Newsletter: Sanctions, Syria and a new Hungary

Good morning. I’m Angela Skujins and I’ll beryllium holding the pen for today’s newsletter – the archetypal successful a week that’s shaping up to beryllium large and juicy for geopolitical enthusiasts. ​

Two large events are taking spot successful Brussels today: a Foreign Affairs Council with a packed agenda, and the archetypal high-level EU-Syria governmental dialogue. Let’s commencement with overseas affairs. ​

As Jorge Liboreiro reports, EU ministers volition absorption connected Russia’s penetration of Ukraine and the struggle successful the Middle East. The bloc is expected to grow its blacklist of Russian individuals liable for the deportation and forced adoption of Ukrainian children, portion besides moving guardant with sanctions against Israeli settlers.

Separately, EU overseas argumentation main Kaja Kallas and the overseas ministers of Ukraine and Canada volition aboriginal connected Monday co-host a league dedicated to the instrumentality of Ukrainian children.

Officials accidental tens of thousands of Ukrainian children person been abducted by Russian authorities since the outbreak of the full-scale penetration successful 2022 – thing that has prompted the International Criminal Court to contented an apprehension warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin implicit alleged warfare crimes. ​

On her mode into the meeting, the EU’s apical diplomat told reporters that it is “awful, what is done to these children” and that she hopes that the bloc volition determination guardant with cracking down connected those responsible. ​

Over to the Middle East. Kallas volition besides little ministers connected imaginable enactment to curtail imports from Israeli settlements. Options see a afloat commercialized ban, which would necessitate unanimity nether the accepted sanctions regime, arsenic good arsenic higher tariffs oregon quotas, which would alternatively necessitate a qualified majority. France, Sweden, Ireland, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands are among the countries pushing to determination things forward. ​

“We anticipation we tin get the settlers implicit the decorativeness line. It’s been agelong overdue,” a elder diplomat said.

Sweden's Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard conscionable told Europe Today that she hopes the settler sanctions progress, but that the bloc, "should besides determination guardant with sanctions connected extremist ministers successful the Israeli government." Watch.

The time volition reason with a high-level governmental dialog betwixt the EU and Syria. The bloc is aiming to restart negotiations towards an Association Agreement with the country, which could assistance mobilise caller backing for post-war reconstruction and stimulate overseas investment. Syria’s overseas minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, volition beryllium successful Brussels for the talks. ​

Nonprofit watchdog Human Rights Watch published a missive welcoming the ramp-up successful relations up of the meeting. However, the organisation said it was acrophobic that an Association Agreement whitethorn not “address Syria’s challenges connected quality rights and accountability”, portion calling for an impartial justness strategy and greater transparency, among different measures. ​

Since President Bashar al-Assad fled Damascus successful December 2024, ending decades of dynastic and controversial rule, Syria's transitional authorities has attempted to asseverate afloat authorization implicit a state devastated by astir 14 years of civilian war. ​

A elder EU authoritative said restarting the Association Agreement “takes time” and that further enactment is required. “We’re not determination yet,” the authoritative said.

As an aside: Brussels is besides watching intimately for signs that Hungary whitethorn soften its long-standing absorption to respective cardinal overseas argumentation files, including enactment for Ukraine and sanctions measures. After his April parliamentary victory, Péter Magyar was sworn successful arsenic premier curate implicit the weekend. ​

“You are showing the champion of Hungary, this joyful Hungary. This Hungary, that is antiauthoritarian erstwhile again,” 45-year-old Magyar said to a jubilant assemblage successful Budapest connected Saturday, coinciding with Europe Day. His projected furniture is inactive undergoing parliamentary approval, with the caller overseas curate not expected to be Monday’s talks.

One cardinal record is the European Peace Facility (EPF), a peculiar money that allows subordinate states to partially reimburse the subject supplies they donate to Ukraine. Another flashpoint is sanctions against convulsive Israeli settlers, which respective subordinate states person been pushing to beforehand for months. “Let’s spot if this happens,” a elder diplomat said.

Trump dismisses Iran’s ‘unacceptable’ reply to the US bid proposal

US President Donald Trump has expressed ire implicit Iran’s "totally unacceptable" reply to the US bid proposal, leaving the multi-week ceasefire hanging successful the balance.

Without providing clarification, Trump posted the abbreviated connection connected societal media. “I person conscionable work the effect from Iran’s alleged ‘representatives’. I don’t similar it – wholly unacceptable,” the Truth Social station stated.

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s counter-pitch to Washington’s latest connection aiming to extremity the war, entering its 4th month, was delivered connected Sunday done a Pakistani mediator, Iranian section media reported Sunday without offering details.

“It should beryllium noted that the main absorption of Iran’s effect to the US connection is connected ‘ending the warfare and maritime security’ successful the Persian Gulf peculiarly successful Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz,” the authoritative IRNA quality bureau said. ​

As Manuela Scarpellini reports, the effect from Iran comes aft media reports emerged that US peculiar envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Qatar’s premier curate connected Saturday to sermon the conflict.

If agreed by Iran, Washington aims to formally cease the warring and reopen the strategically invaluable Strait of Hormuz. Then, talks volition statesman connected much contentious issues, including curtailing Iran’s atomic program.

More from our newsrooms

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The works connected show travel from the museum’s large postulation of modern American and European art, acquired successful the 70s by Farah Pahlavi, the erstwhile shah’s wife, which has mostly been kept retired of nationalist presumption since the revolution. Omid Lahabi has more.

Can you spend to be the 2026 World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup – hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico – is introducing a caller era: much teams, much matches and bigger stadiums. FIFA is besides spearheading a caller ticketing strategy, with tickets for the 2026 lawsuit reaching $15,000 (€12,730) for premium seats. Ioannis Karagiorgas explores the tournament’s history, and its price-tag.

We're besides keeping an oculus on

• EU affairs ministers volition stitchery successful Nicosia, Cyprus, for an informal gathering centred connected issues pertinent to the bloc, specified arsenic the semipermanent budget.
• European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius volition enactment successful the treatment "How Will We Defend the European Union Eastern Flank?" successful Vilnius, Lithuania.

That’s it for today. Jorge Liboreiro contributed to this newsletter.