International
Europe and Canada close ranks to count on Ukraine in the peace negotiation
Europe and Canada closed ranks this Wednesday to count on Ukraine and the Europeans in peace negotiations, in an informal summit held from Paris while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump were accused.
“The position of France and its partners is clear and united. We want a lasting and solid peace in Ukraine,” Macron summarized on the social network X after the meeting.
To do this, he indicated three conditions, starting with the maxim that Kiev is counted on in the negotiations and that its rights are respected.
Secondly, he mentioned that peace must be accompanied by “strong and credible guarantees” and finally stressed that “the security concerns of Europeans must be taken into account”.
Other leaders spoke in the same vein after the debate, which was the second informal summit of this type organized by the Elysée.
Last Monday, another one took place that urgently met in Paris with eight of the main powers of the Old Continent (France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Poland, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands), in addition to NATO leaders and the institutions of the European Union.
On this occasion, given that the reduced format of that first meeting aroused discomfort among some of the absent countries, Macron had the participation in person of the President of Romania and the Prime Minister of Luxembourg and, by videoconference, of the heads of State or Government of 18 other countries.
The guest list included, among others, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro. Also to heads of government of European countries that are members of NATO but not of the EU, such as Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre, or Iceland, Kristrún Frostadóttir.
Outside the region, only Canada was listed, which is the only non-European partner of NATO in addition to the United States.
“It is a fundamental principle of Canada and the vast majority of allies: nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,” emphasized the Prime Minister of that country, Justin Trudeau, at a press conference after participating in the Paris debate.
The message of support for Kiev and vindication of the siege of Europe in the negotiations was clear in the face of the marginalization suffered in the first contacts between Washington and Moscow, held in Saudi Arabia.
“A peace solution will not be lasting without Ukraine participating in the negotiations. And Europe must have a place at the table,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said in post-press statements.
In the same vein, Finnish President Alexander Stubb spoke in his opinion, calling for a “common European line” so that the old continent can sit in the negotiations.
“Otherwise, there is a risk that the United States and Russia will negotiate above Europe and Ukraine,” Stubb emphasized, in addition to asking to keep a “cool head.”
For his part, the Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, warned that Europe is at a “crossroads” and that the end of this war will define security on the continent “for future generations”.
“We must arm Ukraine,” he said, “so that it can have a position of strength with which to negotiate peace and thus bring peace to our part of the world. That is why we are going to continue with broad support for Ukraine.”
While the Paris meeting was taking place, tensions between Zelenski and Trump rose a lot in decibels, to the point that the US president accused his Ukrainian counterpart of being a “dictator”, after he said that the White House tenant lives in a cloud of disinformation for having blamed Kiev for starting the war.
Faced with the upsurge of tone, Macron – who has been acting as a diplomatic conductor to try to speed up a debate that would be more complex and slow in other formats – said in his message that Europe shares the objective of ending the conflict, but emphasized that it is a “war of aggression carried out by Russia.”
He also expressed the conviction that Europe must increase “its spending and defense and security capabilities”, something demanded by Washington, and promised that “decisions will be made in the coming days and weeks.”
It will be specifically in March when the European Union defines that increase, detailed the Latvian Prime Minister, Evika Silina, who was another of the participants of the Paris meeting.
It will be done in “close cooperation with NATO,” Silina said, and will also be accompanied by an increase in military aid to Ukraine.
In parallel to the end of the meeting, it was announced that Macron will travel to Washington next week, through the mouth of the White House National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, although the Elysée has not confirmed the details.
For his part, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a conversation on Wednesday with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he defended as a “democratically elected leader” hours after Donald Trump described him as a “dictator without elections”.
This was confirmed by Downing Street (the official residence and office of the British Prime Minister) in a statement, in which he indicated that the Labor leader expressed his support for the Ukrainian president during the call and told him that it was “perfectly reasonable to suspend elections in times of war, as the United Kingdom did in World War II.”
Starmer also insisted to Zelenski on the need to work together and supported the “efforts led by the United States to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine that deters Russia from any future aggression.”
International
Iran Rejects Negotiations With U.S. as Strait of Hormuz Remains Blocked Amid New Attack
Tensions remained high in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after a vessel was hit by a projectile, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that negotiations with Iran were moving forward and that the strategic maritime route could reopen as early as Tuesday.
Tehran denied that direct talks were taking place, but Trump insisted that discussions were underway and described the situation as a final opportunity for Iran to reach an agreement.
“This is the last chance they have to sign a good document,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz could happen “literally tomorrow” Tuesday.
The comments came after another escalation in rhetoric from Washington. Last week, Trump threatened Iran with military strikes before unexpectedly changing course on Sunday and announcing that negotiations with Tehran would resume.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai rejected the U.S. president’s version of events, stating that Tehran was not holding negotiations with Washington.
“At this moment, we are not negotiating with the United States. We are negotiating with Oman to guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” Baqai said.
Earlier, the Iranian official said that Tehran was close to reaching an agreement with Oman, which lies across the Strait of Hormuz, to reopen the crucial waterway that plays a key role in global energy trade.
The maritime route has remained blocked by Iran since the outbreak of hostilities following U.S. and Israeli strikes against the Islamic Republic on February 28.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced Tuesday that they had launched an attack against an airport in Saudi Arabia. The Iran-backed group had previously disrupted the passage of Saudi vessels through the Red Sea, an alternative route used for crude exports by the world’s largest oil producer.
The continued instability in the region has raised concerns over global energy supplies, as the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most important chokepoints for international oil shipments.
International
Lula Launches Re-Election Campaign Amid Rising Tensions With Trump
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is set to be officially nominated for re-election by his Workers’ Party (PT), marking the start of his campaign for a fourth presidential term.
The nomination takes place during the party’s national convention in São Paulo, Brazil’s economic hub, where around 3,000 supporters gathered to back the veteran leftist leader.
“Today I’m here because Lula’s policies changed my life and my family’s. Thanks to him, we finally own a home after eight generations without one,” said Cristiane Rosa Julho, a 51-year-old social worker attending the event dressed in the PT’s signature red.
Seeking the presidency for the seventh time in his political career, Lula is expected to face Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in next year’s election.
The 45-year-old senator is the son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has been jailed over his alleged role in an attempted coup following his defeat to Lula in the 2022 election.
The party convention opened with videos highlighting Lula’s social initiatives and speeches by four women praising his leadership, while supporters waved PT flags and held signs reading “We Want Lula as President” and “Brazil Is Not for Sale.”
The campaign begins amid growing tensions with the United States and President Donald Trump, a close ally of the Bolsonaro family who has openly backed several conservative candidates across Latin America.
Last week, Lula warned against foreign interference, declaring, “In Brazil, we do not accept anyone sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong.”
In July, the United States imposed two rounds of tariffs on Brazilian products, accusing the country of unfair trade practices. The measures followed earlier restrictions introduced in 2025, encouraged by Jair Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo Bolsonaro, in response to legal proceedings against the former president.
Lula has vowed to wage what he called a “war of truth against lies” in response to Washington’s pressure and accused Flávio Bolsonaro of undermining Brazil’s interests by allegedly helping the United States damage the country’s economy. The senator has denied the accusations.
The Brazilian president also claims Washington is attempting to influence the country’s political landscape in an effort to prevent his re-election.
International
Truck bomb attack near police station in Colombia leaves 14 injured ahead of presidential inauguration
A truck loaded with explosives exploded on Saturday near a police station in the Colombian city of Cúcuta, close to the Venezuelan border, leaving 14 people injured in an attack that occurred six days before president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella’s inauguration.
The blast took place in the early hours of the morning and was allegedly carried out by members of the National Liberation Army (ELN), who detonated a vehicle packed with explosives. According to the latest report from the Colombian Army, the attack injured 11 police officers and three civilians.
The explosion involved around 15 explosive devices, and two of the wounded officers are in critical condition and “fighting for their lives,” said William Villamizar, governor of Norte de Santander, the region where the attack occurred.
The incident comes amid Colombia’s worst wave of violence in the past decade, with armed groups expanding their presence in several areas of the country.
“I strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack carried out in Cúcuta against our National Police. Terrorism will not intimidate Colombia or break the determination of Colombians to live in peace and security,” De la Espriella said in a post on X.
The conservative lawyer, who has been described as a far-right figure, will take office on August 7, replacing Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president. The inauguration ceremony will be held in Cali, the country’s third-largest city and a frequent target of attacks by armed groups.
The United Nations condemned what it described as an “indiscriminate attack” that caused not only injuries but also “fear and distress among the population.”
De la Espriella has repeatedly warned about an alleged plot against his life. Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro, who is currently visiting Cuba, has not commented on the attack. During his visit, Petro met with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel to discuss what Havana describes as the United States’ “policy of suffocation” toward the island.
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