Macron urges Ukraine ceasefire in talks with Putin
During the two-hour call, Macron "emphasised France's unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity" and "called for the establishment, as soon as possible, of a ceasefire and the launch of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia for a solid and lasting settlement of the conflict," the Elysee Palace said.
On Iran, "the two presidents decided to coordinate their efforts and to speak soon in order to follow up together on this issue," the French presidency added.
The Kremlin described the call with Macron – the first between Putin and a European leader since Olaf Scholz spoke with the Russian president last November – as "substantive", state media agency Tass reported.
"Vladimir Putin reminded (Macron) that the Ukrainian conflict is a direct consequence of the policy of Western states," the Kremlin said in a statement. Putin added that Western states had "for many years ignored Russia's security interests" and "created an anti-Russian bridgehead in Ukraine".
The Kremlin said Putin told the French president that any peace deal should be "comprehensive and long-term, provide for the elimination of the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis and be based on new territorial realities."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euractiv
3 hours ago
- Euractiv
Seven key points about the EU's new 2040 climate target
In just 15 years, Europe must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 90% compared to 1990 levels, the EU executive proposed today, while offering reluctant governments some leeway in how to get there. Here we break the new climate bill down into its essentials. With targets of a 55% reduction by the end of this decade and net-zero by mid-century already in place, the EU had, until now, no intermediate target to keep governments on track. It is this 2040 milestone that the EU executive proposed today – after a delay of over a year. 'We took the time to think strategically about how we make this a success for Europe,' climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said on Wednesday as he presented the bill. Here's what you need to know: The EU executive is following the advice of its climate advisory board, which said 90% was the bare minimum if Europe is serious about net-zero. Three percentage points of that target can be met, from 2036 onwards, with 'high-quality' carbon credits created from extra climate action outside the EU, purchased on a UN-backed global market. This equates to a massive 150 million tonnes of outsourced emissions reduction. Without offering such leeway, the Commission may have been unable to hold the 90% line. 'We do not see a majority in either Parliament or the Council for a 2040 target without flexibility,' said MEPs Peter Liese and Christian Ehler of the centre-right European People's Party. Heavy industry and domestic airlines, squeezed by a cap on emissions that will reach zero by the end of the 2030s, will be able to continue operating by counting permanent CO2 removals using carbon capture (directly from the air or from biomass power plants) and storage (for example, in depleted offshore gas fields). And with some sectors not making much progress at all – housing and road transport come to mind – inter-sector flexibility will be created so that overachieving industries can compensate for laggards. A new set of laws, informally termed the 'Fit for 90' package, is expected in the second half of 2026, a senior Commission official said. Germany remains the king of EU policymaking, the 2040 target confirms – as Euractiv reported, its final shape closely mirrors a government agreement struck in Berlin. 'A European paper factory that burns bioenergy and captures the CO2 can actually create [ETS] certificates,' explained Hoekstra, referring to emissions allowances under the EU's carbon cap-and-trade UN-backed carbon credits could become a multi-billion-euro industry. A conservative estimate suggests EU countries could be charged upwards of €10 billion per year for the privilege of claiming the equivalent of 150 million tonnes of CO2 savings. (rh, aw)
Euractiv
10 hours ago
- Euractiv
Merz vs Tusk vs Weber
Welcome to the Capitals by Eddy Wax, with Nicoletta Ionta, in Brussels. We welcome feedback and tips here. You can sign up here. Donald Trump posted overnight that Israel has 'agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War' in Gaza. In today's edition: The Merz-Tusk-Weber triangle Commission's 2040 climate target French PM survives confidence vote Macron & Putin speak Ursula von der Leyen's private jet Today's edition is powered by The International Fragrance Association Experience Global Fragrance Summit 2025 Singapore – 15-16 October 2025 Discover a world of scent with regulatory and scientific experts at the crossroads of Asia. Find out more here about global fragrance. À la carte There's growing consensus in Brussels about the need to harden the EU's external flanks to stop migrants. But it's what to do about internal borders that's proving controversial, with more than 10 countries now imposing checks. In the latest development, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced temporary border checks with Germany (and Lithuania) starting 7 July, citing concerns over illegal migration. Tusk had come under pressure from the opposition Law & Justice (PiS) party to impose similar checks to those Germany has had in place on its side of the border since last fall. The controls – which the EU allows countries to impose only in exceptional circumstances – have been a festering sore in German-Polish relations, that is now worsening. The spat pits two of Europe's centre-right heavyweights – Tusk and Friedrich Merz – against each other. But they each have domestic reasons to look tough: Tusk, weakened by his party's loss to PiS in Poland's recent presidential runoff, faces a parliamentary election in just over two years, while Merz has made cracking down on migration a central pillar of his new government. A source close to the German centre-left SPD party told Euractiv's Nick Alipour in Berlin that they believed the measure was retribution for Germany turning people away at the border and that the main surprise was that the response came this late. Germany has sent thousands of migrants who entered illegally from Poland back east. Tusk, who only months ago called Germany's border checks 'unacceptable', is now raising eyebrows by introducing the very same restrictions, which according to EU law must only be imposed temporarily. That's not the only source of friction among EPP heavyweights. The Capitals can reveal that Tusk refused to sign up to a statement from the EPP leaders in the lead-up to last Thursday's European summit, which called for an ambitious yet pragmatic climate policy and reducing migration. Andrzej Halicki, an MEP from Tusk's party who sits in the EPP's executive committee, said: 'We didn't sign the document." Nick wrote last week that the Poles were fuming because some of their amendments to the statement weren't accepted. 'We don't see that these statements are needed before the summit. Especially if the points are not on the agenda,' Halicki said. It's a clear critique of Manfred Weber, who replaced Tusk as EPP chief and uses the pre-summit meetings to exert influence by organising the statement's drafting and coordinating the leaders' positions. Weber and Tusk have had tense relations in the past over Weber's flirtation with the ECR group – which contains PiS but also Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy. The EPP declined to comment. So why were the Poles upset? Halicki wouldn't be drawn except to say that migration was one of the issues. 'I know that the general feeling was this statement opens up EPP to the right,' another EPP source told Nick. Yet another person said the differences were over climate. How will EPP react to 2040 climate goal? European commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. today to agree that by the year 2040 CO2 emissions should only be a tenth of their size in 1990. The EU-wide climate target is a staging post to the ultimate 2050 goal of climate neutrality in 2050. Taking into account the progress so far, the 2040 goal means slashing emissions to less than a sixth of today's levels in the space of 15 years. A big challenge. Commissioners are expected to propose that international climate credits could count towards the goal. All eyes are on the response of Manfred Weber's parliamentary group. The EPP has been gung-ho about gutting green legislation. 'We will not stand for further climate or environmental policy measures without corresponding initiatives to boost competitiveness,' said MEP Christian Ehler. He said the EPP has not yet decided its position on the target, creating jeopardy about the legislation's future in Parliament. Trouble is also ahead in the Council, where France, Italy and Poland have been asking the Commission to put more of an emphasis on how businesses can reach the targets. But Denmark, which will steer talks among countries, is a big fan of ambitious climate action. One to watch! Macron speaks to Putin Emmanuel Macron urged Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine "as soon as possible" as the two held their first known phone talks since September 2022, the French president's office said. Read more. Von der Leyen's private jet Ursula von der Leyen took 16 private jet flights in 2024, according to data disclosed by the Commission on June 30 in response to a parliamentary question. The travel costs were fully covered by the Commission, according to an answer given to MEP Martin Schirdewan of The Left. Scrutiny over von der Leyen's travel habits has intensified since March 2023, when German outlets Bild and Spiegel revealed she'd taken 57 private flights over a two-year period. That led to criticism about her environmental footprint, especially because she was the face of the European Green Deal, Euractiv's Elisa Braün writes. Schirdewan noted back in 2023 that she travelled between the EU institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg three times on a private jet. Direct train connections take around four to five hours. Strasbourg appears five times on von der Leyen's private jet itineraries in 2024, including one direct flight from Brussels. The Commission said chartered planes were 'only' used out of logistical necessity, or because of security concerns or time constraints. "It is good to remember that she is a full member of the European Council, of the G7, the G20 and invited to world events [such] as the UN General Assembly, at the same level as a head of state or government and with an equivalent schedule and related work burden," a spokesperson for the Commission said. "The President travels as much as possible using commercial airlines and public transport." EPP gatecrashes Socialists' house The EPP is trying to plant its flag on housing – a file the Socialists have long claimed as their own. After securing the rapporteur post on Parliament's new special committee on the housing crisis, the centre right is now pressing its case with the Commission. In a letter sent Tuesday to Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen (a Danish socialist) and seen by Euractiv, EPP members call for a legislative clean-up to cut red tape, speed up permits, and drop EU rules they argue inflate housing costs without improving quality or sustainability. They also urge the Commission to team up with the European Investment Bank to roll out the pan-European affordable housing platform, while firmly stressing that housing remains a national competence. Around the bloc GERMANY A Danish citizen has been arrested in Aarhus on suspicion of preparing attacks against Jews in Germany on behalf of Iran, German authorities announced on Tuesday. The 53-year-old, who was named as Ali S., allegedly gathered intelligence on Jewish sites and individuals in Berlin that may have been used in a future attack by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. FRANCE For the eighth time in just over six months, François Bayrou yesterday survived a vote of no confidence, tabled last week by the Socialists following the failure of negotiations on pension reform. The prime minister can breathe easy for now, but he knows the hardest part still lies ahead. Bayrou has pledged to present a €40 billion savings plan for next year within the next two weeks – a plan he knows will be difficult to get through the National Assembly this autumn. ITALY As extreme heat continues to grip much of Europe, 13 Italian regions have issued emergency ordinances banning outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day – typically between 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. – when red alert warnings are in place. The measures apply to sectors such as agriculture, construction, quarrying, horticulture, and logistics. In Lombardy, violations of the ban can lead to penalties of up to three months in jail or a fine of €206. POLAND A chamber of Poland's Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the validity of conservative Karol Nawrocki's presidential election, amid a dispute over irregularities during last month's vote. However, the legitimacy of the chamber is contested by many legal experts and the current government, due to its creation under the previous PiS government's controversial justice system reforms. CZECHIA The Czech Social Democratic Party (SOCDEM), a member of the Party of European Socialists (PES), is facing internal backlash after reviving talks on an election alliance with the anti-establishment Stačilo! movement, which includes the Communist Party and other radical figures. Read more. SLOVAKIA A government decision to freeze €200 million in EU cohesion funds has sparked backlash from Slovak municipalities, highlighting growing tensions over national control and local autonomy in regional development spending. Read more. ROMANIA | The European Public Prosecutor's Office conducted searches on Tuesday at Sibiu International Airport and the Sibiu County Council, as part of an investigation into suspected fraud related to the airport's modernisation project. The probe concerns the use of EU funds amounting to €54 million for the modernisation of Sibiu International Airport. Also on Euractiv
Euractiv
11 hours ago
- Euractiv
What a 90% emissions cut could mean for EU citizens
The EU's 2040 climate goal is likely to affect Europeans' wallets – and those of the companies they work for. Whether a 90% reduction in Europe's greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels will bring net costs or benefits for workers, households, and industry depends on how EU leaders choose to implement the target – if they agree to it at all. That decision comes as the European Commission shifts its focus increasingly toward competitiveness and lowering energy prices. In recent months, calls have mounted to roll back landmark policies like the 2035 phase-out of petrol and diesel cars, or to weaken key measures by outsourcing climate action through international carbon credits, or by capping the price polluters must pay for emitting CO2. This is despite mounting evidence that failing to act on climate could ultimately cost more – and undermine crucial price signals meant to steer companies toward cleaner technologies like electrification, sustainable fuels, and carbon capture and storage. Rising costs Transport remains the only EU sector where emissions have increased since the 1990s. It is also where the public is most likely to feel the cost of the green transition first-hand – even as more affordable electric cars enter the market. Business travellers and tourists, for instance, could see airfares rise as airlines begin passing on the cost of sustainable jet fuel mandates to consumers. Fully decarbonising European aviation by 2050 is expected to cost €2.4 trillion in investment, according to the lobby group Airlines for Europe. The NGO umbrella group Transport and Environment (T&E) warns that by 2030, the transport sector could account for up to 45% of the EU's total emissions – making its transformation critical to meeting climate targets. Likewise, renovating Europe's poorly insulated homes and replacing gas boilers with efficient heat pumps will bring significant upfront costs for many households, even as these measures aim to reduce emissions and long-term energy bills. The other side of the balance sheet Still, the EU's push to decarbonise energy through renewables is expected to lower energy bills over time and reduce the bloc's reliance on imported fossil fuels – potentially freeing up billions for strategic investments. According to T&E, the European Commission's own modelling suggests a 90% reduction pathway would cut the EU's oil bill by $75-100 billion a year. Failing to act, on the other hand, carries indirect but massive economic risks amid rising global temperatures. 'Over the period 2031-2050, the cumulative additional GDP cost of a pathway leading to worse global warming could amount to €2.4 trillion in the EU, compared to the costs under a pathway compatible with the 1.5°C objective of the Paris Agreement,' the European Commission said last year. And EU citizens are already paying the price for 'extreme weather events that are accelerated by climate change', consumer organisation BEUC told Euractiv. Making it happen How the costs and benefits of the 2040 target will be distributed depends largely on how Brussels acts – and how national governments respond. Some core legislation is already in place, including a new carbon price on heating and transport fuels. To cushion the impact, especially for low-income households and small businesses, the law includes a Social Climate Fund to recycle revenues back to vulnerable groups But this week, 26 out of 27 national governments missed the deadline to submit the national plans needed to activate the fund. More broadly, any backtracking on climate policies could derail the price signals these mechanisms are designed to send to the private sector – frustrating many businesses that see the green transition as a strategic opportunity, not a burden. The risk of being too flexible The European Commission is expected to allow the use of international carbon credits to meet the yet-to-be-confirmed 90% target. This means investing in climate-friendly projects abroad – like tree planting in developing countries – and counting the resulting emissions savings toward Europe's target. Proponents argue this could cut the costs of the green transition. Critics – including some promoters of carbon capture and storage technology as well as highly sceptical environmental campaigners – say it would undermine incentives to cut emissions in Europe and delay the development of clean technologies more generally. 'The EU's cleantech industry experiences the greatest benefits when EU climate investments are made in Europe – not abroad. Why should we outsource the benefits that the energy transition provides to countries outside of the EU,' the socialist lawmaker Mohammed Chahim asked. Greenpeace's Thomas Gelin echoed this message: 'With an effectively lower domestic target, there will be less impetus for businesses and communities in Europe to implement the solutions we need.' (de)
