logo
EU summit: Leaders to address wars, US tariffs, migration – DW – 06/26/2025

EU summit: Leaders to address wars, US tariffs, migration – DW – 06/26/2025

DW26-06-2025
Leaders of the European Union are gathering in Brussels for the EU summit on Thursday. They are set to discuss conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as the Trump administration tariffs. DW has the latest.German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized the need to strike a trade deal with the Trump administation as he arrived for his first EU summit in Brussels since taking office in May.
"Europe is facing crucial weeks and months," Merz said.
"I support the European Commission in all its endeavours to reach a trade agreement with the US quickly."
US President Donald Trump initially imposed high tariffs on many countries, including EU member states, before temporatily suspending the measures. But the suspensions ends on July 9.
Meanwhile, Merz also underlined the imporance of the EU-Mercosur trade deal with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The EU summit will kick off at 11 am CET. Working sessions of the European Council are scheduled throughout the day.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to hold talks with the European leaders through video conference later in the afternoon.
The war in Ukraine is set to remain a pressing concern for the EU, as members discuss an 18th round of sanctions against Russia. Talks will also be held on whether a price cap on Russian oil needs to be maintained — steps that some nations have opposed as it could cause energy prices to rise.
Meanwhile, leaders are expected to inform the European Commission if they want a quick trade deal with Washington, which would mean the US getting better terms, or to escalate the dispute in hopes of something better.
US President Donald Trump has given a deadline of July 9 for a deal.
Officials and diplomats have hinted at a quick deal being the preferable option for most.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
European leaders will also address the wars in the Middle East amid concerns about the fallout from the escalation that risks the stability of the region.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza will be a key focus.
The EU is also making the push to bring back negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.
European defense and security, migration and internal security will also be on the docket for discussion.
"We will address several issues that must be tackled together to advance our common ambitions: to build a more competitive, safer and more autonomous Europe for our citizens, and to ensure that the European Union can be an effective, predictable and reliable global actor," Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, said in a statement.
Leaders of the European Union's 27 member states are meeting in Brussels on Thursday for a one-day summit.
Discussions on imposing stricter sanctions on Russia and ways to resolve the US tariffs conflict rank high on the agenda.
Most heads of state and government will go into the European talks straight from a NATO summit, where they pledged a landmark defense spending boost, brushing aside some of their differences with US President Donald Trump.
Stay tuned as we get you the latest news and analyses from the EU summit.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

What have Zambia's new cyber laws achieved so far? – DW – 07/07/2025
What have Zambia's new cyber laws achieved so far? – DW – 07/07/2025

DW

timean hour ago

  • DW

What have Zambia's new cyber laws achieved so far? – DW – 07/07/2025

Zambian leaders say new cybersecurity laws are protecting citizens from online scams and identity theft. But critics see an attack on freedom of expression. It has been almost three months since Zambia's president, Hakainde Hichilema, signed the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Acts of 2025 into law. His supporters hailed the laws, calling them progressive, and said they would help fight digital crimes and improve national security. But rights groups maintain the laws, especially the Cyber Crimes Act, are undemocratic, and stifle freedom of expression and speech. The laws allow for the interception and surveillance of all electronic communications, including calls, emails, messages and streamed content. The Zambia Cyber Security Agency has been moved from an independent state agency and brought under the Office of the President. Violating the laws also carries significant consequences: the legislation allows for the extradition of Zambians abroad, and stiff penalties, from fines to prison sentences — potentially two to 25 years — depending on the specific offense committed. Mulambo Haimbe, Zambia's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said the legislation is meant to protect citizens online and not stifle fundamental freedoms. "This conception that the cyber laws are perhaps meant to intrude, to go into your personal details in a willy-nilly fashion is not correct," he told journalists at a press briefing in Lusaka. "It needs to be put in its proper context, contrary to the assertions that the government's intention is to intercept any of your communication and break into your gadget," he added. Oliver Shalala Sepiso, a media consultant for the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND), also defended Zambia's new cyber laws — saying they are not about the surveillance of citizens but merely for digital or data protection. To play this audio please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 audio Given that the laws are meant to protect Zambians from digital crimes and identity theft while improving national security, their enactment on April 8 received surprisingly little fanfare. There was so little media coverage that most Zambians only learned about the new rules through an alert issued by the United States embassy in Lusaka, warning Zambians abroad about the intrusive nature of the legislation. "Cyber legislation is needed to combat cybercrimes that are very rampant, like identity theft, and online fraud," Richard Mulonga, CEO of Bloggers of Zambia, told DW. "There are some provisions that have the potential to restrict free expression, for example, assembly and association, and just broader digital rights." Lungisani Zulu, President of the Law Association of Zambia, said his association will challenge the new law in court. "Numerous provisions of the Act, which is now law, infringe upon the rights and freedoms of citizens, hinder a free press, and have the potential to undermine the cherished democracy in our country," Zulu said. The new laws replace the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act of 2021, which was passed by former president, Edgar Lungu. Under these laws, Zambia police arrested Mbewe Sibajene in April 2024 for circulating satirical memes and videos mocking government officials and institutions. Police said the memes were abusive, defamatory, and aimed at inciting public disorder towards state institutions. To play this audio please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 audio Among the contentious provisions are laws that criminalize so-called false information, vague definitions of indecent content, and a lack of protection for journalists reporting on sensitive national issues. The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), a regional media watchdog in eight African countries, says the new law has already impacted journalists negatively. "Journalists a living in fear because whenever they are doing their stories, they need to now do self-censorship because they don't know what is going to come out from what they are doing," Kennedy Mbulo, vice chairperson of MISA Zambia, told DW, "it has also impacted investigative journalism. You cannot record an individual because one day that could be used as evidence." Tech savvy young Zambians are divided over the new cyber laws. Kellys Mushota, a frequent social media user and youth member Zambia's Congress of Trade Unions, has noticed some changes online. "The enactment of this law has seen some reduction in the number of harassment or even the way of harassment social media users engage in. However, there has also been a reduction of the will by people to speak freely on matters such as governance and politics," he told DW. Kitwe-based 22-year-old researcher Joshua Seke says young people online are worried about their private conversations being intercepted by authorities. "If you look at what young people are saying online, does it mean that now I can't laugh with my girl online? Is the government actually going to read everything that we do?" he asked. Others, like 31-year-old Lusaka resident Mary Ndau, told DW that the laws would discourage online abuse. "People will be doing the right thing online, they will not express bad behaviors or bully others online because they will be subjected to the law," she said. As opposition leader, President Hichilema repeatedly criticized cyber laws, describing them as tools of government surveillance. Yet he has enacted arguably even stricter cybersecurity laws. Kampala-based Edrine Wanyama of CIPESA (Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa), says cyber security legislation is not unique to Zambia, with neighbors South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Malawi also enacting cybersecurity laws. "Countries tend to pick practices from one country, and apply in theirs," the lawyer told DW. "The whole virus keeps biting the rest of the continent, and these laws have been found to be effective for governments in checking on freedoms of expression, access to information, assembly and association in the online spaces." The West Africa Media Foundation has also reported a rise in restrictive cyber laws infringing on freedom of expression and privacy in countries like Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Benin and Niger.

Poland Starts Border Checks With Germany In Anti-migrant Clampdown
Poland Starts Border Checks With Germany In Anti-migrant Clampdown

Int'l Business Times

timean hour ago

  • Int'l Business Times

Poland Starts Border Checks With Germany In Anti-migrant Clampdown

Poland reimposed checks on its borders with EU neighbours Germany and Lithuania on Monday in a bid to crack down on irregular migration amid surging anti-immigrant sentiment creating political pressure in Berlin and Warsaw. Border guards and military police could be seen looking into passing cars and occasionally stopping vehicles for document checks on the bridge connecting the Polish town of Slubice with Frankfurt an der Oder in Germany. The new checks are a response to growing anti-migrant sentiment on both sides of the border. Poland says hundreds of migrants, mostly from the Middle East, cross into the Baltic states from Belarus every month, then travel through Poland into Germany. The issue has become a particularly sensitive one in Polish domestic politics and has led to tensions with Germany. Warsaw has accused Berlin of sending the irregular migrants it manages to intercept back into Poland. "The checks being implemented aim to combat illegal migration," Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak was quoted as saying by his ministry on X. Shortly after the new checks came into force on Monday, Polish border guards detained a man for assisting irregular migration. The Estonian national is accused of transporting four irregular migrants, believed to be from Afghanistan. Siemoniak said the detention was "proof that these checks are necessary". Germany, which introduced checks on the border with Poland in 2023, has welcomed the Polish initiative and called for collaboration against a common problem. Speaking to the daily Rheinische Post, the head of German police union GdP, Andreas Rosskopf, said the two countries needed a "workable procedure". He warned against Polish and German border guards engaging in a "ping-pong game" with asylum seekers by sending them back and forth. Representatives of German business associations have also voiced concern. "We are receiving worrying feedback from the business community," Helena Melnikov, chief executive of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), told the Handelsblatt newspaper. "If commuters can no longer get to work reliably and on time at the German-Polish border, there is an increased risk that they will look for work elsewhere on a permanent basis -- with consequences for the shortage of skilled workers in border regions," she said. Marek Klodnicki, an administrative employee who lives in Slubice but works in Germany, said the re-introduction of border controls was "very sad". "We have waited so long for open borders," he said, adding that the checks would result in "a disruption in social and economic life". Business owners, particularly hairdressers and tobacco shops, which get a lot of custom from Germans crossing the border, also voiced concern the checks could disrupt business. "Ninety percent of our customers are Germans. We may have less traffic, less revenue," Kinga Dziuba, a 29-year-old cigarette vendor, told AFP. But Dziuba said the checks were "very much needed" to control migration, adding: "Security is more important to me than trade". The issue of migration was central to June's presidential election in Poland, where nationalist Karol Nawrocki -- who ran on a slogan of "Poland first, Poles first" -- narrowly defeated the candidate backed by pro-European Union Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The Tusk government is now seeking to outflank its rivals by taking a tougher approach to immigration. In total, 52 checkpoints have been set up on the border with Germany and 13 with Lithuania, Siemoniak said. The controls will last from July 7 to August 5 but could be extended. They will mostly consist of spot inspections, particularly of vehicles carrying several people, officials said. In June, members of a far-right movement gathered at several points along the border to set up "citizens' patrols", which the government insists are illegal. In Slubice, Edyta Taryma, a 54-year-old hair salon owner, said her revenues had already dropped by 20 percent after Germany re-imposed border controls. "A great many people did not come, or came less often, because they were afraid of traffic jams," she said. She called the checks "unnecessary". Poland has temporarily reintroduced border controls with its EU neighbours Germany and Lithuania, saying they are needed to counter 'illegal immigration' AFP Polish border guards check drivers at the Polish-German border in Slubice, western Poland AFP

GMF25: Limbourg calls for European-led 'Public Service AI'
GMF25: Limbourg calls for European-led 'Public Service AI'

DW

timean hour ago

  • DW

GMF25: Limbourg calls for European-led 'Public Service AI'

Under the theme "Breaking barriers, building bridges," DW's GMF25 opens with a strong focus on the future of AI and its implications for democracy and public access to information. The opening ceremony was streamed live on YouTube . Photos can be found here . "What kind of AI do we want shaping our information ecosystems?" DW Director General Peter Limbourg asked, "I call for the creation of a European AI – independent, transparent, and built on public values, not private profit. It can become a Global Public Service AI – if we build it together. This is our opportunity to shape the future – not just of the media, but of democracy itself. If we want to preserve the integrity of journalism and the diversity of voices, we must take responsibility for the tools that shape how people access information and understand the world." Limbourg also called for the need to regulate Big Tech platforms: "If we do not regulate Big Tech, it will regulate our democracy. Just take a look at the United States." His opening remarks set the tone for DW's 18th Global Media Forum, which brings together nearly 900 participants from over 100 countries across three venues in Bonn. As AI reshapes the flow of information and public discourse, the conference explores how media, policy, and technology leaders can collaborate to safeguard independent journalism and protect open societies. DW Director General Peter Limbourg Image: Björn Kietzmann/DW In her keynote address, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos underscored the need for the EU to strengthen support for quality journalism: "Media organizations need financial sustainability. With the demise of USAID our work has become a lot more difficult in our partner countries. We're stepping in in many places, but we cannot replace U.S. financing everywhere," she said, adding: "Today we face an abundance of information. … This forces us to rethink how the EU supports quality journalism. We also need to defend democratic spaces … to make journalistic work possible. Our strongest tool is the EU's enlargement process itself. We are working with independent countries to make sure their legislative frameworks support free and independent journalism." Kicking off the forum, North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister for Federal, European and Media Affairs Nathanael Liminski highlighted the mounting pressure of the media amid a rapidly evolving media landscape shaped by AI and disinformation and underlined the need to regulate Big Tech: "We have major U.S. platforms dominate attention – and now I see two priorities: Introducing levy on large platforms. The new German government has committed itself to this role, ensuring that the revenues are used for strengthening the media sector. Second, we must protect the rights of content creators in the age of AI. Creative work must be rewarded fairly." EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos delivered a keynote speech at the Global Media Forum 2025 Image: Björn Kietzmann/DW DW's Global Media Forum 2025 is underway across three locations in Bonn – the Bundeskunsthalle, Kunstmuseum Bonn, and DW Headquarters – marking the conference's first tri-location format in the city. This year's program sees political leaders, journalists and media experts take on the most pressing challenges facing global media today – from fighting disinformation and pushing back against digital censorship to boosting media literacy in the age of AI. The agenda also zeroes in on shrinking funding for journalism, the fight for media pluralism, rebuilding public trust in times of conflict, and why inclusion and journalist safety matter more than ever. North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister for Federal, European and Media Affairs Nathanael Liminski Image: Florian Görner/DW Day 1: Breaking digital walls and ensuring access to information Digital censorship and access to information take center stage on day one of DW's Global Media Forum 2025, along with a range of other urgent media challenges. The panel "How authoritarian regimes build digital walls - and how to overcome them " brings together key voices including Andreas Gebhard (re:publica Berlin); veteran of the Tiananmen Square democracy movement Pokong Chen; and Gypsy Guillén Kaiser (Committee to Protect Journalists). Drawing on their varied backgrounds in civil society, journalism and digital advocacy, the panel explores how governments restrict access to information – and how international actors are pushing back to protect media freedom and journalists. Also on the day's agenda: members of the DG8 public media leaders, including the BBC, RFE/RL, and host DW as well as global media leaders including E-jicom and TVP World – will tackle another pressing challenge: "Ensuring continued access to information: How to build bridges in volatile times. " This session responds to the recent USAGM funding cuts that have impacted global media. At stake: how to sustain access to trusted news, independent reporting and civic information in the regions most affected. The day closes with the DW Freedom of Speech Award ceremony, streamed live on YouTube , honoring Georgian journalist Tamar Kintsurashvili for her work fighting disinformation and promoting media literacy in Georgia. Over two days, the program dives into how AI is reshaping journalism – raising new questions about ethics, accuracy, and editorial control – with keynotes, workshops, breakout sessions, and panel discussions tackling the toughest questions in conflict reporting amidst disinformation, post-crisis storytelling, and the shifting media terrain across the Global South and beyond. Check out the full GMF 2025 program for more details. For real-time updates, highlights, and behind-the-scenes impressions, follow @DW_GMF and the hashtag #GMF25 across all major social media platforms. Stay connected with the GMF on YouTube , LinkedIn , Facebook and X – and through our newsletter.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store