International
NATO summit highlights the discomfort with Orbán due to its proximity to Russia and China
Different NATO countries expressed on Thursday their discomfort over the recent trips of the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, to Moscow and Beijing coinciding with the beginning of his country’s presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU).
During the allied summit that concludes today in Washington, Orbán has been seen on different occasions isolated from the informal conversations between the leaders, or also during his participation in the gala dinner offered on Wednesday night at the White House by US President Joe Biden.
When asked about the possibility of Orbán traveling to Florida to meet with the Republican candidate for the U.S. Presidency. The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said that what he does should do as a Hungarian Prime Minister and not as a representative of the Council of the EU.
“It has to be clear that what Mr. Orbán does he does as Hungarian Prime Minister and not on behalf of the Council of the EU,” Scholz said when asked about it by a German journalist upon his arrival at the NATO summit.
In past days, Scholz had expressed himself in similar terms regarding Orbán’s trips to Beijing and Moscow.
The Finnish president, Alexander Stubb, denied that there is division in the Atlantic Alliance over Ukraine and assured that Orbán is “in a frank minority.”
“But I fundamentally disagree with your approach and I will say it out loud. I don’t think it makes sense to have conversations with authoritarian regimes that violate international law,” he said.
He stressed that NATO is an alliance of values that believes in international law, fundamental rights, human rights, territorial integrity and the independence of States.
“We also believe in the prerogative of sovereign states to make their own political decisions in foreign affairs and security. What Russia is doing is promoting an imperial war. And Viktor Orbán does not have any mandate from the Alliance or the European Union to carry out any type of negotiation,” he said.
In Stubb’s opinion, Orbán can perform that task “on his own,” although he assured that he did not understand what purpose it would have.
The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, who also participates in the allied summit as a guest, made it clear that the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU “does not represent the EU externally.”
He stressed that the rotating presidencies have to play a role of “honest intermediary to defend European unity and help us build compromises.”
The EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Affairs, Josep Borrell, said today in an interview with EFE in Washington that “there is a deep unease in the European Union about this behavior” of the Hungarian president.
A few days after assuming the rotating presidency of the EU Council on July 1, Orbán, the member of the community club closest to the Kremlin, has visited Kiev, Moscow, Beijing and Washington in what he has described as a “peace mission” for the war in Ukraine.
These visits have generated, according to Borrell, “a regrettable confusion,” since Orbán has tried to give his trips an official air using, for example, the logo of his country as president of the Council of the EU on his trips to China and Russia, despite the fact that the community bloc has insisted that it has no competence or authority to negotiate on his behalf.
Faced with this situation, Borrell expressed his wish that the Foreign Ministers of the Twenty-Seven address this issue in the next Council, scheduled for July 22.
International
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
The Ukrainian government on Wednesday declared a nationwide energy state of emergency amid continued Russian military attacks and extreme winter weather, with nighttime temperatures dropping as low as minus 18 degrees Celsius.
“The consequences of Russian attacks and worsening weather conditions are severe (…) Overall, a state of emergency will be declared for Ukraine’s energy sector,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement posted on social media following a meeting with senior officials.
Zelensky announced the creation of a “permanent coordination headquarters” to manage the crisis in the capital, Kyiv, and tasked former defence minister and current energy chief Denys Shmyhal with overseeing support efforts for affected individuals and communities, including addressing power outages, heating shortages and other “practical issues.”
“There are many problems that require urgent solutions,” the president said, noting that repair crews, energy companies, municipal services and the State Emergency Service are working “around the clock” to restore electricity supplies. Kyiv has been particularly affected after Russian strikes last Friday disabled key parts of the power grid, as daytime temperatures hover around minus 12 degrees Celsius and plunge to minus 18 at night.
Zelensky added that public authorities will “maximize efforts with partners to obtain the necessary equipment and additional support,” while the government will ensure “maximum deregulation of all processes” to speed up the connection of backup power equipment to the grid. He also confirmed that work is underway to significantly increase electricity imports into Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader further instructed his Cabinet to review curfew regulations in light of the extreme cold, arguing that citizens must have the greatest possible access to assistance centers, while businesses should be given flexibility to plan their operations according to the state of the energy system.
International
France joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed in the early hours of Thursday (Wednesday afternoon in El Salvador) that France will take part in “Operation Arctic Resistance,” after Denmark announced it would expand its military presence in Greenland amid rising tensions with the United States over Washington’s stated ambitions regarding the semi-autonomous territory.
“At Denmark’s request, I have decided that France will participate in the joint exercises organized by Denmark in Greenland, ‘Operation Arctic Resistance,’” Macron said in a brief message posted on social media at 5:18 p.m.
The French president added that “the first French military elements are already on their way, with others to follow,” though he did not specify the number of troops being deployed or the scale of France’s planned contribution.
The governments of Sweden, Norway and Germany have also confirmed the deployment of military contingents to Greenland. Germany’s armed forces will send a 13-member reconnaissance team to the Greenlandic capital, Nuuk, to take part in a mission scheduled to run from Thursday through Saturday, according to the German Ministry of Defence.
Denmark’s announcement came shortly before a Danish delegation met at the White House with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss Washington’s plans regarding Greenland. Copenhagen said the military activities would be carried out “in close cooperation with NATO allies.”
International
Iran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
Iranian authorities closed the country’s airspace in the early hours of Thursday, according to data from flight-tracking website FlightRadar24, amid growing threats of a possible U.S. attack as protests across the country continue and have reportedly left thousands dead.
According to FlightRadar24, the Iranian government suspended all flights to and from the country, except for international flights that have received special authorization. The notice was initially issued for a duration of just over two hours.
The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump in recent days threatened to strike Iran if its security forces failed to halt the deaths linked to weeks-long protests that began in Tehran and later spread to other Iranian cities. Despite the threats, the White House said diplomacy remains Trump’s preferred option.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump claimed that “the deaths in Iran have stopped” and said there would be no executions of protesters following his warnings to Tehran. He added that his administration would seek to verify those claims.
“I’ve been told the deaths in Iran are stopping. They’ve stopped, and that there are no plans for executions,” Trump told reporters, cautioning that the United States would be “very upset” if those assurances proved to be untrue.
The statements contrast with reports from rights groups. The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) said on Wednesday that more than 3,400 people have been killed since the protests erupted. Meanwhile, Kurdish-Iranian rights group Hengaw reported this week that a 26-year-old Iranian man, Erfan Soltani, was facing execution as of Wednesday.
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
France joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
Iran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
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