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☆ Belgium to investigate Russian interference in EU elections
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Luke Mcgee | Eve Brennan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Belgium will investigate suspected Russian meddling in European Parliament elections after the country’s intelligence services confirmed “pro-Russian interference networks,” Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Friday. “The cash payments did not take place in Belgium, but the interference does,” De Croo added. The next elections to the European Parliament will take place from June 6-9, according to the European Council. Far-right and populist parties, some of whom are considered sympathetic to the Kremlin, are expected to make gains at the European Parliament elections. European support for Ukraine has become increasingly important as US support for Kyiv has faltered in recent months.

Persons: Alexander De Croo, De Croo, ”, Viktor Orban –, Vladimir Putin –, Donald Trump Organizations: CNN, ”, EU, European Council, Russian, Kyiv Locations: Belgium, Russian, Ukraine, Europe, Moscow, Belgian, Russia, EU, Viktor Orban – Hungarian

☆ F1's net-zero pledges are colliding with its ambitions to go truly global
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Chris Hawes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Oscar Piastri of McLaren during the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on March 9, 2024. But with the Japanese Grand Prix this coming weekend, F1's beleaguered boss Stefano Domenicali will finally be able to provide a rebuttal. F1's growing ambitions in the Middle East and the U.S. have at times transcended the sport. Las Vegas airports dealt with 400 private jets arriving for the Grand Prix, while Singapore saw a 63% increase in September flight arrivals compared to the previous year when its Grand Prix was pushed into October. Third placed Carlos Sainz of Spain and Ferrari celebrates on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo Nazionale Monza on September 03, 2023 in Monza, Italy.

Persons: Oscar Piastri, Stefano Domenicali, Alexander De Croo, Domenicali, Clive Mason, Stephane Bazire, Bazire, I've, Stefano, Colin Syn, We've, Francois Dumontier, Madeleine Orr, Paul Fowler, Carlos Sainz of, Dan Istitene Organizations: McLaren, Formula, Saudi, Jeddah Corniche, Nurphoto, Getty, United Arab, U.S, Belgian, Formula One, of Australia, Albert, Circuit, F1, Silverstone, CNBC, Las, Prix, Singapore, Singapore Grand Prix, Canadian, Italy's Emilia, Grand Prix, Williams, DHL, Ferrari, of, Autodromo Nazionale Monza Locations: Jeddah, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Monza, Italy, Monaco, United Arab Emirates, Europe, America, Las Vegas, Singapore, Japan, Miami, Grand, Canada, Australia, Carlos Sainz of Spain

☆ Analysis: Europe is trying to fill a US-shaped hole in funding for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Can Europe fill the gap left by the United States in Ukraine? Over the course of the war, European thinking has evolved. Should EU money be spent outside the bloc? So, can Europe fill the funding void in Ukraine left by Washington DC? Yes, Europe can fill the gap left by the US - and in some respects is trying to do just that.

Persons: Donald Trump, Alexander De Croo, Volodymyr Zelensky, Serhii, it’s, –, Vladimir Putin, Jens Stoltenberg Organizations: CNN, European Union, Ukraine, Belgian, Radio Free, Radio Liberty, Reuters, NATO, Diplomats, EU, Ukraine’s, Washington DC Locations: United States, Ukraine, European, Europe, Russia, Kyiv, Kiel, Radio Free Europe, EU, Moscow, Brussels, Russian, Zaporizhzhia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Czech, Eastern, Western Europe, Athens, Rome

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union is pressing ahead with a plan to use the profits generated from billions of euros of Russian assets frozen in Europe to help provide weapons and other funds for Ukraine, a senior official said Tuesday. The move comes as Ukraine runs dangerously low on munitions, and U.S. efforts to get new funds for weapons have stalled in Congress. A small group of member countries, notably Hungary, refuse to supply weapons to Ukraine, so these windfall profits would be divided up. The European Central Bank, or ECB, has warned in the past against seizing Russian assets as this could undermine confidence in the euro currency and EU markets. But Borrell said that no assets would be taken, only the windfall profits they make.

Persons: Josep Borrell, “, ” Borrell, Borrell, Alexander De Croo Organizations: Ukraine, EU, European, Parliament, European Central Bank, ECB, Belgian Locations: BRUSSELS, Europe, Brussels, Ukraine, U.S, Russian, Belgium, Hungary, russia, ukraine

☆ Gaza aid corridor from Cyprus could start this weekend, says EU president
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The European officials and Canada's Prime Minister are visiting the capital Kyiv on the second anniversary of the start of the Russian full-scale invasion in Ukraine. (Photo by STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images)A sea corridor to take desperately needed aid from Cyprus to besieged Palestinians in Gaza could start this weekend, the European Union said on Friday. U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday that a temporary port would be built in Gaza to facilitate a flow of aid by sea, initially from Cyprus. "The maritime corridor can make a real difference ... but, in parallel, our efforts to provide assistance to Palestinians through all possible routes of course will continue," Von der Leyen said. Cyprus tested an on-island screening mechanism in January, when British and Cypriot aid for Gaza was dispatched to Egypt.

Persons: Ursula von der, Belgium Alexander De Croo, Giorgia Meloni, Canada Justin Trudeau, Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden, Ursula von der Leyen, Nikos Christodoulides, Von der Leyen, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Christodoulides Organizations: Canada's, Getty, European Union, Cypriot, United, United Arab Emirates, United Nations, EU Locations: Belgium, Italian, Canada, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russian, Cyprus, Gaza, Cypriot, Larnaca, United Arab, Palestinian, EU, UAE, United States, Christodoulides, Egypt

☆ Leaders should consider using frozen Russian assets to bolster Ukraine’s military, EU's von der Leyen says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The European officials and Canada's Prime Minister are visiting the capital Kyiv on the second anniversary of the start of the Russian full-scale invasion in Ukraine. (Photo by STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images)European leaders should discuss using the profits from frozen Russian assets to boost Ukraine's military in its defence efforts against Moscow, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday. "It is time to start a conversation about using the windfall profits of frozen Russian assets to jointly purchase military equipment for Ukraine," she said in a speech before the European Parliament. "There could be no stronger symbol and no greater use for that money than to make Ukraine and all of Europe a safer place to live," von der Leyen noted. Crucially, frozen assets are, by definition, temporarily retained rather than fully seized with the ability for reallocation.

Persons: Ursula von der, Belgium Alexander De Croo, Giorgia Meloni, Canada Justin Trudeau, Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Ursula von der Leyen, von der Leyen, Von der, Janet Yellen, Russia's Organizations: Canada's, Getty Images, European Union, Treasury, . Security, Bank Locations: Belgium, Italian, Canada, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russian, Moscow, Europe, Kuwait

☆ Delays in promised Western military aid to Ukraine are costing lives, the defense minister says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Half of promised Western military support to Ukraine fails to arrive on time, complicating the task of military planners and ultimately costing the lives of soldiers in Russia's war, the Ukrainian defense minister said Sunday. Year 2024" forum in Kyiv, stressed that each delayed aid shipment meant Ukrainian troop losses, and underscored Russia's superior military might. Commemorations to mark the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Saturday brought expressions of continued support, new bilateral security agreements and new aid commitments from Ukraine's Western allies. The defense minister also said that a "strong" military strategy is already in place for the coming months, but didn't disclose details. A Russian drone on Sunday morning struck an unspecified facility in Ukraine's western Khmelnytskyi region, the regional military administration reported without giving details.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ursula von der Leyen, Giorgia Meloni, Alexander De Croo, Justin Trudeau, Rustan, Umerov, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Syrskyi, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, Valerii Zaluzhny Organizations: Belgium's, Canada's, Russia, U.S . Congress, Sunday Locations: Italian, Hostomel, Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Moscow, Russia, Kherson, Kostiantynivka, Russian, Khmelnytskyi, Belgorod

☆ Four Western leaders arrive in Kyiv to show solidarity on 2nd war anniversary
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

A view of the damaged business center after a Russian missile attack on December 29, 2023 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Russia attacked Ukraine's capital with cruise missiles and drones. Four Western leaders, including the prime ministers of Italy, Canada, and Belgium, arrived in Kyiv on Saturday to show solidarity with Ukraine on the second anniversary of Russia's invasion. Italy's Giorgia Meloni, Canada's Justin Trudeau, Belgium's Alexander De Croo and the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, travelled to the Ukrainian capital together overnight by train from neighboring Poland, the Italian government said in a statement. Meloni was due to host a videoconference later in the day from Kyiv that will involve leaders from the Group of Seven major democracies, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy invited to join the discussion.

Persons: Giorgia, Canada's Justin Trudeau, Belgium's Alexander De Croo, Ursula von der Leyen, Meloni, Volodymyr Zelenskiy Organizations: Ukraine's, European Commission Locations: Russian, Kyiv, Ukraine, Russia, Italy, Canada, Belgium, Poland

☆ Russia's war in Ukraine is igniting an old debate in Brussels over debt
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Munich, GERMANY — Should we borrow from global markets as one combined entity and raise new debt together? That's the question hanging on the shoulders of EU officials as they promise to spend more on defense amid Russia's onslaught in Ukraine. However, in 2020, the 27 members of the European Union decided that the best way to deal with the financial and extraordinary impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was to jointly raise debt. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said in an interview with Bloomberg that joint bonds would be a good way to boost the bloc's defense capacities. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte was also very clear he would not support joint debt at the EU level.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Olaf Scholz, GERMANY —, Alexander de Croo, Kaja Kallas, Christian Lindner, Lindner, Mark Rutte Organizations: European Union, CNBC, Munich Security Conference, Estonian, Bloomberg, Munich Security, Dutch, EU, MSC Locations: Paris, France, Munich, GERMANY, Ukraine, Belgium, Brussels, Russia

☆ 'It is urgent': European leaders appeal for greater support for Ukraine as Russia makes major gain
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's prime minister, speaks on day two of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized a waning sense of urgency among delegates at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday as Moscow's full-scale offensive nearly enters its third year. "The sense of urgency is simply not clear enough in our discussions," Frederiksen told a lunchtime session. Denmark has now donated its entire artillery to Ukraine, Frederiksen said, urging other countries to do the same as the war marks its second anniversary on Feb. 24. The policymakers were speaking at the 7th Munich Ukrainian Lunch, hosted on the sidelines of the MSC by the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum and Ukrainian non-profit the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.

Persons: Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's, Frederiksen, Putin, Radosław Sikorski, Victor Pinchuk, Tobias Billström, Bakhmut, Nikolay Denkov, Denkov, Genya Savilov, Hillary Clinton, —, Niall Ferguson, Clinton, Petr Pavel, Kaja Kallas, Alexander De Croo, Bulgaria Nikolay Denkov Organizations: Munich, Bloomberg, Getty, Kyiv, MSC, Yalta European Strategy, Victor, Victor Pinchuk Foundation, Sweden's, Moscow, 47th Mechanized Brigade, Bradley, Afp, Former, U.S, CNBC Locations: Munich, Germany, MUNICH, Ukraine, Danish, Denmark, Poland, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Moscow, Russia, Europe, U.S, Donetsk, Western, Czech Republic, Republic of Estonia, Belgium, Bulgaria

☆ Belgian PM Backs EU Bonds to Boost Defence Spending
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

By Andrew GrayBRUSSELS (Reuters) - Joint European Union borrowing could help fund higher defence spending but governments would still have to make tough political choices to sustain it, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said. To succeed, proponents will need to convince those traditionally sceptical of EU joint borrowing such as Germany, the Netherlands and Nordic nations. European defence spending has been on an upward curve since Russia first invaded Ukraine and seized Crimea in 2014. NATO said on Wednesday it expected defence spending by its European members would grow by $33 billion this year to $380 billion. Last year, NATO estimated Belgium would spend 1.13 % of GDP on defence in 2023, second lowest among NATO members.

Persons: Andrew Gray BRUSSELS, Alexander De Croo, Donald Trump, Kaja Kallas, Emmanuel Macron, Charles Michel, De Croo, Croo, Thierry Breton, Andrew Gray, John Irish, Alex Richardson Organizations: European Union, Belgian, NATO, Estonian, European, Reuters, Munich Security Conference, Nordic, European Defence Fund, EU Locations: European, Ukraine, Munich, Germany, Netherlands, EU, Russia, Crimea, Belgium, Europe, France, Paris

☆ Belgium PM says NATO countries need to be 'more united than ever'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBelgium PM says NATO countries need to be 'more united than ever'Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Alexander De Croo, the prime minister of Belgium, tells CNBC's Silvia Amaro that NATO countries need to be more united than ever. His comments came as he addressed reports that Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny had died, describing him as "one of the most courageous people in Russia."

Persons: Alexander De Croo, CNBC's Silvia Amaro, Alexei Navalny Organizations: Belgium, NATO, Munich Security Conference Locations: Belgium, Russia

☆ Protesting farmers hurl eggs and clog streets with tractors as EU summit begins
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Sophie Tanno | Chris Liakos | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Demonstrators rolled into Brussels in their tractors in the early morning hours before gathering outside the European Parliament where the summit was being held, blaring horns, hurling eggs and sparking fires. A handful of tractors had been parked near the EU Parliament all week before convoys from across the country converged on Thursday morning. Hatim Kaghat/Belga/AFP/Getty ImagesThere were chaotic scenes outside the European Union headquarters as a key meeting on aid to Ukraine got underway. We need to make sure that our farmers can be a partner in this,” De Croo said on arrival at the summit. In France, protesting farmers continue their roadblocks outside of Paris and near the cities of Lyon and Toulouse.

Persons: Hatim, Yves Herman, Alexander De Croo, De Croo Organizations: CNN, European Union, Ukraine, ” Police, Reuters, EU, Farmers, Belgian, BFMTV, European Commission Locations: Brussels, Belgian, AFP, Ukraine, Italy, Spain, Romania, Poland, Germany, Portugal, Netherlands, Greece, Thessaloniki, France, Paris, Lyon, Toulouse

HALLE, Belgium (AP) — Farmers blocked more traffic arteries across Belgium, France and Italy on Wednesday, as they sought to disrupt trade at major ports and other economic lifelines. They also moved closer to Brussels on the eve of a major European Union summit, in a continued push for better prices for their produce and less bureaucracy in their work. I think we are addressing two very important (concerns) of them right now,” European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič said. A climax in Belgium is set for Thursday, when farmers plan to protest outside EU headquarters during a summit of government leaders. Despite the widespread inconveniences, governments in the EU are treating protests, which have been mostly peaceful, with extreme caution.

Persons: Maroš Šefčovič, Sven Pieters, Gérald Darmanin, “, Alexander De Croo, De Croo, Emmanuel Macron, ___ Sylvie Corbet, Ciaran Giles Organizations: HALLE, — Farmers, European Commission, EU, Protesters, South Locations: Belgium, France, Italy, Brussels, Ukraine, “, Berlin, Paris, Rome, Flanders, Zeebrugge, Creteil, “ Paris, ”, Chile, New Zealand, Belgian, Madrid

☆ Belgian Farmers to Block Zeebrugge Port as French Protests Spill Over - Reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgian farmers outraged over rising costs, European Union environmental policies and cheap food imports plan to block access roads to the Zeebrugge container port in Belgium, financial daily De Tijd reported on Tuesday. Farmers also disrupted traffic close to the Dutch border on the E19 highway on Tuesday morning, with a tractor convoy heading towards port city Antwerp, state broadcaster RTBF said. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo is set to meet with farmers' associations on Tuesday. In recent weeks, farmers across Europe including Germany, Poland and Romania have demonstrated over what they call excessive red tape, high fuel costs and unfair competition resulting from liberal European Union trade policies. On Monday, Belgian farmers blocked highways in southern Belgium and parked tractors near to the EU Parliament in Brussels.

Persons: De Tijd, RTBF, Alexander De Croo, Emmanuel Macron, Tassilo Hummel Organizations: Reuters, Farmers, Belgian, European Union, European Commission, South America's Mercosur, GV De Locations: BRUSSELS, Union, Zeebrugge, Belgium, Antwerp, Europe, Germany, Poland, Romania, Belgian, France, Paris, Brussels

The idea of using Russia's frozen assets is gaining new traction lately as continued allied funding for Ukraine becomes more uncertain and the U.S. Congress is in a stalemate over providing more support. Bipartisan legislation circulating in Washington called the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act would use assets confiscated from the Russian Central Bank and other sovereign assets for Ukraine. Belgium, which is holding the rotating presidency of the European Union bloc for the next six months, is now leading the talks on whether to seize Russia's assets. Belgium is also the country where most frozen Russian assets under sanctions are being held. Maria Snegovaya, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, cautioned that if Ukraine's immediate needs aren't met, “no amount of seized Russian assets is unfortunately going to compensate for what may happen."

Persons: — It's, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “ Putin, ”, ” Biden, Penny Pritzker, “, Nicholas Mulder, Vladimir Putin, Shalanda Young, ” Young, ” Sergey Aleksashenko, Treasuries —, Konstantin Malofeyev, Alexander De Croo, De Croo, Maria Snegovaya, aren't, Ellen Knickmeyer, Lisa Mascaro, Seung Min Kim, Zeke Miller, Aamer, Sam Petrequin, Jamey Keaton Organizations: WASHINGTON, Russian Central Bank, U.S ., U.S, ., ”, Ukraine, Russia, Cornell University, Washington, Russia's Central Bank, White, Management, Russian Central Banker, Russian, Justice Department, State Department, European Union, Belgian, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Associated Press Locations: United States, Ukraine, Davos, Switzerland, Ukrainian, Washington, “, America, Russia, Russian, U.S, China, Frankfurt, Belgium, Brussels

☆ Belgian PM Says He Told Israeli President 'No More Civilian Killings' as Fighting Restarted in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Dec. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Alexander CornwellDUBAI (Reuters) - The Belgian prime minister on Saturday said that he had spoken with Israel's president following the resumption of fighting in Gaza and told him there could be no more killing of civilians. A week-old temporary truce between Israel and Hamas collapsed on Friday after mediators were unable to extend the pause. Israeli warplanes have pounded areas of Gaza since the end of the temporary truce, killing hundreds of people, according to health officials in the coastal strip. Sirens warning of rocket fire sounded in Israeli communities near Gaza on Saturday but there were no reports of serious damage or casualties. We hope that the humanitarian access could be a permanent humanitarian access,” De Croo said.

Persons: Alexander Cornwell DUBAI, I've, Belgium's Alexander De Croo, De Croo, Israel, “, Alexander Cornwell, Toby Chopra Organizations: Reuters, Hamas Locations: Belgian, Gaza, Israel, Rafah, Dubai

☆ Belgian PM says he told Israeli president 'no more civilian killings' as fighting restarted in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Alexander Cornwell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo attends a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (not pictured), in Ramallah, 23 November 2023. ALAA BADARNEH/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDUBAI, Dec 2 (Reuters) - The Belgian prime minister on Saturday said that he had spoken with Israel's president following the resumption of fighting in Gaza and told him there could be no more killing of civilians. A week-old temporary truce between Israel and Hamas collapsed on Friday after mediators were unable to extend the pause. Israeli warplanes have pounded areas of Gaza since the end of the temporary truce, killing hundreds of people, according to health officials in the coastal strip. Sirens warning of rocket fire sounded in Israeli communities near Gaza on Saturday but there were no reports of serious damage or casualties.

Persons: Alexander De Croo, Mahmoud Abbas, Pedro Sanchez, ALAA, I've, Belgium's Alexander De Croo, De Croo, Israel, “, Alexander Cornwell, Toby Chopra Organizations: Belgium's, Spain's, Rights, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Ramallah, Belgian, Gaza, Israel, Rafah, Dubai

☆ Egypt president says future Palestinian state could be demilitarised
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Palestinians stand among the rubble of houses destroyed in an Israeli strike during the conflict, amid the temporary truce between Hamas and Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip November 24, 2023. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa Acquire Licensing RightsCAIRO, Nov 24 (Reuters) - A future Palestinian state could be demilitarised and have a temporary international security presence to provide guarantees to both it and to Israel, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday. A political resolution which requires a Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, has remained out of reach, Sisi added. Arab nations have rejected suggestions that an Arab force provide security in the Gaza Strip after the end of Israel's current military operation there against the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007. Reporting by Aidan Lewis, Writing by Clauda Tanios Editing by Gareth JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Khan Younis, Abu Mustafa, Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, Pedro Sanchez, Alexander De Croo, Ayman Safadi, Aidan Lewis, Clauda, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, NATO, United Nations, Spanish, Belgian, Palestinian, Hamas, Jordanian, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Rights CAIRO, Palestinian, Cairo, East Jerusalem, London

☆ Spain denounces 'indiscriminate' Gaza deaths, angering Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit meets with Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Cairo, Egypt November 24, 2023. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also weighed in, saying the two European leaders had failed to spotlight what he called crimes against humanity committed by Palestinian militants of Hamas. Hamas fighters burst into Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7 in an attack Israel says killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israel has bombarded Gaza and sent in troops and tanks in retaliation, killing about 14,000 Gazans, around 40% of them children, according to Palestinian health authorities. On Thursday, Sanchez met Netanyahu and Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Israel Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

Persons: Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Pedro Sanchez, Alexander De Croo, Mohamed Abdel, Sanchez, Eli Cohen, De, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Netanyahu's, Jose Manuel Albares, Albares, Isaac Herzog, Mahmoud Abbas, Inti Landauro, Ari Rabinovitch, Andrew Gray, Emma Pinedo, Charlie Devereux, William Maclean, Grant McCool Organizations: Arab League, Spain's, Belgium's, Hamas, REUTERS, Spanish, Belgian, Israel's, Palestinian, West Bank, Thomson Locations: Israel, Cairo, Egypt, Gaza, Rafah, Spain, Belgium, Spanish, Hamas, Ramallah, Belgian, Madrid, Jerusalem, Brussels

☆ Spanish PM floats peace conference idea in meeting with Israel's Netanyahu
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo pose during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, November 23, 2023. "Today, more than ever, we need to bring back a serious and credible prospect for peace," Sanchez said after talks with Netanyahu. Sanchez said he and unspecified colleagues had proposed holding an international peace conference with the parties as soon as possible. "It is in Israel's interest to work for peace, and today, peace means the establishment of a viable Palestinian state that includes the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, according to the U.N. resolutions," he said. U.S. officials have said the time is not right to try to resume peace talks given the protracted intransigence of both sides.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, Alexander de Croo, Benjamin Netanyahu, Borja Puig de la, Sanchez, Isaac Herzog, Mahmoud Abbas, Netanyahu, Alexander De Croo, De Croo, David Latona, Marine Strauss, Aislinn Laing, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Spanish, Belgian, Israeli, Reuters Acquire, Rights, Hamas, West Bank, European Union, Arab League, Organisation for Islamic Cooperation, West, of, Union, Palestinian Authority, Jerusalem, Thomson Locations: Jerusalem, Moncloa, Handout, Rights MADRID, U.S, Israel, Palestinian, Ramallah, Egypt, West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem, Barcelona, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Madrid, Oslo, Brussels

Israel has accused Hamas of using civilians and civilian structures including hospitals as shields; Hamas and several hospitals in the enclave have denied that. Since Saturday, Israel has opened up a humanitarian corridor for four hours each day, allowing Gazans in the north to leave for the south. Eyewitnesses described multiple explosions in central and southern Gaza on Tuesday morning that they said were caused by Israeli airstrikes. Yet Netanyahu insists he will not permit a ceasefire until Hamas releases the hundreds of hostages it still holds in Gaza. It’s not good for Israel; not good for the Israeli people,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told CNN.

Persons: Alexander de Croo, Leo Varadkar, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Mira Ziydeh, Joe Biden, Biden, Israel, “, It’s, John Kirby, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Mark Regev, CNN’s Abeer Salman, Eyad Kourdi, Niamh Kennedy, Andrew Carey Organizations: Jerusalem CNN —, UN, Israel Defense Forces, IDF, ”, CNN, UNRWA, ABC, National Security Locations: Jerusalem, Gaza, Belgium, Belgian, Brussels, Latin America, Africa, Israel, United States, United Kingdom, Israel’s, Ramallah, ”, Gazan, Deir, Wadi Gaza, Southern Gaza

☆ 'Positions Not Matching Yet' as EU Leaders Fight for Slice of Budget Pie
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

The bloc's executive proposed that member states chip in more to the shared coffers to provide 50 billion euros to Ukraine and spend another 15 billion on migration. Budgetary decisions require unanimity and divisions were on display on Thursday as the bloc's 27 national leaders arrived for a summit in Brussels. On the bloc's eastern flank, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said that - beyond supporting Ukraine - joint spending should grow for improving EU defence capabilities. Lithuania said 50 billion euros for Ukraine was not enough. Orban's comments come as his government is trying to unlock billions in aid envisaged for Hungary in the EU budget but blocked by the European Commission over rule of law concerns.

Persons: Gabriela Baczynska, Jan Strupczewski BRUSSELS, Alexander de Croo, Kaja Kallas, Kyriakos, Hungary's Viktor Orban, Orban, that's, Ireland's Leo Varadkar, Olaf Scholz, Marine Strauss, Krisztina, Tassilo Hummel, Rene Maltezou, Jan Strupczewski, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: European Union, EU, Belgian, European Commission, Diplomats Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Brussels, Estonian, Lithuania, Greece, East, Africa, Budapest, Hungary, Austria, Western Balkans, Germany

It has since emerged that the attacker had been ordered to leave Belgium in 2021. Bernard Clerfayt, a Brussels minister who is also the mayor of the Brussels borough where the killings took place, called for de Moor's resignation. Official figures showed that only 5,497 of the 25,292 people who received an order to leave Belgium in 2022 have respected it. Despite the attack, Belgium is one of the better performers when it comes to deportation. Theo Francken, a lawmaker from the right-wing Flemish nationalist party N-VA, said Belgian authorities should be stricter with criminals and radicalized individuals.

Persons: —, Ulf Kristersson, Alexander De Croo, De Croo, ”, “, ” De Croo, Kristersson, Vincent Van Quickenborne, Nicole de Moor, Frédéric Van Leeuw, Bernard Clerfayt, de Moor's, ” Van Leeuw, didn’t, Jesper Tengroth, Samira, Theo Francken, ” Nils Duquet, It’s, Raf Casert Organizations: Sweden’s, Belgian, ”, Authorities, Premiere, Swedish Migration Agency, European Union, Flemish, Flemish Peace Institute Locations: BRUSSELS, Swedish, Brussels, Belgium, Belgian, Sweden, Nigerian, Africa

They spoke after paying tribute to the victims of Monday's attack in the Belgian capital, home to the EU institutions, and condemning what they branded a brutal terrorist attack. Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Europe's open-border Schengen zone would not survive unless the EU's external frontiers were better protected from unwanted immigration. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said the EU also needed a more effective system of returning unauthorised immigrants. The 45-year-old gunman arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa in 2011 and then lived in Sweden before claiming asylum in Belgium. EU migration ministers will discuss the plans in Brussels on Thursday, as will national leaders next week.

Persons: Ulf Kristersson, Alexander De Croo, Yves Herman Acquire, Margaritis Schinas, Abdesalem Al Guilani, RTBF, Abdesalem, Sudip Kar, Gupta, Johnny Cotton, Anna Ringstrom, Benoit van Overstraeten, Gabriela Baczynska, Gareth Jones, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Swedish, Belgian, REUTERS, Sweden's, EU, STV, European Commission, Islamic State, Thomson Locations: Sweden, Brussels, Belgium, BRUSSELS, Tunisia, Swedish, Belgian, Europe, Lampedusa, Israel

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