Thousands of lives saved due to Ukrainian-British cooperation, Zelenskyy says
Posting his pictures with Keir Starmer, Zelenskyy also said on social media channels that Britain’s support saved “thousands of people’s lives” from Russian strikes.
“That is the main objective today – to save as many lives as possible. To stop Russian terror. To force Russia to think about peace, not about expanding the war., he said.
In his post, he called for “maximum political and diplomatic coordination,” and closer work on “joint defence projects and weapons production.”
He also reiterated his call to introduce further sanctions on Russia “to make it really impossible to scale up the Russian weapons production.”
He says:
“All companies and individuals engaged in this must be sanctioned – at the very least – in the key jurisdictions of the world.
Currently, most of the companies involved in the production of the “Oreshnik” system are not under sanctions. We will correct that.
Cooperation with Russian weapons manufacturers is a crime against peace.”
Key events
Closing summary
Round-up of national reactions to Nato’s 5% target
EU wants ‘standstill clause’ to guard industries from Trump surprises, trade commissioner says
Støre, Macron on strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities
EU’s approach to US trade talks ‘far too complicated,’ German chancellor says
Norway’s Støre, France’s Macron to speak to media
Thousands of lives saved due to Ukrainian-British cooperation, Zelenskyy says
Zelenskyy thanks Britain for ‘extremely valuable’ support for Ukraine
Zelenskyy arrives in London for talks with UK’s Starmer
Most important task to improve situation on the ground in Gaza, Kallas says
EU will push to improve situation on the ground in Gaza after ‘very clear’ review on Israel
‘Hungary blocking package is nothing new,’ Kallas says
EU’s Kallas briefing media after EU meeting
Spain’s view on Nato target ‘flexibility’
Rutte’s briefing ahead of Nato summit on defence, Ukraine, Iran – summary
We should prevent Iran from getting nuclear capability, Rutte says
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy meets King Charles III at Windsor
Spain has no opt out to Nato’s spending rules, Rutte says
‘Irreversible’ path for Ukraine to enter Nato, Rutte says
Nato’s reaction to Russian aggression would be ‘devastating’, Rutte says
Nato ‘absolutely convinced’ Spain will need 3.5% GDP defence spend to meet obligations
Russia remains most direct threat to Nato, Rutte says
5% target a ‘quantum leap’ in defence spending for Nato members, Rutte says
Nato’s Rutte talking to journalists before summit
Italy has frozen €2.3bn of Russian assets since Ukraine invasion
Europeans back higher defence spending amid Russia threat, poll finds
Hungary, Slovakia oppose new EU sanction on Russia
Zelenskyy arrives in Britain for talks with King Charles, PM Starmer, meeting with military personnel
Belgium wants Nato flexibility after Spain’s ‘noisy’ outburst
Nato win provides Spain’s Sanchez much-needed win at politically perilous time – snap analysis
EU cites ‘indications’ Israel is breaching human rights obligations over conduct in Gaza
Iran must negotiate directly with US, German minister says
Escalation in Middle East would be ‘devastating’, French minister warns
EU wants a diplomatic solution in Iran, keeps focus on Ukraine
‘Putin is a warmaker,’ Ukrainian minister says after attacks on Kyiv
Spain calls for suspending EU-Israel association agreement
Spain reaches agreement with Nato on 5% defence spending, minister says
Morning opening: What’s Europe’s position?
Closing summary
Jakub Krupa
… and on that note, it’s a wrap!
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Britain’s support for Ukraine saved “thousands of people’s lives” from Russian strikes, as he called for further assistance and stricter sanctions on Russia (17:46).
But Hungary and Slovakia said they would oppose the latest, 18th round of EU sanctions on Russia (13:15). EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that EU officials were “working on this to get this package through” (17:07).
During a brief visit ahead of the Nato summit starting tomorrow, Zelenskyy met King Charles III at Windsor (15:43) and the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, in London (17:26).
Elsewhere,
Spain has defended its push to get additional flexibilities when it comes to the implementation of the Nato’s new 5% defence spending target, pointing to their focus on “capability targets,” and not the money (11:33, 16:55).
Other countries also suggested they would want to explore some flexibilities, including Belgium (12:14) and Slovakia (18:50).
But Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte appeared to be less keen, saying there would be “no opt-outs” or “side deals” (16:53) and questioning Spain’s explanations as to what level of spending will be needed to meet its obligations towards the alliance (15:31).
Addressing media before this week’s Nato summit in the Netherlands, Rutte said the 5% GDP defence spending target to be adopted at this week’s alliance summit in the Hague, the Netherlands will be a “quantum leap” change “that is ambitious, historic and fundamental to securing our future” (15:25).
In other stories,
German chancellor Friedrich Merz has criticised the European Union’s approach to trade negotiations with the United States in the first split in the bloc over the way to eliminate tariffs and a potential trade war (17:56).
EU foreign ministers agreed on a push to improve the humanitarian situation on the ground in the Gaza Strip, criticising Israel for breaching the Article 2 of the EU-Israel association agreement (17:16).
And that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, for today.
For more updates on the Middle East crisis, follow our live blog with the latest reports as Iran says it has attacked US forces in Qatar:
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.
I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
Jakub Krupa
Oh, and it feels relevant to note that it’s the ninth anniversary of the 2016 Brexit referendum today.
I know, NINTH.
Time flies when you’re having fun, right?
…
RIGHT?
Round-up of national reactions to Nato’s 5% target
Let me briefly come back to the new Nato 5% target and the confusion surrounding Spain. (11:33, 15:31, 16:53, 16:55).
In the last few hours we have heard from a number of other countries as they publicly stated their position on the target, so let’s give you a quick roundup here.
Germany:
Germany plans to raise its defence budget to 3.5 percent of GDP over the next five years, government sources told AFP, which would match a new Nato target for core military spending.
Defence spending will increase from 2.4 percent of gross domestic product this year, the sources said, as Europe’s top economy takes steps to bolster its armed forces due to the growing threat from Russia and under pressure from US president Donald Trump.
The extra military outlays have been made possible after Chancellor Friedrich Merz pushed changes to Germany’s strict “debt brake” through parliament that largely exempt defence spending from the rules, AFP noted.
Italy:
Italy will fully comply with a new Nato spending target of 5% of gross domestic product on defence and security, prime minister Giorgia Meloni said in comments reported by Reuters.
“These are important commitments that Italy intends to honour. We will not leave our country weak and unable to defend itself,” Meloni told lawmakers ahead of EU and Nato summits.
Meloni said Italy had reached the old NATO 2% of GDP target this year, adding it would have 10 years until 2035 to increase the defence spending by a further 1.5 percentage points, AFP reported.
Slovakia:
Slovakia has to reserve the right to decide how fast to raise spending towards Nato’s new targets for 2035 and any increase in outlays next year will go to dual-use projects like roads and hospitals, prime minister Robert Fico said.
Reuters reported that Fico said:
“Slovakia has other priorities than armament in the coming years, at a time of healing public budgets and catching up with the average EU living standard …
“Slovakia must, similar to Spain, reserve the sovereign right to decide at what pace and in what structure it is prepared to increase the Defence Ministry budget with the aim of achieving the NATO target in 2035.”
Fico’s comments come just days after he suggested Slovakia would benefit from becoming a neutral country, and opening the prospect of leaving Nato.
EU wants ‘standstill clause’ to guard industries from Trump surprises, trade commissioner says
Lisa O’Carroll
The EU is demanding a “standstill clause” in any trade deal with the US to guard industries against any future threats by Donald Trump to improve tariffs on exports from the bloc during this four year term.
European trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič told the Berlin conference of the German industry association BDI, that talks were now centring on general tariff levels, sectoral tariffs and an insurance policy to protect against Trump whims.
European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič delivers a press statement in Berlin, Germany. Photograph: Filip Singer/EPA
“I think it would be clearly desirable that we would come back to the reasonable level of tariffs, that we would have some kind of stand still clause, which would kind of prevent a surprise about the sudden spikes and volatility,” he said.
The EU had initially spent time going through more than 1,000 tariff lines with the US to “create an avenue” for proper negotiations, after the US initially insisted its proposed 20% reciprocal tariff against the average 2.5% tariff the EU charges on US imports.
His remarks came just hours after the German prime minister, Friedrich Merz, told the same conference that the EU’s approach to negotiations was too complicated (17:56).
Šefčovič said unity in approach was paramount and the EU was “ready to fight tooth and nail” for the EU’s interests.
But he added: “If I have one wish, one wish here, it is “talk to us, criticise us, but support us”.
Jakub Krupa
As the Oslo event wraps up with an entertaining sales pitch from Macron on why Norway should get French frigates, let’s go back to Lisa O’Carroll as she listened to the EU’s trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič speaking at a trade event in Berlin.
Støre, Macron on strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities
France’s Macron says “there is no framework of legality” when it comes to assessing strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, but he pointedly suggests the focus should be on diplomatic solutions instead.
But Norway’s Støre says the strikes on Iran were in his view “outside the realm of international law.”
“I think international law has some clear principles on the use of force. It can be granted by the Security Council, or it can be in pure self-defence.
So I think that speaks that this is in itself outside the realm of international law.
At the same time, Iran has a nuclear programme that creates great concern. I can appreciate that. But on that specific question, I think this is, this is my answer.”
He goes on to say that “this is not a conflict that can be solved militarily,” and needs to be sorted politically.
French President Emmanuel Macron (L) and Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Store (R) sign an agreement on a strategic partnership between France and Norway at the National Museum in Oslo, Norway. Photograph: Jonas Been Henriksen/EPA
Macron also speaks of shared security challenges, reassuring the hosts that France takes them extremely seriously.
Addressing Støre, he says he feels Norway is a country that “shares our concerns” and is determined to respond to the challenges ahead.
Opening the event, Støre says that uncertain times globally call for closer alliances and he even says a few words in French to mark the occassion.
He adds “that never in modern years have Norway and France been closer,” and that they intend to “take that partnership into the modern challenges that we face.”
Responding, Macron repays the compliments and talks about the importance of the relationship in a number of emerging areas, including climate change, decarbonisation and AI.
The Oslo event with Norway’s Jonas Gahr Støre and France’s Emmanuel Macron is now under way.
They are starting it by signing a new partnership between the two countries.
The main deal focuses on “renewable energy, carbon capture and storage, and critical minerals,” according to the government’s note.
There’s also another deal on CO2 storage, to be signed by ministers in their government.
The press conference will follow and I will bring you all the key lines here.
EU’s approach to US trade talks ‘far too complicated,’ German chancellor says
Lisa O’Carroll
German chancellor Friedrich Merz has criticised the European Union’s approach to trade negotiations with the United States in the first split in the bloc over the way to eliminate tariffs and a potential trade war.
German chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks during an industrial sector association BDI event in Berlin, Germany. Photograph: Christian Mang/Reuters
The German prime minister said the negotiations led by the European Commission were “far too complicated”.
Speaking at a conference hosted by the German confederation of industries, BDI, Merz suggested the EU’s efforts should be concentrated on “four or five major industries” including cars, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and machinery.
Germany’s trade relationship with the US in both directions is worth €253bn but it sells more to the US, including cars than it imports, making it, along with Ireland and Belgium which have major pharmaceutical exports to the US, among the most vulnerable in terms of tariffs.
Trump has already imposed a 10% tariff on all exports from the EU and has threatened tariffs of up to 50% on EU exports unless he gets a deal by 9 July.
Last week on his journey back from the G7 summit in Canada, he warned that sectoral tariffs on pharma were coming “very soon”.
Irish finance minister Paschal Donohoe said US pharmaceutical tariffs are a key concern as they could cost thousands of pharma jobs in Ireland.
“The macroeconomic modelling we’ve done for the Irish economy would indicate that there could be approximately 75,000 jobs that could be affected by it across the medium term,” he told a Bloomberg conference in Dublin.
The European trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is talking at the same conference later.
As we’re waiting for Støre and Macron, let’s go to Lisa O’Carroll for an update on German chancellor Friedrich Merz’s address to the German confederation of industries, BDI, on trade.
