Browsing: International – UK/Europe
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday pledged to work with her partners to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that this is a vital interest for her country and the entire European Union.In a speech before the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Meloni said that if Iran succeeds in gaining the authority to impose additional fees on ships transiting the Strait, this could lead to economic repercussions and changes in trade flows. She revealed that Italy is working with the British-led coalition on the Strait of Hormuz, which includes more than 30 countries, in an effort to create the security conditions that would allow for the full restoration of freedom of navigation and supplies. She condemned all violations of the ceasefire agreement reached between the United States and Iran, which is in effect for two weeks, stating that the world now faces “a fragile horizon for peace that must be pursued with determination and resolve.” In her address, Meloni also called on the Israeli occupation to end its military operations in Lebanon, stressing the importance of reaching a comprehensive ceasefire in the Middle East. Regarding domestic affairs, the Italian Prime Minister ruled out a major cabinet reshuffle and pledged to remain in office until the end of her term, which is scheduled to last until the second half of next year.It is worth noting that this was Meloni’s first address to Parliament since her crushing defeat in a referendum on judicial reforms held two weeks prior, which led to the resignation of some members of her government Source link
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam received a phone call today from French President Emmanuel Macron. According to a statement issued by the Lebanese government, President Macron confirmed that he is undertaking intensive diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon. ( Source link
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. (Reuters/File Photo) Spain’s ruling Socialist Party has gained voter support amid Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s staunch opposition to the US-Israeli war on Iran, while far-right Vox, which supports the offensive, has seen a decline, two surveys published yesterday showed. Sanchez has emerged as one of the most vocal Western leaders criticising what he calls an illegal and reckless war, closing Spanish airspace to US planes involved in the strikes and banning them from using jointly operated military bases in southern Spain.Vox — closely allied with US President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement — has harshly criticised Sanchez’s stance.A survey by state pollster CIS showed last month that 85% of respondents rejected the war. Monday’s new poll by Sigma Dos for newspaper El Mundo showed support for Sanchez’s Socialists rising to 27.7% from 26.4% last month, reducing the lead of the conservative People’s Party (PP). Another survey, by 40dB for El Pais, put them at 28.6%, up from 27.7%. Meanwhile, Vox dropped to 17.1% in April from 18.3% according to Sigma Dos, and slipped by 0.1 percentage point to 18.7% in the 40dB survey. The PP topped both polls, securing 32.5% and 31.1% of voting intentions, respectively, up by less than one percentage point in both polls. The party accuses Sanchez of damaging transatlantic relations and has refrained from publicly denouncing Trump and Israel, though its leader has also echoed the “no to war” slogan. A common trend is the transfer of voting intention from the extremes of the spectrum to the two mainstream outfits. The PP appears to be stemming the flow of votes to Vox and the Socialists are picking up former voters of its hard-left junior coalition partner Sumar, the polls showed.A fragmented electorate still means coalitions are required to secure a government and both polls point to a right-wing majority if elections were held now.The next general election is due in August 2027. Source link
Oxford and Cambridge in action during the men's University Boat Race in London, Saturday. Source link
Japan and France agreed yesterday to co-ordinate closely in pushing for an end to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas tankers, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said. “Because the international situation is so challenging, I believe there is great significance in the leaders of Japan and France deepening their personal ties and making our co-operation even stronger,” Takaichi said after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Tokyo on security ties and industrial co-operation. With the Middle East conflict now in its fifth week, Japan, France and other countries are grappling with rising energy costs. Unless the conduit for about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows reopens, they could face shortages of petroleum products. Japan, which normally gets around 90% of its oil from the Middle East, has begun drawing on its oil reserves to cushion the economic blow.Speaking alongside Takaichi, Macron said he shared her position on the need to restore freedom of navigation in the strait. France has held talks with dozens of countries as it seeks proposals for a mission to reopen the waterway once the conflict ends. Japan has said it could consider dispatching minesweepers, though the scope of any role would be constrained by its pacifist constitution. The two leaders also said they would pursue closer security ties in the Indo-Pacific and signed agreements on co-operation in critical mineral supply chains. Source link
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during a press conference at Downing Street in London, yesterday. (Reuters) Prime Minister Keir Starmer said yesterday that the global instability caused by the Iran war means Britain should pivot to focusing on closer economic and defence ties with Europe, following repeated criticism from US President Donald Trump. Starmer said building stronger relations with Europe would be at the centre of a summit with the European Union in the summer, as he warned the consequences of the Iran war would last for a generation. “It is increasingly clear that as the world continues down this volatile path, our long-term national interest requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe,” Starmer told reporters at a press conference in Downing Street. Trump has repeatedly insulted Starmer, calling him cowardly because of his unwillingness to join the US war on Iran, saying he was “No Winston Churchill” and describing Britain’s aircraft carriers as “toys”. In a sign that British foreign policy was shifting away from the US, traditionally its closest ally, Starmer said he saw his country’s future being more aligned with Europe. After Trump was elected as president for a second term in 2024, Starmer tried to position himself as a conduit between Europe and the US. But their relationship has publicly deteriorated over the Iran war. Starmer initially denied a request from the US to attack Iran from two British bases, but later agreed to allow what he calls defensive missions aimed at protecting residents of the region, including British citizens.Asked about Trump’s criticism, Starmer said he would not give in to “pressure” from Trump to be dragged into the war. Starmer instead said the government was focused on deepening its relationship with Europe and it was necessary to undo some of the “deep damage” done by Brexit. Although Starmer called for an “ambitious” reset in relations, he ruled out rejoining the EU’s customs union or its single market. The opposition Conservative Party criticised Starmer, saying he was trying to “reopen the old wounds of the Brexit years”, while the populist Reform UK party said he should have announced measures to reduce energy prices. Starmer did not announce any new policies to help households at the press conference. But he did say that Britain would this week host meetings with allies aimed at opening the Strait of Hormuz, the vital energy shipping route that has been effectively blocked by Iran since it was attacked by the US and Israel, and 35 countries were now involved in efforts. Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper would host a virtual meeting of the group today to assess diplomatic and political measures to reopen the Strait “after the fighting has stopped”, Starmer said. France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Canada and the United Arab Emirates are among the countries who will attend the talks, according to a British government statement. A British official said it was expected that any first phase would focus on mine-hunting, followed by a second phase to protect tankers crossing the area. Source link
Finland reported Sunday a suspected territorial violation by unmanned aerial vehicles in the southeast of the country, which the Finnish prime minister said was likely linked to Ukrainian drone attacks against Russia.Nearby countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania said last week that several Ukrainian drones had crashed on their territory after going astray during attacks on Russian oil export facilities on the Baltic Sea coast.Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and export routes over recent weeks in an attempt to weaken Russia’s war economy and as peace talks, brokered by Washington, have stalled.Sunday morning, several small, slow-moving objects flying at low altitude were detected over a maritime area and in southeastern Finland, the defence ministry said in a statement.Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the stray drones seemed to be linked to Ukraine’s attacks on Russian targets in Finland’s vicinity.”Russia has extremely strong electronic jamming capabilities, which could explain why these drones are drifting into Finnish airspace, something that is a very serious issue,” Orpo told Finland’s public broadcaster Yle.Finland sent its F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets to recognise flying objects that approached its territorial waters, one of which was identified as a Ukrainian AN196 drone, the Finnish Air Force said.”The pilot did not open fire in order to avoid collateral damage,” it said in a statement, adding the drone fell to the ground north of the town of Kouvola in eastern Finland. Another drone hit the ground in the same region, it said.Ukraine has hit all three major oil ports in western Russia this month: Novorossiysk on the Black Sea and Primorsk and Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea in Finland’s vicinity. Source link
France’s Ministry of the Armed Forces announced today that the chiefs of staff of the armed forces from 35 countries met virtually to form a coalition aimed at resuming navigation in the Strait of Hormuz after the cessation of hostilities.In a statement, the ministry said that the meeting, organized by the French Chief of Staff via video conference, allowed participating countries to register their positions regarding joining a coordinated initiative to enhance maritime security in this strategic area. The ministry did not disclose the countries that took part in the meeting. The statement added that the initiative was not related to ongoing military operations in the region and has a purely defensive nature, reiterating that several countries expressed willingness to help secure the strait but do not wish to be involved in attacks. It is worth noting that France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the Netherlands had announced last week that they could contribute to efforts to ensure the safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Source link
UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, accused Israel of practicing systematic torture against Palestinians on a scale suggesting collective punishment and destructive intent. In a media report, she stated that since Oct. 7, 2023, Palestinian detainees had been subjected to severe physical and psychological abuse. She noted that torture in detention centers had been used on an unprecedented scale as a form of collective punishment. Albanese added that acts such as brutal beatings, sexual violence, starvation, and systematic deprivation had left deep and lasting impacts on tens of thousands of Palestinians and their families. She stressed that such practices had become an integral part of control and punishment, affecting men, women, and children through detention abuse, forced displacement, widespread violence, and the destruction of basic living conditions. Source link
Former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams speaks at a press conference in Belfast as a High Court lawsuit against Adams over IRA bombings has been withdrawn…