International
Macron brings together European leaders and NATO in response to Trump’s plan for Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron meets this Monday in Paris with the main European leaders, the European Commission (EC) and NATO in response to the plan of US President Donald Trump to corner Europeans in an eventual peace process in Ukraine.
“The goal is to determine what Europeans can do for ourselves, taking into account the moment we live in Ukraine as a result of President Trump’s initiatives,” said an Elysee source.
Described as “informal” by the French presidency, the emergency meeting will bring together, in addition to the French host, the Heads of State and Government of Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark.
The President of the European Council, António Costa, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, will also participate.
According to the Elysée, this meeting has been convened in a restricted way, with only eight European countries, for “practical” reasons, but the idea is that everyone involved “can participate” in future meetings.
The Paris event is held after the Munich Security Conference, in which Donald Trump’s government has confirmed its intention to leave Europeans aside in a possible peace process for Ukraine, three years after the Russian invasion.
Trump’s envoy for the war in Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg, argued for separating Europe from the negotiations, which would initially fall between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who already had a first telephone conversation in the middle of this week.
This intention by Washington has made Europeans uncomfortable and worried, but also Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky himself, who would also be relegated to the background.
Among the participants of tomorrow’s meeting, Denmark is striking, which by GDP and population is not among the European powers.
However, Copenhagen is uneasy about Trump’s desire to take control of the island of Greenland, which is Danish territory.
The assistance of the United Kingdom, which ceased to be a member of the EU five years ago, has also surprised.
However, under the government of Labor Prime Minister Keir Starmer, London has approached Brussels and has moved away from its historical ally, the United States, especially since Trump joined the White House on January 20.
In fact, Starmer said he was prepared to move British troops to Ukraine to contribute to security guarantees in the Eastern European country.
Sweden has expressed itself in the same vein. Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard did not rule out that her country could send a military peace contingent to Ukraine to contribute to security guarantees in that country.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
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