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The Star
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
France's Macron, UK's Starmer to discuss immigration, Ukraine on second day of state visit
FILE PHOTO: TIRANA, ALBANIA - MAY 16: France's President Emmanuel Macron and Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speak during Ukraine security meeting at the 6th European Political Community summit on May 16, 2025 at Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, Albania. Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host French President Emmanuel Macron for lunch at Downing Street on the second day of a state visit on Wednesday, with the pair poised to discuss subjects like immigration and Ukraine. During the state visit, the first by a European leader since Britain's exit from the European Union in 2020, Starmer will likely try to persuade Macron to agree to a returns deal for asylum seekers. Such an agreement would help the British leader meet a pledge to stop the flow of tens of thousands of people into Britain from across the Channel. Macron said on Tuesday that French and British interior ministers had worked on the issue and he hoped for tangible results this week. France has rejected a returns deal for asylum seekers in the past, saying Britain should negotiate with the EU as a whole. Under Starmer's plan, Britain would deport one asylum seeker to France in exchange for another with a legitimate case. But Macron also spoke of the need to address "migration pull factors," suggesting any deal on small boats crossing the Channel would require Starmer to make it harder for migrants who do not have legal status to live and work in Britain. The two countries have also been working to create a military force to back Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, and cooperation on trade and defence were themes in Macron's speech on Tuesday. Macron and Starmer will also attend a meeting with business leaders. France's Engie said on Wednesday it would invest 1.2 billion euros ($1.41 billion) in energy storage in Britain, following a 1.1 billion pound deal from France's EDF in a nuclear power project in eastern England. ($1 = 0.8534 euros) (Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Straits Times
26-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
NATO's Rutte says he assumes alliance will agree on 5% spending target
FILE PHOTO: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte arrives at the 6th European Political Community summit at Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, Albania May 16, 2025. Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo BRUSSELS - NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Monday that he assumes alliance members will agree to a broad defence spending target of 5% of gross domestic product during a summit in The Hague next month. "I assume that in The Hague we will agree on a high defence spend target of in total 5%," Rutte said at a meeting of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Dayton. "Let's say that this 5%, but I will not say what is the individual breakup, but it will be considerably north of 3% when it comes to the hard spend, and it will be also a target on defence-related spending," he added. Reuters reported earlier this month that Rutte had proposed NATO members raise defence spending to 3.5% of their GDP, and a further 1.5% on broader security-related items to meet U.S. President Donald Trump's demand for a 5% target. NATO aims to agree on the new targets at a summit of alliance leaders in The Hague on June 24-25. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said earlier this month that "Rutte has sent a letter to all NATO members to say that he expects that the commitment at the NATO summit will be 3.5% on hard military spending, to be reached in 2032, and 1.5% on related spending such as on infrastructure, cyber security, and similar things also to be reached by 2032". REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
EU says it has begun to ease sanctions on Kosovo
FILE PHOTO: Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas arrives at the 6th European Political Community summit at Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, Albania May 16, 2025. Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo EU says it has begun to ease sanctions on Kosovo The EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas on Thursday said the bloc has begun to lift sanctions on Kosovo, but that the process would be conditional on a sustained de-escalation of violence and hostilities in the north. The European Union placed economic curbs on the country in 2023 for its role in tensions in the Serb-dominated north, where leftist Albanian nationalist Prime Minister Albin Kurti has sought to extend government control. The bloc cut at least 150 million euros ($170 million)in funding, Reuters found. "As a sign of our commitment, I can announce that the EU has begun to gradually lift measures introduced in June 2023," Kallas told reporters in Pristina. "The decision opens the door for greater opportunities for crossovers, development and also closer ties with Europe. But it's conditional on sustained de-escalation in the North." Kallas also urged Kosovo's political parties to end disputes that have blocked the formation of a new government after February elections, saying functioning institutions were needed to secure EU membership. Kurti has repeatedly failed to secure the election of a new speaker, prompting fears of an economic backlash after months of political stalemate in one of Europe's poorest countries. Lawmakers have been meeting every 48 hours since mid-April to elect a new speaker, a step required before Kurti, who failed to win a majority in a February election, can try to form a coalition government. Kallas, who earlier on Thursday also visited Serbia, said that the 27-member bloc was opened to enlargement and wanted Kosovo to take advantage of the bloc's 6 billion euro Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. "For that to happen, Kosovo needs functioning institutions that can effectively implement reforms, and that's why I encourage all parties to break the political stalemates and swiftly form a government," she said. Both Kosovo and Serbia aim to join the European Union, but in order to make progress they need to normalise ties with each other and establish diplomatic relations. In 2013 the parties agreed to an EU sponsored dialogue, but little progress has been made. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
EU says it has begun to ease sanctions on Kosovo
FILE PHOTO: Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas arrives at the 6th European Political Community summit at Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, Albania May 16, 2025. Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo (Reuters) -The EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas on Thursday said the bloc has begun to lift sanctions on Kosovo, but that the process would be conditional on a sustained de-escalation of violence and hostilities in the north. The European Union placed economic curbs on the country in 2023 for its role in tensions in the Serb-dominated north, where leftist Albanian nationalist Prime Minister Albin Kurti has sought to extend government control. The bloc cut at least 150 million euros ($170 million)in funding, Reuters found. "As a sign of our commitment, I can announce that the EU has begun to gradually lift measures introduced in June 2023," Kallas told reporters in Pristina. "The decision opens the door for greater opportunities for crossovers, development and also closer ties with Europe. But it's conditional on sustained de-escalation in the North." Kallas also urged Kosovo's political parties to end disputes that have blocked the formation of a new government after February elections, saying functioning institutions were needed to secure EU membership. Kurti has repeatedly failed to secure the election of a new speaker, prompting fears of an economic backlash after months of political stalemate in one of Europe's poorest countries. Lawmakers have been meeting every 48 hours since mid-April to elect a new speaker, a step required before Kurti, who failed to win a majority in a February election, can try to form a coalition government. Kallas, who earlier on Thursday also visited Serbia, said that the 27-member bloc was opened to enlargement and wanted Kosovo to take advantage of the bloc's 6 billion euro Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. "For that to happen, Kosovo needs functioning institutions that can effectively implement reforms, and that's why I encourage all parties to break the political stalemates and swiftly form a government," she said. Both Kosovo and Serbia aim to join the European Union, but in order to make progress they need to normalise ties with each other and establish diplomatic relations. In 2013 the parties agreed to an EU sponsored dialogue, but little progress has been made. ($1 = 0.8866 euros) (Reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Conor Humphries)
Straits Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
EU and UK reach tentative agreement ahead of summit, say EU officials
FILE PHOTO: TIRANA, ALBANIA - MAY 16: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission and Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom stand together, ahead of their bilateral meeting at the 6th European Political Community summit on May 16, 2025 at Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, Albania. Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo FILE PHOTO: The European union flag is seen near The The Elizabeth Tower, commonly known as Big Ben in London, Britain, March 19, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso/File Photo BRUSSELS - The European Union and Britain reached a tentative agreement on defence and security, fisheries and youth mobility ahead of a EU-UK summit on Monday, paving the way for British firms to participate in large EU defence contracts, EU officials said. Representatives of EU governments in Brussels received a text of a Common Understanding between Britain and the EU and the document is now being approved by all 27 EU governments, the officials said. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa will meet later on Monday in London. "There is an agreement ... on the different texts and parallel aspects of the EU-UK Summit," one EU diplomat said. "From my understanding, all member states seem to be happy with what's put on the table as the summit is about to start. There is now an ongoing written procedure to have the formal agreement of all member states but it shouldn't cause any problem," the diplomat said. Britain is poised to agree the most significant reset of ties with the European Union since Brexit on Monday, seeking closer collaboration on trade and defence to help grow the economy and boost security on the continent. "With the positive signs coming from the negotiators in London in the last days and hours, the scene is now all set for a very successful and constructive reset of the relationship, that both the EU and UK will benefit from," the diplomat said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
