Poland's incoming nationalist president could complicate EU politics
04:11
02/06/2025
Low expectations from Istanbul talks to end the war in Ukraine
Europe
02/06/2025
Nationalist Karol Nawrocki wins Polish presidency official tally says
Europe
01/06/2025
Exit polls in Poland's presidential runoff show the race is too close to call
Europe
01/06/2025
Macron hosts European Champions PSG at Elysée Palace and delivers speech
Europe
01/06/2025
A Ukrainian drone attack has destroyed more than 40 Russian planes
Europe
01/06/2025
Ukraine is conducting an operation against military aviation in Russia
Europe
01/06/2025
Ukraine strikes Russian bombers, over 40 Russian military planes destroyed
Europe
01/06/2025
PSG fans play tribute to Luis Enrique and his daughter Xana in Munich
Europe
01/06/2025
PSG parade on the Champs-Elysées: The fans are over the moon
Europe
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LeMonde
3 hours ago
- LeMonde
Hegseth will skip a meeting on organizing military aid to Ukraine in a first for the US
For the first time since the US created an international group to coordinate military aid to Ukraine three years ago, America's Pentagon chief will not be in attendance when more than 50 other defense leaders meet Wednesday, June 4. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who returned from a national security conference in Singapore on Sunday, will not arrive in Brussels until Wednesday evening, after the Ukraine Defense Contact Group's meeting is over. It is the latest in a series of steps that the US has taken to distance itself from the Ukraine war effort. And it comes on the heels of French President Emmanuel Macron's warning at the security conference last weekend that the US and others risk a dangerous double standard if their concentration on a potential conflict with China is done at the cost of abandoning Ukraine. France and other NATO nations are concerned that the US is considering withdrawing troops from Europe to shift them to the Indo-Pacific. Macron said abandoning Ukraine would eventually erode US credibility in deterring any potential conflict with China over Taiwan. Hegseth's predecessor, Lloyd Austin, created the group after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Since then, more than 50 member nations have collectively provided Ukraine with some $126 billion in weapons and military assistance, including over $66.5 billion from the US. Under Austin's leadership, the US served as chair of the group, and he and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff attended monthly meetings, which were both in person and by video. Hegseth has upended that position by stepping away from a leadership role, providing no new military aid and now abandoning the gathering altogether. During his first meeting with the group and a subsequent NATO defense ministers gathering in Brussels in February, Hegseth warned that Ukraine should abandon its NATO bid and its push to reclaim all Russian-occupied territory. And he signaled that President Donald Trump is determined to get Europe to assume most of the financial and military responsibilities for Ukraine's defense. Since Trump took office, there have been no new announcements of US military or weapons aid to Ukraine. Hegseth also turned leadership of the group over to Germany and the United Kingdom. While he will not attend Wednesday's session, Gen. Christopher Cavoli, head of US European Command and NATO's supreme allied commander, will be there. In Washington, meanwhile, a senior Ukrainian delegation led by First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko is in town for talks about defense, sanctions and postwar recovery, said Andrii Yermak, the head of Ukraine's presidential office. The Ukrainians met with US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, discussing recent talks with the Russians and conditions on the battlefield, Yermak posted on social media. Svyrydenko and Yermak are also expected to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials on Wednesday.
France 24
3 hours ago
- France 24
French Open: Sabalenka, Swiatek to battle in semi-final as Alcaraz dominates Paul
Three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek set up a blockbuster French Open semi-final clash with world number one Aryna Sabalenka on Tuesday, as reigning men's holder Carlos Alcaraz powered his way into the last four. Alcaraz blew away American 12th seed Tommy Paul for the loss of just five games in the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier. The Spaniard needed just one hour 34 minutes to dismantle Paul 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 and set up a last-four meeting with Italy's Lorenzo Musetti. "I'm sorry you wanted to watch more tennis, I had to do my work," Alcaraz told the crowd. "It was one of those matches where I could close my eyes and everything went in. It was like my feeling today was unbelievable." Earlier, Swiatek, the fifth seed, got past Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-1, 7-5, after top women's seed Sabalenka won a tense quarter-final against Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen 7-6 (7/3), 6-3. World number five Swiatek has been struggling for her best form and has not reached a final since winning the French Open title last year. But she gave 13th seed Svitolina little opportunity on her favoured clay surface, breaking in the fourth game to ease through the first set, in windy conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier. The pair exchanged consecutive breaks of serve early in the second set, before Swiatek forced the breakthrough at 5-5 with a powerful forehand down the line. She then sealed the win with back-to-back aces. "Even though the first set, the score looks pretty straightforward, it wasn't," said Swiatek. "I had to fight for every point." Alcaraz-Musetti rematch Swiatek is aiming to become the first woman to win four straight Roland Garros crowns since Suzanne Lenglen 102 years ago. "(Aryna) has been having a great season so I'm not going to lie, it is going to be a tough match. But I'm happy for the challenge," said Swiatek, after reeling off her 26th win in a row at the French Open. Both players have shared the number one ranking between them since April 2022. Sabalenka ended Swiatek's 11-month reign as world number one last October but the Pole leads 8-4 in their previous meetings. 07:22 Earlier, reigning US Open champion Sabalenka avenged her recent loss to Zheng in Rome. "The last tournament I was pretty exhausted," said Sabalenka. "Today I was more fresh, I was ready to battle." Sabalenka once again got the upper hand over Zheng, who had been on a winning streak of 10 matches on the Paris clay after her run to Olympic gold last year. Zheng broke and led 4-2 in the first set. But numerous unforced errors -- 31 in total -- allowed the Belarusian to come back. "I gave her the chance, so easy," said Zheng, who has lost seven times in eight meetings with Sabalenka, including in last year's Australian Open final. Madrid Open champion Sabalenka feels she is ready to go all the way in Paris, where her previous best was the semi-finals two years ago. "It's high-level matches. I'm super excited to go out there and to fight and to do everything I need to get the win," said Sabalenka. Alcaraz, 22, dispatched former world number nine Paul after Musetti had earlier seen off Paul's 15th seeded compatriot Frances Tiafoe 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. The second seed hit 40 winners and made just 22 unforced errors against Paul, who he also beat on his way to silver at the Paris Olympics last year. Eighth seed Musetti, 23, took over two hours 45 minutes to get past Tiafoe and qualify for his second Grand Slam semi-final, after Wimbledon last year. Musetti's serve proved to be a major weapon on the day as he fired down eight aces with an 81 percent success rate on his first serve. He also saved two of the three break points engineered by Tiafoe, who had 51 unforced errors to the Italian's 32. It will be the third time Alcaraz and Musetti meet this clay-court season. Alcaraz has dominated that series -- beating the Italian in the final in Monte Carlo before also stopping him in the last four on his way to the Rome title.
Euronews
6 hours ago
- Euronews
France eyes stricter laws for attacks on police after PSG win riots
French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin says he wants tougher punishments for anyone found guilty of violence against police officers, in comments that come after clashes broke out following Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) Champions League win. In a social media post, Darmanin argued that the current legal framework is too lenient and insufficient to deal with incidents occurring in the country. "Following this weekend's serious public order incidents and repeated disturbances, some of the convictions for violence, particularly against law enforcement officers and for destruction of property, are no longer commensurate with the level of violence in our country," he wrote. He added that magistrates must be able to respond with a wider scale of penalties that is "truly adapted to today's delinquency." "As I have publicly proposed, we need to radically change the law," Darmanin said, calling for an end to obligatory adjustments for jail terms of fewer than six months. This sees judges find alternative arrangements to prison for shorter sentence and allows detainees to serve time at home with an electronic bracelet. He also urged for an end to suspended sentences in such cases and a law to set up a "systematic minimum sentence" for those found guilty. A minimum of three months in prison for any assault on a representative of the state or a very high fine for any destruction were cited as examples. "These proposals, which we must implement quickly, guarantee the independence of the judiciary, which we must all protect and the essential firmness and common sense that our fellow citizens want," he stressed. Darmanin, who expressed interest in standing in the 2027 presidential election, has been vocal about increasing punishments for criminals. However, the measures floated on Tuesday would require new legislation and it's not guaranteed that lawmakers would back the proposals. PSG beat Inter Milan by a record 5-0 on Saturday at the Allianz Arena in Munich, bagging the biggest prize in European club football for the first time. Victory celebrations soon erupted and while these were largely peaceful, they spun out of control in some areas, particularly on the Champs-Elysées. According to Paris police, 559 people were arrested after more than 200 cars were torched and police clashed with young people. Two people died during the turbulent night. In Paris, a person who was riding a scooter was hit by a car and succumbed to his injuries and in the southern town of Dax, a 17-year-old teenager was stabbed to death. Clashes continued on Sunday night with people allegedly shooting fireworks at security forces, trying to vandalise shops and blocking traffic. Another 79 people were detained. When receiving the triumphant team at the Elysée Palace on Sunday, President Emmanuel Macron condemned what he called "unacceptable" violence during the festivities. "Nothing can justify what has happened in the last few hours," he said.
