All posts tagged: von

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 …

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 …

Meloni presses von der Leyen for energy carveout in EU spending rules – POLITICO

Meloni presses von der Leyen for energy carveout in EU spending rules – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Italy’s premier argued that in the same way that the stability agreement exempts defense expenditures from its calculation, energy-related costs should similarly not be taken into account. “We must have the political courage to recognize that today energy security is also a European strategic priority,” she insisted. Meloni added Rome would struggle to justify participation in the EU’s SAFE defense financing program if Brussels refuses similar flexibility for energy spending. Italy wants the bloc’s existing “national safeguard clause” — currently tied to defense investment — temporarily expanded to cover emergency energy measures as well. The Italian prime minister’s appeal comes at a fiscally fraught moment for Meloni. Last month the EU’s statistical body confirmed Rome’s 2025 budget deficit breached Brussels’ fiscal rules. The news came on the back of a major defeat for Meloni in a justice referendum, and will likely oblige the Italian government to limit expenditures ahead of a delicate election year, with her center-right coalition polling neck and neck with its center-left rivals. Since the Iran war erupted on Feb. 28 following …

Von der Leyen and Costa pick their Eurovision favorites – POLITICO

Von der Leyen and Costa pick their Eurovision favorites – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The song that “moves me the most,” the German politician went on, “is ‘Ne partez pas sans moi’ by Céline Dion, which won [for Switzerland] in 1988. What a voice, what emotion.” And, from the more recent entries, “I think the energy in ‘Euphoria’ by Loreen in 2012 is unmatched!” The song won for Sweden, and Loreen went on to win the contest again in 2023. A spokesperson for European Council President António Costa said that his favorite Eurovision entry is Portugal’s 1974 chanson “E depois do adeus” by Paulo de Carvalho. While the song failed to win the contest, it became the anthem for the Carnation Revolution just three weeks later, ushering in the country’s democratic transition. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas did not respond to a request for their favorite Eurovision songs. Following the fall of the Iron Curtain, the participation of the Baltic states, Poland and Ukraine in Eurovision has been seen as a symbol of the continent’s unity. Kyiv’s 2016 …

Von der Leyen, Hillary Clinton back new push to childproof AI – POLITICO

Von der Leyen, Hillary Clinton back new push to childproof AI – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Von der Leyen has made online child safety a core priority of her second mandate as head of the EU executive. The institute will be presented in Copenhagen on Tuesday, with von der Leyen scheduled to give a speech. Other big-ticket names backing the institute include former European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager and AI “godfather” Yoshua Bengio. Experts at the Youth AI Safety Institute will test AI products to inform parents and policymakers on potential harms for children, the organizers told POLITICO. The initiative is run by U.S.-based non-profit Common Sense Media, which already tests movies, series, books and games to provide age ratings. “The first set of standards and evaluations we will publish will be focused on the most severe harms” such as “suicide and self harm, eating disorders, dangerous advice,” said Bruce Reed, head of AI at Common Sense Media who previously advised former President Joe Biden on AI policy.  Danish politician Vestager, who ran digital policy at the European Commission during its last mandate, said in an interview that “this is really a …

‘A deal is a deal’: Von der Leyen fires back at Trump over auto tariff threat

‘A deal is a deal’: Von der Leyen fires back at Trump over auto tariff threat

Published by Sam Flores

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to hike tariffs on European cars, warning Washington to stick to the terms of its trade deal with Brussels. Speaking out for the first time since Trump’s Friday announcement that he would impose 25 percent tariffs on EU-made automobiles, von der Leyen flatly stated that “a deal is a deal.” “We have a deal, and the essence of this deal is prosperity, common rules and reliability,” she said during a press conference at the EU-Armenia summit in Yerevan. While the EU is in the “final stages of implementing the remaining tariff commitments,” the Commission president added, “the U.S. has the commitment … where alignment with the agreed ceiling is still outstanding.” She also stressed the bloc is “prepared for every scenario.” During the same press conference, European Council President António Costa said EU leaders “fully support” the Commission’s response to Trump’s latest trade threat. French President Emmanuel Macron made that backing explicit at a separate press conference in Yerevan with …

Hungary’s Magyar meets von der Leyen to game-plan unlocking frozen EU funds – POLITICO

Hungary’s Magyar meets von der Leyen to game-plan unlocking frozen EU funds – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Magyar’s team has also been working with some of his predecessor’s ministers and civil servants to advance the technical work required to make the reforms, three other officials with knowledge of the proceedings said. András Kármán, Magyar’s nominee for finance minister, István Kapitány, tapped for economy minister, and Anita Orbán, the incoming foreign minister, met a high-level Commission delegation, including von der Leyen’s Cabinet chief Bjoern Seibert, on Saturday and prepared the ground for the Magyar-von der Leyen meeting. Before that, the teams met in Budapest on April 18 and 19. The first step to unlocking Hungary’s recovery money is complying with 27 EU-mandated “super milestones,” covering procurement, judicial independence and academic freedom. Because Tisza has won more than two-thirds of the seats in parliament, Magyar is expected to be able to get those changes approved quickly. European People’s Party leader Manfred Weber with Ursula Von der Leyen in Brussels in January 2025. Weber said the European Parliament should halt Article 7 proceedings against Hungary. | Frederick Florin/AFP via Getty Images The harder part is …

Diane von Fürstenberg reveals surprising secret to youthful glow as she approaches 80 – exclusive

Diane von Fürstenberg reveals surprising secret to youthful glow as she approaches 80 – exclusive

Published by Daniella Wilson

Diane von Fürstenberg looks far from 79, thanks to her glowing and radiant skin. The fashion designer knows a thing or two about beauty, and she exclusively spoke with HELLO! to share her secret during the Annual Global Leadership Awards in NYC, hosted by Vital Voices. The festive ceremony celebrated international women leaders from a plethora of careers, who are leaving an impact on the world, and changing it for the better. © Getty ImagesDiane revealed her secret to HELLO! During Diane’s red carpet appearance, she candidly expressed that having an ageless look comes from the inside-out. She revealed: “I think the most important thing is [to] have a great relationship with yourself.” Diane emphasized: “That’s the most important thing, because if you have a good relationship with yourself, any other relationship is a plus and not a must.” © WireImageThe duo have known each other for over 50 years Diane’s decades-long marriage Looks like Diane aced self-love being that she’s been in a successful decades-long relationship with her husband Barry Diller. She shared: “My …

Von der Leyen plays down deregulation clash with German conservatives – POLITICO

Von der Leyen plays down deregulation clash with German conservatives – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Alongside German conservative leaders in Berlin Monday, however, von der Leyen sought to present a united front with her conservative ideological counterparts in Germany, saying the Commission’s goals on deregulation aligned with theirs. “We are deeply committed to this issue,” von der Leyen said. “This is also evident in the document before us, which incorporates many of our considerations,” she said of the German strategy paper. “We are determined to bring about change so that in Europe and in the member states we can more quickly and effectively create an environment where companies can grow and develop the global competitiveness they need,” von der Leyen added. Two key EU files up for discussion are the Commission’s Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) — which would define a “Made in EU” preference in green public procurement — and the AI Act — both of which Berlin has actively tried to water down. Jens Spahn, one of the leaders of Germany’s conservative parliamentary group, sought to depict a united front with the EU executive, saying the lawmakers “are also grateful that …