter Chinese overcapacity. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday convened an orientation debate with her 26 commissioners to explore a range of policy tools aimed at addressing the EU’s growing trade imbalance with China, as a surge in Chinese goods ranging from vehicles to solar panels and clothes is undercutting Europe’s industries, leading to factory closures and job losses.   “The current state of the trade and investment relationship is not sustainable,” reads an European Commission statement following orientation debate. “As economic and security interests become ever more intertwined, both dimensions will require a more robust and coherent response.” The EU’s goods trade deficit with China widened to €360 billion last year from €312 billion in 2024. It expanded even more sharply in the first quarter of 2026, trade figures show. While France and other member states have pushed for stronger measures to shield European industry, Germany has long warned against steps that could …

Berlin gives the OK for tougher trade action on China – POLITICO

Berlin gives the OK for tougher trade action on China – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Berlin is “open to discussing” stronger trade defense measures,” a German government official told POLITICO. “Things are moving in the right direction. We are open to discussing a measure to address overcapacity.” The bloc’s trade deficit with China widened to €360 billion last year from €312 billion in 2024. And a surge in Chinese goods ranging from vehicles to solar panels and clothes is undercutting Europe’s industries, leading to factory closures and job losses.  Yet even with Berlin’s backing, von der Leyen will still need to corral her fellow commissioners into a common stance — a tall order when her own office struggles with a non-descript readout from the meeting.  The first missive said “China is a critical partner, and engagement and dialogue will continue while communication channels remain open.” A follow up removed the line about channels remaining open, which the press office blamed on misinterpreting a handwritten note. Source link

Russian drone hits apartment block in NATO state Romania

Russian drone hits apartment block in NATO state Romania

Published by Sam Flores

Police and forensic investigators examine the location of impact after a Russian drone struck an apartment building in Galati, western Romania. Daniel Mihailescu | Afp | Getty Images A Russian drone collided with an apartment building in Romania, a NATO member state, early on Friday morning. Romanian President Nicușor Dan said in a post on X on Friday morning that he had convened a meeting of his national defense council in response to what he called “the most serious incident to affect the national territory” since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in early 2022. The collision occurred in Galați, Dan said, a city near Romania’s border with Ukraine. “We will order proportionate measures in relation to the Russian Federation,” he said, adding that the strike had resulted in injuries. “The unprecedented nature of the event demands a firm, coordinated, and appropriate response — at the national, allied, and international levels.” Dan added that full responsibility lay with Russia and “the irresponsible and indiscriminate manner in which Moscow operates these weapon systems in the immediate …

the ‘abusive’ partner the EU just can’t quit? – POLITICO

the ‘abusive’ partner the EU just can’t quit? – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Is the EU finally ready to get serious about China? That’s the question increasingly dominating conversations in Brussels as fears grow that Europe is being squeezed by Beijing’s industrial machine. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Sander Tordoir from the Centre for European Reform, Grzegorz Stec from MERICS and POLITICO’s Jordyn Dahl to discuss the European Commission’s attempts to forge a common stance on China. With deindustrialization already visible across parts of the continent, social tensions are spiking and fueling support for radical political forces. As China floods the bloc with cheap imports, strategic industries are struggling to respond. But Europeans genuinely like many of the Chinese products flooding into the continent — from electric cars to solar panels and electronics. So how far is Brussels actually willing to go to protect European industry? Can the EU stay united once the economic costs start biting? And has Europe finally reached its China shock moment? If you have questions or comments, send us a message — or even better, a voice note on our WhatsApp here or at …

Von der Leyen to meet Hungarian PM Magyar on Friday – POLITICO

Von der Leyen to meet Hungarian PM Magyar on Friday – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Budapest is seeking to reset strained ties with Brussels after years of confrontation under the ousted former leader Viktor Orbán. Magyar, whose centrist movement swept to victory in Hungary’s election last month, is seeking to unlock billions in EU funds frozen over Budapest’s breaches of EU law under Orbán, who governed the country for 16 consecutive years. Unlocking €10.4 billion in EU post-pandemic recovery funds is the Magyar government’s top priority, Foreign Minister Orbán — no relation of the former leader — told POLITICO. The release of the funds is contingent on Hungary meeting specific reform criteria, the Commission said. Budapest is racing to fulfill the requirements needed to qualify for the cash, which it must formally request by Aug. 31. Magyar has said there’s a “political agreement” on the release of the frozen funds, while a Commission official told POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook on Tuesday that a handful of technical issues remained unresolved. The new Hungarian leader met with von der Leyen in Brussels in April to kick off negotiations for unlocking the cash before the deadline. On Thursday, Magyar will also …

Train and school minibus collide in Belgium, killing four

Train and school minibus collide in Belgium, killing four

Published by Sam Flores

A train hit a school minibus killing four people, including two children, in a “horrific accident” in northern Belgium, authorities said on Tuesday. Another five schoolchildren were injured in the crash at a railway crossing in Buggenhout, a Dutch-speaking municipality about 25 kilometres (15 miles) northwest of Brussels. “A tragic collision between a train and a school bus took place in Buggenhout this morning. Four people have been killed, including two children,” Belgium’s deputy prime minister Maxime Prevot wrote on X. To display this content from X (Twitter), you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Accept Manage my choices Images from the scene in the Flanders region showed a badly damaged minibus lying on its side on a road next to a railway line, with tents set up by emergency workers around. The commuter train remained halted on the tracks as forensic teams examined the site. Prime Minister Bart De Wever posted on social media that he was “deeply moved by the horrific accident… My thoughts go out to the affected families”. The cause …

UK defense minister’s plane has signal jammed near Russian border – POLITICO

UK defense minister’s plane has signal jammed near Russian border – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The incident was first reported by The Times, which said it was unclear whether the defense minister was deliberately targeted, but indicated the jet’s flight path was visible on tracking websites. According to the Financial Times, after its signal was jammed, Healey’s plane spent three hours flying without access to GPS or the internet. There have been several recent instances of interference with Western planes linked to Russia. A plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was allegedly impacted by GPS interference last September, but there were contradictory accounts of what exactly took place. Flights in the eastern Baltic Sea region have also experienced GPS disturbances linked to Russia. Ukraine has said that Kremlin jamming operations have led several of its drones to enter EU airspace. Last week two Russian warplanes intercepted a British spy plane over the Black Sea. At the time, Healey said the incident was “another example of dangerous and unacceptable behavior by Russian pilots.” He added that the Russian interception “will not deter the UK’s commitment to defend NATO, …

Von der Leyen to head to Lithuania for drone crisis talks – POLITICO

Von der Leyen to head to Lithuania for drone crisis talks – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Lithuania issued an air alert on Wednesday after a stray drone was detected close to the country’s border with Belarus, with NATO’s Baltic air-policing mission activated as a result. The incident came after two Ukrainian drones, intended for Russia, came down over an empty oil storage facility in Latvia earlier this month — sparking a crisis that has led to the collapse of the governing coalition. A NATO jet shot down a drone in Estonian airspace last week. “Russia’s public threats against our Baltic States are completely unacceptable,” von der Leyen said in a message posted on social media last week. “Russia and Belarus bear direct responsibility for drones endangering the lives and security of people on our Eastern flank. Europe will respond with unity and strength.” The three Baltic countries have warned that Moscow is seeking to capitalize on the incidents to drive a wedge between Ukraine and its EU allies — issuing a joint statement in which they rejected “Russia’s blatant disinformation campaign and its fabricated accusations following the airspace violations, which Russia …