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Men guilty of church drive-by shooting murder
Michelle Sadio had been at a wake when shots were fired from a car at mourners in north-west London.
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Middle East crisis live: Trump says he does not want to extend ceasefire with Iran | US-Israel war on Iran
Trump says he does not want to extend ceasefire with Iran
President Donald Trump told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday that he did not want to extend a ceasefire with Iran, adding the US was in a strong negotiating position and would end up with what he called a great deal.
“I don’t want to do that. We don’t have that much time,” Trump said when asked about the possibility of extending the ceasefire.
Trump also said that the US was in a strong negotiating position with Iran and would end up with a “great deal”.
Key events
Lebanon’s prime minister and French president Emmanuel Macron will discuss on Tuesday how to strengthen the country’s hand in possible direct negotiations with Israel in the United States later this week, as Beirut turns to a trusted European ally.
The US will host ambassador-level talks with Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, although it remains unclear whether the objective is to extend a fragile 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah or pave the way for deeper negotiations.
Israeli troops occupy territory deep in the south, aiming to create a buffer zone to shield northern Israel from Hezbollah attack, while the group says it maintains the “right to resist” Israeli occupation.
“France’s role is not to insert itself between the parties in discussions that are, by nature, bilateral and direct,” a French presidency official said ahead of prime minister Nawaf Salam’s meeting with Macron.
“France is one of the countries capable of playing a very concrete role in strengthening the Lebanese government’s hand and supporting its action in practical terms.“
Well, it looks like there was some miscommunication with our video service and there is in fact no Pete Hegseth press conference today.
We will all have to wait a little while longer to hear his latest pearls of wisdom and unique take on the US-Israeli war on Iran.
The US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, is due to give a war briefing at the Pentagon alongside Gen Dan Caine, the chair of the joint chiefs of staff, in about five minutes.
Stay with us as we will be covering it live and will attach a feed of the briefing at the top of the blog.
The Pentagon says US forces boarded the sanctioned M/T Tifani tanker overnight “without incident” in the Asia Pacific region.
“As we have made clear, we will pursue global maritime enforcement efforts to disrupt illicit networks and interdict sanctioned vessels providing material support to Iran – anywhere they operate,” the US Department of Defense wrote in a post on X.
US and Iran signal they will return to Pakistan for ceasefire talks – report
The Associated Press is reporting that two regional officials have said the US and Iran have indicated they will hold a new round of the ceasefire talks in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital.
Officials told the news agency that “Pakistan-led mediators” received confirmation that the US vice-president JD Vance and Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf will arrive in Islamabad tomorrow morning to lead their teams in the talks.
We have not been able to independently verify this report. Iran, which has sent mixed messages about the talks, has said speculation about them sending a delegation to Pakistan should not be believed.
Iran’s state broadcaster earlier dismissed “rumours” about the departure or arrival (times) of the delegation being spread by unnamed “international outlets and regional sources”.
Yesterday evening, Ghalibaf said in a social media post that his country would not attend negotiations while under threat – and warned they were “prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield”.
Trump claims Iran has ‘violated’ ceasefire agreement ‘numerous times’
In an extremely brief Truth Social post, the US president, Donald Trump, has said that “Iran has violated the ceasefire numerous times”, without specifying what these breaches were.
His comments come amid continuing uncertainty over whether a second round of peace talks between Iran and the US will take place in Pakistan today.
On Sunday, Trump accused Iran of firing on ships passing through the strait of Hormuz in what he claimed was in violation of the ceasefire agreement due to expire tomorrow.
A spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, however, said it was Washington’s blockade of the waterway that was a violation of the agreement. Trump said on Friday that the naval blockade of Iranian ports would continue until a deal was reached.
At least 26 Iranian ‘shadow fleet’ vessels have slipped through US blockade of strait of Hormuz
At least 26 Iranian “shadow fleet” vessels have bypassed the US naval blockade of the strait of Hormuz, according to Lloyd’s List.
Since the US blockade took effect on 13 April, as many as 26 vessels have continued moving in and out of Iranian ports and have exported Iranian-origin cargo, maritime data shows. Lloyd’s List said 11 tankers laden with Iranian cargo have left the Gulf of Oman or the Middle East Gulf since 13 April.
Iran officially closed the strait – to “hostile” countries – on 4 March in response to US-Israeli airstrikes on the country, and briefly declared it back open on Friday after a 10-day ceasefire deal was agreed between Israel and Lebanon.
But Iranian officials said over the weekend they were effectively closing the vital waterway again after the US said it would not end its blockade of Iranian ports.
Since the blockade began, the US has directed 27 vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port, according to a social media post published by Centcom yesterday.
China’s ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, has expressed his “full support” of Pakistan’s mediation efforts between the US and Iran.
In a post on X, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said talks between the country’s deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar, who also serves as foreign minister, and Zaidong focused on the “latest regional developments”.
“Amb Zaidong conveyed China’s full support for and appreciation of Pakistan’s continued efforts to facilitate engagement between US and Iran for sustained peace and stability in the region and beyond,” the ministry said.
During a phone call with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that “normal traffic” through the strait of Hormuz “should be maintained” and, according to state media, said China “advocates for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire”.
China is widely seen to have benefited from the US-Israel war on Iran as it has enabled Beijing to boost its diplomatic power and the country’s fossil fuel stockpiles and diversified energy mix insulated it from the worst of the oil shock, as my colleague notes in this analysis piece.
The Chinese yuan has also been used by ships that have paid tolls to Iran for safe transit across the strait of Hormuz, according to reports.
The internet blackout in Iran has entered its 53rd day, according to internet monitoring group NetBlocks. It said in a post on its website:
The Iran internet blackout is now in its 53rd day after 1248 hours of disconnection from global networks.
As authorities work to develop tiered access for select users and businesses, the human impacts and economic harms of this digital censorship measure continue to spiral.
A select number of officials are still able to use the internet and post regularly on social media about the war. There was an earlier internet shutdown in January during nationwide protests, which helped obscure extreme violence against Iran’s population.
Belgium’s foreign minister Maxime Prevot has described Israel’s military actions in Lebanon as “totally unacceptable”.
“Israel’s conduct is completely unacceptable. Of course, we must firmly condemn Hezbollah’s initial attacks, which, in seeking to show solidarity with Iran, dragged Lebanon into a war it did not want, as well as Israel’s disproportionate and indiscriminate response,” Prevot said ahead of a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
He also said Belgium is calling for at least a partial suspension of the EU’s Association’s Agreement with Israel, adding that Belgium is “aware that a full suspension is probably out of reach given the positions of the various European countries” ( see post at 09.19 for more details).
Israel started a war on Lebanon on 2 March when Hezbollah, the Iranian backed Lebanese militant group and political party, launched rocket fire at Israel after US-Israeli airstrikes killed former Iranian supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, in Tehran.
The IDF responded with a wave of intense strikes across Lebanon, targeting what it claimed was Hezbollah infrastructure, though many civilians were killed (over 2,290, according to the health ministry), homes destroyed and over 1.2 million people displaced across the country.
During the war, Israel also launched a ground invasion several kilometres into Lebanese territory, with a stated goal to push Hezbollah back from the border in order to stop the ability of the group to fire rockets into communities in northern Israel. Israeli officials now say Israel will stay in control of dozens of towns and villages as part of what it describes as a security buffer zone – but from the ground this looks like a prelude to long term occupation.
The US state department will host new talks on Thursday between Israel and Lebanon, an American official told the AFP news agency, after a previous meeting saw the start of a 10-day ceasefire that took effect on 16 April.
Hezbollah is of the view that direct peace talks are a form of national humiliation and are about trying to pressure the group into laying down its weapons. The Lebanese president, Joseph Aoun, who wants to end the Israeli occupation of southern areas of his country and stop future Israeli attacks, is in favour of engaging in the talks.
No Iranian delegation has departed for Pakistan yet – state TV
Iranian state TV is reporting that no Iranian delegation has yet departed for Pakistan to attend peace talks with the US. It is not clear yet if they will attend the talks today despite pressure from mediators to do so.
The country’s state broadcaster wrote in a post on Telegram that “no delegation from Iran has travelled to Islamabad, neither a primary nor a secondary, neither initial nor follow-up.”
Axios, meanwhile, is reporting that the US vice-president JD Vance is due to leave for Islamabad by Tuesday morning for talks with Iran, a day before the ceasefire expires.
Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s special envoy who often acts like a de facto secretary of state, and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and adviser, are also expected to travel to the Pakistani capital for the talks.
Iran has been stalling because of possible pressure from the Revolutionary Guards on the negotiators to adopt a firmer line and insist there cannot be diplomacy while the US is blockading the strait of Hormuz, according to the Axios report.
Iran holds a deep mistrust of the US as it has been attacked before during previous negotiations.
You can keep up with the latest developments on the EU and from around the continent in our Europe live blog:
Jakub Krupa
Spain’s foreign minister José Manuel Albares has just confirmed that Spain, Slovenia and Ireland have requested a discussion on suspending the EU’s association treaty with Israel at today’s meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers.
He said the process was about the EU’s “credibility” on all other issues, as the bloc is expected to stand “for the same principles” everywhere.
He said that if the EU is “not capable to say today to Israel” that it is expected to respect human rights and international law, and not make war a foreign policy tool, “we are going to lose that credibility.”
“We have to say the same thing that we say to Russia concerning Ukraine, and that we say in other scenarios, and since the last time we brought this same position, things have worsened,” he said.
European Union has to say today very clearly to Israel that that change is needed. That’s not the right path, and that while Israel continues in that path of a permanent perpetual war, we will not be able to [run our relations] in the same way.
He said that if suspending the association treaty in full is unacceptable for some members, the bloc should consider suspending at least the trade element of the deal.
Israel is continuing its attacks on Gaza, where the humanitarian situation remains dire despite a ceasefire.
At least four Palestinian people have been killed by Israeli attacks in the southern and northern parts of the Gaza Strip so far today, Palestinian news agency Wafa is reporting.
In its latest update, Gaza’s health ministry said at least 72,560 Palestinian people have been killed and 172,317 others injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since 7 October 2023.
At least 784 Palestinian people have been killed in Israeli attacks since a ceasefire came into effect in October 2025, according to the ministry, whose figures the UN generally find reliable.
Most of the people killed have been civilians and the true death toll is likely much higher given the number of people still buried under rubble across the territory.
Aid groups say broken infrastructure and inconsistent electricity have turned untreated sewage into a growing public health risk, and there is a view that the US and Israeli war on Iran has resulted in even higher prices for food and other essentials.
UK News
EU optimistic over approval of €90bn loan for Ukraine following Orbán defeat – Europe live | Europe
EU expects ‘some positive decisions’ on €90bn loan for Ukraine on Wednesday
But it looks like there is some movement on Ukraine.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has just confirmed that she expects “some positive decisions tomorrow” on the €90bn loan.
“Ukraine really needs this loan and it is also a sign that Russia cannot outlast Ukraine. This is extremely important at this moment.”
Key events
EU’s top court finds Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ law in breach of key values in early test for new PM
Jennifer Rankin
Brussels correspondent
The EU’s highest court has found Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ law to be discriminatory, stigmatising and in breach of basic democratic values, setting up an early test for the incoming prime minister Péter Magyar’s government when it takes power next month.
In a wide-ranging judgment, the European court of justice said the 2021 law that bans content about LGBTQ+ people from schools and primetime TV was at odds with a society based on pluralism and fundamental rights such as prohibition of discrimination and freedom of expression.
Magyar won a landslide election victory last week after promising to root out corruption and improve living standards, but he has so far been muted on whether he will roll back the anti-LGBTQ+ policies introduced by Viktor Orbán, who was defeated after 16 years in power.
He has vowed to “bring home” EU funds intended to help Hungary develop its economy, some of which were frozen over the anti-LGBTQ+ law. A larger part was suspended over risks to academic freedom, breaches of the right to asylum and concerns about corruption and lack of judicial independence.
The ruling marks the first time the ECJ has found a member state guilty of breaking EU law based exclusively on breaching the bloc’s fundamental values described in article 2 of its treaty. These include respect for human dignity, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights, including those of minorities.
As a result, the judgment paves the way for future cases against EU member states that systematically flout basic values on democracy and the rule of law.
Hungary passed the so-called child protection law in 2021, imposing restrictions on schools and media companies in depicting LGBTQ+ people. Previously likened to Russia’s notorious “gay propaganda” law, the Hungarian legislation means gay and transgender people or themes cannot feature in school educational material or in any TV show, film or advert shown before 10pm.
The court said in a statement that the Hungarian law was “contrary to the very identity of the union as a common legal order in a society in which pluralism prevails”, and that Hungary could not “validly rely on its national identity” as justification for a law that breached fundamental values.
It said it expected Hungary to comply without delay and it ordered Budapest to pay its costs and those incurred by the European Commission, which brought the case. The Hungarian government has been contacted for comment.
Jakub Krupa
So, as promised (10:25), let’s get a bit more detail on today’s ruling against Hungary.
Here is our Brussels correspondent Jennifer Rankin’s take on what happened – and why it matters.
European Commission says waiting for Druzhba updates; ‘ball in Hungary’s court’ on two major court rulings
The European Commission is now giving its daily press briefing with some details on how it looks to move ahead on the €90bn loan for Ukraine, and the state of play with the Druzbha pipeline.
The commission said that for its part it was doing “what we can to complete” the negotiations “as soon as possible” and get ready for a potential political decision on disbursing the funds to Ukraine.
But the commission said it was still waiting to see when Ukraine could resume the oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline.
The commission was also asked about Péter Magyar’s suggestion yesterday that as part of his broader political agreement with the EU, he could get the bloc to suspend daily fines for its controversial asylum law which was found to be in violation with the EU law.
The commission said that “there were no promises” and the first discussions over the weekend were merely “initial talks to take stock of where we are with Hungary on a wide set of topics.”
But it added that following the court’s ruling, “it’s up to … the Hungarian government to abide by the ruling, and once that is done, the issue is solved.”
So, that doesn’t really sound like there’s too much scope for political agreement on this issue.
The commission was also asked about today’s separate ruling on anti-LGBTQ law, which was found to be in breach of the EU law (10:25).
The spokesperson said it was a “landmark ruling” and, again, that it’s “now for the Hungarian government to implement the decision of the court.”
“The ball is on the Hungarian side of the court.”
Hungarian-Slovak relations could get awkward as leaders clash over Beneš decrees
Jakub Krupa
As the new Hungarian government prepares to take office, it’s worth watching how the relationship between Hungary and Slovakia will change as a result.
Slovakia’s Robert Fico has often worked closely with Viktor Orbán, teaming up when it comes to discussing energy issues or Ukraine-Russia policy, with both leaders openly engaging with Russia despite the EU’s highly-critical stance towards Moscow.
But the incoming prime minister, Péter Magyar, is likely to take different positions on some of these issues.
The relationship will be further complicated by Slovakia’s recently adopted law seeking to stop questioning of the long controversial Beneš decrees that led to the disenfranchisement and expulsion of Hungarians and Sudeten Germans from the former Czechoslovakia.
The pair spoke this morning in early engagement ahead of Magyar taking office next month, and the Hungarian leader made it clear that he wanted Bratislava to move on the contentious issue.
“I made it clear that we can only engage in discussions on any policy matters if we receive guarantees that Slovakia will repeal the legislation threatening Hungarians in Slovakia with imprisonment, and if it is clearly established that, in the future, there will be no confiscation of the land of our Hungarian compatriots in Slovakia on the basis of the Beneš Decrees and the principle of collective guilt,” he said.
Magyar said that “the protection of the rights of our Hungarian compatriots in Slovakia remains the highest priority in Hungarian – Slovak relations,” and that he would discuss this further with Fico at this week’s European Council in Brussels.
The Slovak prime minister struck a different tone, saying he would want to work closely with Magyar and was hoping to discuss his plans on the Druzhba pipeline and the previous government’s plans to sue the EU over plans to halt Russian energy imports.
But, he admitted, that “it clearly emerged from the conversation that Péter Magyar’s priority in Slovak–Hungarian relations is, and will be, the Beneš Decrees on which we have fundamentally different positions.”
For what it’s worth, the two leaders had clashed over this issue even before the Hungarian election, with the issue of rights of Hungarians abroad remaining politically salient domestically, but it will obviously become much more important now that Magyar is in government.
One to watch.
Russia says it’s ‘technically ready’ to restore oil flows through Druzhba
Meanwhile over in Russia, the Kremlin said it was technically ready to resume oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia if and when Ukraine ended what Moscow called its “blackmail”.
Russia, and Hungary’s outgoing government led by Viktor Orbán, continues to blame Ukraine for suspending the deliveries after Kyiv said the pipeline was damaged by Russian strikes.
“As things stand, you are aware that the Russian side remains technically ready. We have contractual obligations with Hungary. But following the start of the Kyiv regime’s blackmail, deliveries have been halted,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in comments reported by Reuters.
“Everything depends on the Kyiv regime – whether they will open the pipeline and put an end to the blackmail,” he said.
‘We won’t have Trojan horse in our castle’ any more, Lithuania’s foreign minister says after Hungary election
Lithuania’s Kęstutis Budrys is also clearly relieved about the election result in Hungary, as he says it’s “a great development.”
Now we won’t have a Trojan horse in our castle [any more], and it’s a good thing.
Ouch.
But he says that “what was done before should not be forgotten” as he urges the EU to continue its investigation into what the outgoing Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó shared with Russia and when.
“On Ukraine, using this momentum, we have to release the support loan to Ukraine, €90bn. It is important to move fast and to have the first payment already next month,” he says.
But, somewhat optimistically, he also says he wants to see progress on Ukraine’s accession to the EU – but there seems to be no political agreement on this issue at the moment.
Funds from EU loan to Ukraine could start flowing in May, Latvia’s minister suggests
On Ukraine, Latvia’s junior foreign minister Artjoms Uršuļskis gives us a bit of news as he says that it’s hoped that the EU could start disbursing to Ukraine “already in May.”
Germany urges Iran to engage with US, but dismisses call to suspend association agreement with Israel
On the Middle East, Germany’s Wadephul urged Iran to engage in talks with the US in Islamabad and to ensure “free and safe shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz without delay.”
He said that Iran should accept the US request for talks “in the interests of its people,” as he said “there is still a window of opportunity to end this war through negotiations.”
But on Israel, just I like suggested earlier (10:05), he made it clear that Germany would not support the suspension of the association agreement, calling the suggestion “inappropriate.”
But he did say that the EU needs to have a word with Israel – “critical, constructive dialogue” in diplospeak – and demand it “confronts the settler violence clearly, firmly, and with all legal means.”
Germany’s Wadephul welcomes Hungarian election in hope of movement on Ukraine very soon
German foreign minister Joseph Wadephul also makes it very clear that he is relieved with the change of government in Hungary, calling it “a breath of fresh air” and a promise of hope for Ukraine.
He urged Hungary to drop its “unusual blockade” for policies for Ukraine “as quickly as possible,” pointing to what he argued was a clear pro-European mandate from the electorate in Hungary (it’s a bit more complicated than that, though).
He said the 90bn loan needed to be released “very swiftly,” and there is no time to wait for the change of government next month.
Jakub Krupa
For what it’s worth, Viktor Orbán also said earlier this week that he would drop his veto on the €90bn loan the moment the oil deliveries were flowing again through the Druzhba pipeline, which had been under repair for months.
As this is now expected to happen essentially any moment now, it looks like there could be some movement on the loan even before the government in Budapest changes.
Remember: the new Hungarian administration won’t take office before mid-May.
Ministers express relief after Orbán’s defeat in Hungary as they hope to progress Ukraine loan, sanctions against Russia
Back in Luxembourg, it’s quite telling how many ministers are talking with relief about the expected change of government in Hungary after Viktor Orbán lost to Péter Magyar just over a week ago.
The issue comes up in almost every doorstep, with ministers talking about how hopeful they are that the €90bn loan for Ukraine will finally be able to progress.
Sweden’s Maria Malmer Stenergard said she was “quite optimistic that after the Hungarian obstacle is gone, so to speak, we will be able to deliver on the promise we have made to the Ukrainians … and move forward with the 20th sanctions package” against Russia.
Poland’s junior minister Ignacy Niemczycki said that “after the expected change of government in Hungary, many things to do with Ukraine will get unblocked.”
“I am hopeful that we will be able to swiftly progress the loan for Ukraine, and the 20th package of sanctions, and I am expecting decisions already in the coming days.”
EU’s top court finds Hungary’s crackdown on LGBTQ+ content against EU law in fresh political test for Magyar
The EU’s top court has ruled that a Hungarian law banning content about LGBTQ+ people from schools and primetime TV violates basic human rights and freedom of expression.
In its ruling, the first time an adverse finding was made on the basis of the EU’s foundational list of values, the court said the Orbán-era reform violated “several fundamental rights” protected by the EU laws.
“The law is contrary to the very identity of the Union as a common legal order in a society in which pluralism prevails,” the court’s statement said.
Hungary should comply with the judgment “without delay”, posing a fresh political test for the incoming Tisza government of Péter Magyar as he hopes to improve Budapest’s relations with the EU.
If the country does not follow the ruling, the European Commission could bring a further legal action asking for financial penalties to be imposed, like it happened in a separate case on Hungary’s asylum laws.
More on this to follow.
Irish foreign minister presses the EU to ‘make progress’ on Ukraine, Israel
Ireland’s foreign minister Helen McEntee has just been speaking with reporters as she arrived at the meeting in Luxembourg, and she offered a neat summary of where we are on both issues.
On Ukraine, she said it was “really important as the EU that we make progress” on the loan and the related 20th package of sanctions against Russia to “exert as much pressure as possible on Russia.”
She said that talking to Ukrainian leaders it was clear “we are at that breaking point where that loan is absolutely essential.”
She also pointedly welcomed the new Hungarian government’s position on this, and said she hoped that “we will see the release of funds” soon.
On the Middle East, she said the joint Spanish, Slovenian and Irish initiative to ask for a debate on the association agreement was meant to send a clear signal that “we … need to uphold our fundamental values” in relations with associated countries.
“Israel has, since our last meeting, enacted a new law which essentially introduces the death penalty, but in particular penalises and specifically targets Palestinian people. It’s completely unacceptable, and so we have asked for a suspension of the Israeli agreement, and if not, then a suspension on the trade elements of the Israeli agreement.
We must be seeking to have this not just as a discussion here today at the council but that there would be some clear actions at the next council meeting.”
Again, she says that the result of the Hungarian election last week, “it is very clear that there has been a shift” there in terms of political signals coming from the new government.
Ukraine loan release closer than ever amid expectations Druzhba will be reopened
Jakub Krupa
This is not entirely unexpected and, as explained earlier, it is still hinging on the Druzhba pipeline restarting in the next 24 hours, but it definitely sounds like there are growing reasons for optimism among the EU’s most senior leaders.
Could the loan, agreed in December but held up by Hungary and Slovakia, be finally released to Ukraine in the next few days or weeks?
EU expects ‘some positive decisions’ on €90bn loan for Ukraine on Wednesday
But it looks like there is some movement on Ukraine.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has just confirmed that she expects “some positive decisions tomorrow” on the €90bn loan.
“Ukraine really needs this loan and it is also a sign that Russia cannot outlast Ukraine. This is extremely important at this moment.”
Jakub Krupa
For what it’s worth, it’s unlikely that any decisions on this will be actually made today on this – but the request for a focused debate on this marks growing concern among EU member states and mounting pressure on the EU to act more decisively.
Spain, Slovenia, Ireland request discussion on suspending EU association treaty with Israel
Just as expected.
Spain’s foreign minister José Manuel Albares has just confirmed that Spain, Slovenia and Ireland have requested a discussion on suspending the EU’s association treaty with Israel at today’s meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers.
He said the process was about the EU’s “credibility” on all other issues, as the bloc is expected to stand “for the same principles” everywhere.
He said that if the EU is “not capable to say today to Israel” that it is expected to respect human rights and international law, and not make war a foreign policy tool, “we are going to lose that credibility.”
“We have to say the same thing that we say to Russia concerning Ukraine, and that we say in other scenarios, and since the last time we brought this same position, things have worsened,” he said.
“European Union has to say today very clearly to Israel that that change is needed. That’s not the right path, and that while Israel continues in that path of a permanent perpetual war, we will not be able to [run our relations] in the same way.”
He said that if suspending the association treaty in full is unacceptable for some members, the bloc should consider suspending at least the trade element of the deal.
Morning opening: EU foreign ministers to discuss Ukraine, Russia and the Middle East
Jakub Krupa
EU foreign ministers are meeting in Luxembourg this morning to discuss the latest on Ukraine, Russia and the Middle East.
The ministers are awaiting an update on the Druzbha pipeline carrying Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, which is understood to be close to being operational against after months of bitter disputes between Ukraine and the two countries.
Hungary’s outgoing prime minister Viktor Orbán suggested he would drop his country’s veto on the EU’s €90bn loan for Ukraine as soon as the oil starts flowing, which could happen this week. Slovakia is understood to be in the same position.
The issue is currently expected to be discussed by EU ambassadors on Wednesday, but could come up earlier. One to watch.
But the discussions will also focus on the situation in the Middle East, with the Lebanese prime minister, Nawaf Salam, joining the ministers to give an update on the regional security situation.
Spain, Ireland and Slovenia are among countries calling for closer scrutiny of Israel’s actions, including a more radical step of suspending the association agreement with the EU and imposing sanctions on violent Israeli settlers.
While substantial progress is unlikely to be made on this today as Orbán’s Hungary, a close Israel ally, continues to oppose any such move, the ministers will probably be looking at what could be possible at their next meeting once the government in Budapest changes.
EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, hinted yesterday that the position of Magyar’s government could be different, saying – without naming Hungary specifically – that there could be “a new approach” to the issue:
“Now this country [has recently] had the elections and will [soon] have a new government. I will not speak for the new government, but definitely I think we can look into all these policies and see whether they have a new approach.”
Lots for us to cover this morning.
I will keep an eye on all of that and bring you the latest here.
It’s Tuesday, 21 April 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
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