Macron hails Jacques Delors as Europe’s tireless ‘pathfinder’ (and jazz-loving football fan) – POLITICO

Macron hails Jacques Delors as Europe’s tireless ‘pathfinder’ (and jazz-loving football fan) – POLITICO

PARIS — In a state ceremony held over Jacques Delors’ coffin on Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to “an honest European man” and touched upon more personal aspects of the EU statesman’s life, including his Christian faith and his love of football and “loud jazz.” Placing himself firmly in the mold of the … Read more

Sweden will join NATO by July – POLITICO

Sweden will join NATO by July – POLITICO

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is confident Sweden will join the military alliance by July at the latest, he told German news agency DPA this week. The next NATO summit will be held in Washington from July 9-11 and the Nordic country will be a fully-fledged member by then, he said. Sweden and Finland abandoned decades … Read more

Asian cities, off the beaten path in Europe

Asian cities, off the beaten path in Europe

Tokyo, Japan. Matteo Colombo | DigitalVision | Getty Images When it comes to travel abroad, popular destinations like London, Paris and Rome always seem to top the wish list for Americans. But many travelers are looking beyond those mainstay cities for trips in 2024. Interest in major Asian hubs, off-the-beaten-path locales in Europe and other … Read more

Make-or-break national election looms over Belgian EU presidency – POLITICO

Make-or-break national election looms over Belgian EU presidency – POLITICO

Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. This article is part of the Belgian Presidency of the EU special report. BRUSSELS — Ceci n’est pas une campagne électorale.  As Belgium gears up for its six-month stint at the helm of the Council of the European Union from January 1, the country’s … Read more

Turkey’s parliamentary committee approves Sweden’s NATO membership – POLITICO

Turkey’s parliamentary committee approves Sweden’s NATO membership – POLITICO

The foreign affairs committee of the Turkish parliament on Tuesday gave its approval for Sweden to join NATO, reported Turkey’s Anadolu news agency. This brings Sweden a step closer to joining the Western military alliance. It also comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delayed action on Sweden’s bid for a year, arguing the country … Read more

Turkish MPs set to restart talks on Sweden’s NATO application – POLITICO

Turkish MPs set to restart talks on Sweden’s NATO application – POLITICO

The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee will once again take up the issue of Sweden’s NATO accession Tuesday, according to a parliamentary statement cited in media reports. Turkey is one of two NATO countries, along with Hungary, that has yet to approve Sweden’s bid to join the military alliance following Russia’s full-scale assault on Ukraine. … Read more

The EU is blackmailing Hungary – POLITICO

The EU is blackmailing Hungary – POLITICO

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Thursday the European Commission is blackmailing Hungary by withholding billions in frozen funds over rule-of-law concerns. Orbán said the blackmail is “a fact,” even admitted by the blackmailers themselves — members of the European Parliament. “In our view, Hungary fulfils all the qualities of the rule of law, and … Read more