What a non-handshake tells us about Syria’s new ruler – POLITICO

What a non-handshake tells us about Syria’s new ruler – POLITICO

The Damascus med-school dropout has also had somewhat of a sartorial makeover in recent years, swapping the Osama bin Laden-look for a neatly trimmed beard and green fatigues à la Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, or corporate blazers and chinos. “A person in their twenties will have a different personality than someone in their thirties or … Read more

Handshake-gate in Syria – POLITICO

Handshake-gate in Syria – POLITICO

“As I travelled here, it was clear to me that there would obviously be no ordinary handshakes,” Baerbock told broadcasters Friday evening. “But it was also clear … that not only I but also the French foreign minister did not share this view. And accordingly, the French foreign minister did not extend his hands,” she … Read more

German Foreign Minister Baerbock in Syria to meet new leaders

German Foreign Minister Baerbock in Syria to meet new leaders

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in the Syrian capital Damascus on Friday on an unannounced visit, to set conditions for Syria’s new de facto rulers for a resumption of relations with Germany and the European Union (EU). “A political new beginning between Europe and Syria, between Germany and Syria, is possible,” the Green Party … Read more

Voici les 35 ministres du gouvernement Bayrou – POLITICO

Voici les 35 ministres du gouvernement Bayrou – POLITICO

L’ancienne patronne de la Mission French Tech, Clara Chappaz, est toujours chargée de l’Intelligence artificielle et du Numérique, mais elle est cette fois rattachée à Bercy, après avoir été liée au ministre de l’Enseignement supérieur. Nathalie Delattre se chargera elle du Tourisme. Plusieurs maintiens, quelques comebacks Son maintien ne faisait aucun suspense : Bruno Retailleau … Read more

West must not set ‘red lines’ in helping Ukraine, France says – POLITICO

West must not set ‘red lines’ in helping Ukraine, France says – POLITICO

After Kyiv reportedly began deploying the weapons last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Kremlin reserved “the right” to strike military targets of countries that had supplied the missiles to Ukraine. But Germany has repeatedly refused to join its allies in providing similar weapons. On Friday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz again ruled out sending … Read more

North Korean troops in Ukraine war called ‘huge’ escalation risk – POLITICO

North Korean troops in Ukraine war called ‘huge’ escalation risk – POLITICO

Both the Kremlin and Pyongyang deny they have engaged in military transfers. And NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Friday that he could not “confirm reports that North Koreans are actively now as soldiers engaged in the war effort.” But Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last summer signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty that commits … Read more

Macron is all talk, no action on Ukraine, says left-wing rival Glucksmann – POLITICO

Macron is all talk, no action on Ukraine, says left-wing rival Glucksmann – POLITICO

Glucksmann, a member of the Socialists and Democrats group in the European Parliament, said France sends “only 3,000 shells per month” to Ukraine, while Russia fires “20,000 shells a day.” While some early estimates indicated that Russia could be firing as many as 20,000 shells a day, others sees that figure as being closer to 10,000. He accused Macron … Read more

Key centrist ally blasts Macron, sparking new political crisis – POLITICO

Key centrist ally blasts Macron, sparking new political crisis – POLITICO

Bayrou sharply criticized the new government, arguing that there is a “constant, ongoing, progressive and increasingly serious rift between the people and power structures.” The centrist leader, who formerly served as education minister and was thought to be a candidate to take the post once again, also expressed his disapproval of “the underlying notion that … Read more