Latest news with #Alemanno
Saudi Gazette
a day ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Europe frozen out as US and Russia prepare for Alaska talks
BRUSSELS — Europe's sidelining from the Alaska meeting of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin means the continent's been frozen out of a meeting critical to its security, according to EU law professor Alberto Alemanno. The proposed Alaska meeting will be the first in-person meeting between the US and Russian presidents since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia. But there are no plans for European leaders to attend, raising questions about the heft of EU diplomacy on the world stage. For Alemanno, EU law professor at HEC in Paris, this is a clear sign that Europe is being left on the sidelines. "The Alaska meeting may offer yet another moment of truth for Europe because the European Union finds itself on the sidelines in what could be the most consequential peace effort since the war began, with Trump and Putin set to meet without any European leader officially invited to the table," Alemanno said. The professor added that Europe is now concentrating efforts on obtaining a place at the negotiation table for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But recent US threats to pull financing from Ukraine's defence efforts make Europe cautious and conciliatory, the professor said. "The EU seems to lack leverage in actually inviting the US to be invited or to be heard, simply because we heard from Vice President Vance that the US is ready to give up its support for Ukraine unless the European Union steps in. In a way, the European leaders are caught between a rock and a hard place. If they show too much commitment towards Ukraine, they might end up being alone, but if they let it go, Ukraine is going to get a very bad deal," he said. The professor added that Europe accepts subjugation with a view to obtaining security guarantees from Trump. "This is extremely tricky and frustrating to see for millions of Europeans who would like to see their European leaders speak with a louder voice instead of accepting, yet again, more impositions, more intimidations, more subjugation to this US administration in a moment in which this negotiation could fundamentally reshape European security without meaningful European input." Jacob Kirkegaard, an expert at the Bruegel think tank, agrees that Europe is paying the price for its relative weakness on defence. "We are paying the price of our inability to defend ourselves and our inability to adequately support Ukraine. And that means that when you don't have actual power, you will not be invited to this meeting," Kirkegaard said. He added that even if Trump and Putin come to terms, these cannot be implemented against the will of Ukraine and Europe. Kirkegaard also said any deal that might harm the security interests of Europe would damage NATO. Kierkegaard said that if the US - as the principal security power of NATO - signs a deal advantageous to NATO's direct military antagonist Russia, "then NATO is dead, finished... it's buried and it's over". "Our problem is that we are not capable... to deter Russia on our own," he added. Ahead of the talks, Donald Trump said that a ceasefire deal might involve the exchange of territories between Ukraine and Russia, a suggestion roundly rejected by Zelenskyy and strongly resisted by European leaders in a statement issued on Sunday. The EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas, convened a snap, informal virtual meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday to discuss the situation. — Euronews
Euronews
a day ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Europe frozen out as US and Russia prepare for Alaska talks
Europe's sidelining from the Alaska meeting of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin means the continent's been frozen out of a meeting critical to its security, according to EU law professor Alberto Alemanno. The proposed Alaska meeting will be the first in-person meeting between the US and Russian presidents since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia. But there are no plans for European leaders to attend, raising questions about the heft of EU diplomacy on the world stage. For Alemanno, EU law professor at HEC in Paris, this is a clear sign that Europe is being left on the sidelines. "The Alaska meeting may offer yet another moment of truth for Europe because the European Union finds itself on the sidelines in what could be the most consequential peace effort since the war began, with Trump and Putin set to meet without any European leader officially invited to the table," Alemanno said. The professor added that Europe is now concentrating efforts on obtaining a place at the negotiation table for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But recent US threats to pull financing from Ukraine's defence efforts make Europe cautious and conciliatory, the professor said. "The EU seems to lack leverage in actually inviting the US to be invited or to be heard, simply because we heard from Vice President Vance that the US is ready to give up its support for Ukraine unless the European Union steps in. In a way, the European leaders are caught between a rock and a hard place. If they show too much commitment towards Ukraine, they might end up being alone, but if they let it go, Ukraine is going to get a very bad deal," he said. Europe's dependence on the US for defence makes it vulnerable The professor added that Europe accepts subjugation with a view to obtaining security guarantees from Trump. "This is extremely tricky and frustrating to see for millions of Europeans who would like to see their European leaders speak with a louder voice instead of accepting, yet again, more impositions, more intimidations, more subjugation to this US administration in a moment in which this negotiation could fundamentally reshape European security without meaningful European input." Jacob Kirkegaard, an expert at the Bruegel think tank, agrees that Europe is paying the price for its relative weakness on defence. "We are paying the price of our inability to defend ourselves and our inability to adequately support Ukraine. And that means that when you don't have actual power, you will not be invited to this meeting," Kirkegaard said. US-Russia deal needs Europe's approval He added that even if Trump and Putin come to terms, these cannot be implemented against the will of Ukraine and Europe. Kirkegaard also said any deal that might harm the security interests of Europe would damage NATO. Kierkegaard said that if the US - as the principal security power of NATO - signs a deal advantageous to NATO's direct military antagonist Russia, "then NATO is dead, finished... it's buried and it's over". "Our problem is that we are not capable... to deter Russia on our own," he added. Ahead of the talks, Donald Trump said that a ceasefire deal might involve the exchange of territories between Ukraine and Russia, a suggestion roundly rejected by Zelenskyy and strongly resisted by European leaders in a statement issued on Sunday. The EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas, convened a snap, informal virtual meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday to discuss the situation.
Euronews
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
EU Parliament censure vote leaves von der Leyen weakened
As the European Parliament prepares to vote on a motion of censure against European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the political fallout could be significant - regardless of the outcome, with the motion reigniting concerns about her leadership style, lack of transparency and political positioning. The motion was tabled by Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea and signed by 77 members from the right-wing political groups, including the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), Patriots for Europe, and the Europe of Sovereign Nations. At the heart of their criticism lies von der Leyen's opaque handling of the EU's Pfizer vaccine procurement and her increasingly centralised approach to power. Alberto Alemanno, Jean Monnet Professor of EU Law at HEC Paris, told Euronews that the motion's significance goes well beyond the numbers in Parliament, however. 'This motion of censure highlights many of the shortcomings that media and political observers have pointed out for some time—her presidential style, the centralisation of power, and her opacity,' Alemanno said. He argued that while von der Leyen will likely retain the support of a majority of MEPs, the damage to her public image and political standing will be lasting. 'More and more citizens will ask themselves: is she really the right person to lead the EU in such turbulent times—negotiating with a potential Trump administration or playing a key role in Russia-Ukraine peace talks?' Alemanno also noted that concerns about von der Leyen's leadership are not limited to the far-right. Her secretive handling of vaccine negotiations and unwillingness to engage with the media have drawn criticism across the political spectrum. 'This censure motion is acting as a lightning rod for broader frustration,' he added. 'It brings together complaints from multiple camps and highlights a growing desire for greater democratic accountability.' A senior European Commission official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the vote had been widely discussed within the Berlaymont headquarters. 'Officials see this as a warning. Her leadership style—extremely centralised and often politically ambiguous—has made her vulnerable. There's a sense she's become a prisoner of her own European People's Party (EPP),' the official said. Time for von der Leyen to realign her agenda, says MEP Von der Leyen and the centre-right EPP have faced criticism in recent months for accepting far-right support in several parliamentary decisions, breaking with the EU's traditional centrist coalitions involving socialists, liberals, and greens. One EPP decision-maker told Euronews that von der Leyen must now realign her agenda more clearly with the party's values. 'She should draw the consequences. An EPP-dominated Commission must better reflect the EPP's platform,' the source said. Dutch Green MEP Bas Eickhout suggested the damage from this episode could extend beyond von der Leyen herself. 'What's clear is that the centrist majority in Parliament isn't functioning well—and that reflects poorly not only on von der Leyen, but on Manfred Weber too,' said Eickhout. 'In terms of public image, Weber may have suffered even more.' Despite the motion's expected failure, political observers believe it will intensify scrutiny of von der Leyen's leadership and further limit her room to manoeuvre in a second term. 'She won't walk away strengthened,' Alemanno concluded. 'Even if the vote fails, the pressure to hold her accountable will only grow.' This will put her on the spot as debate turns from next week to the European budget, "which is expected to be very contentious within and among member states of the union", he said. "Up to now, up to this vote, von der Leyen could rely on both majorities based on political convenience," he says, referring to the traditional centrist platform on the one hand, and tie-ups with the right wing on the other. By the time of von der Leyen's State of the Union address to the Parliament in September, she will be constrained to pick one of the two that she can rely on, he said.
Euronews
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Huawei lobbyists barred temporarily from the European Parliament
Huawei lobbyists were banned from entering the European Parliament's premises on Friday, following allegations of bribery linked to the Chinese company's lobbying activities in the Chamber. 'The Parliament decided, as a precautionary measure, to suspend the access to Parliament of representatives attached to the Huawei company with immediate effect,' a Parliament spokesperson told Euronews. The ban is temporary and will remain in place until the authorities conclude their investigation. It relates to Parliamentary premises in Brussels, Strasbourg, Luxembourg and across all the liaison offices in the 27 EU countries. The decision followed Thursday's searches carried out by the Federal Police in the Brussels-Capital Region as well as in Flanders, Wallonia and also in Portugal. Several individuals have been arrested for questioning in connection with their alleged involvement in active corruption within the European Parliament, as well as for forgery and use of forgeries, the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office said. According to the preliminary investigation, corrupt practices may have occurred regularly and discreetly from 2021, under the guise of commercial lobbying, and taking various forms: remuneration for the adoption of political positions, expensive gifts such as food and travel expenses or regular invitations to football matches. Nine Huawei employees are accredited to enter Parliament's premises, according to the EU Transparency Register. The latest investigations centred on the European Parliament, this time related to Chinese tech giant Huawei, show that the EU's current ethics system is not fit for the job, according to EU policy expert Alberto Alemanno, Jean Monnet Professor of EU Law at HEC in Paris. In 2022, the European Parliament proposed a 14-point action plan in the wake of a cash-for-influence scandal, but it's yet to be implemented. At the time, MEPs and assistants were under investigation for allegedly accepting bribes to act in the interest of foreign actors like Qatar and Morocco. This week once more Belgian investigators searched homes and Huawei's Brussels headquarters on suspicion that the Chinese company paid MEPs to influence legislation in the European Parliament. Huawei denies any wrongdoing. Currently, enforcement of the lobbying rules is in the hands of the European Parliament and other European institutions, which basically means that there is a self-policing system, Alemanno said in an interview with Euronews. "By design, the system is not working and is designed not to work, because there are no political incentives for the president in the European Parliament, who is also a political party member to enforce those rules, because if those are enforced, one, they could also be enforced against their political party. And I think this is really what explains why the current European ethics system is not fit for the job," he said. According to Alemanno, sitting and former MEPs are still able to peddle influence in the current environment. "The members of the European Parliament today are still allowed to have side jobs so they can be members of the European Parliament, but also lawyers, lobbyists and advocate for different kind of causes in society that put them in a situation of conflict of interest," he said. Indeed Alemanno blames the large political parties in the EU for watering down legislation. The Parliament decided to establish an ethics body, he said, but it's still not functioning. However, despite the repeated corruption and transparency scandals, Alemanno does not think the EU's reputation is put at risk. "It's very easy to qualify the European Union as a whole, as a very corrupt organisation, but in reality, even these scandals prove the opposite," he said. "It's not the European Union per se a corrupt institution, but some of the members, a very few members of the European Parliament, which is one of the institutions, have been lending themselves to a possible attempt of corruption," he said.
Euronews
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
EU Parliament ethics system 'not fit for the job'
The latest investigations centred on the European Parliament, this time related to Chinese tech giant Huawei, show that the EU's current ethics system is not fit for the job, according to EU policy expert Alberto Alemanno, Jean Monnet Professor of EU Law at HEC in Paris. In 2022, the European Parliament proposed a 14-point action plan in the wake of a cash-for-influence scandal, but it's yet to be implemented. At the time, MEPs and assistants were under investigation for allegedly accepting bribes to act in the interest of foreign actors like Qatar and Morocco. This week once more Belgian investigators searched homes and Huawei's Brussels headquarters on suspicion that the Chinese company paid MEPs to influence legislation in the European Parliament. Huawei denies any wrongdoing. Currently, enforcement of the lobbying rules is in the hands of the European Parliament and other European institutions, which basically means that there is a self-policing system, Alemanno said in an interview with Euronews. "By design, the system is not working and is designed not to work, because there are no political incentives for the president in the European Parliament, who is also a political party member to enforce those rules, because if those are enforced, one, they could also be enforced against their political party. And I think this is really what explains why the current European ethics system is not fit for the job," he said. According to Alemanno, sitting and former MEPs are still able to peddle influence in the current environment. "The members of the European Parliament today are still allowed to have side jobs so they can be members of the European Parliament, but also lawyers, lobbyists and advocate for different kind of causes in society that put them in a situation of conflict of interest," he said. Indeed Alemanno blames the large political parties in the EU for watering down legislation. The Parliament decided to establish an ethics body, he said, but it's still not functioning. However, despite the repeated corruption and transparency scandals, Alemanno does not think the EU's reputation is put at risk. "It's very easy to qualify the European Union as a whole, as a very corrupt organisation, but in reality, even these scandals prove the opposite," he said. "It's not the European Union per se a corrupt institution, but some of the members, a very few members of the European Parliament, which is one of the institutions, have been lending themselves to a possible attempt of corruption," he said. Closed shops, bread lines, neighborhoods reduced to rubble for over a decade, residents recovering from years of war and trauma — this is what Human Rights Watch researchers saw on recent visits to Damascus, our first in 15 years. While Syrians spoke of their hopes for a better future following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's government in December, fear was also palpable, particularly among minorities and those vulnerable to retaliation, and they left with a sense of foreboding about what could be coming next. The country's political and economic collapse, the proliferation of armed groups, and the sheer scale of devastation would be daunting enough. Now, mass summary killings and atrocities in the coastal region have made it clear that the road ahead is even more perilous. Without urgent international action, Syria risks sliding into renewed cycles of violence and instability. Europe is uniquely placed to support Syrians' aspirations for justice and respect for human rights. But its timing and level of ambition will be key. This should be the European Union's message at the Brussels Conference on Syria next Monday. Given the violence and atrocities since last Thursday, it is a matter of utmost urgency for the international community, including Europe, to take steps to ensure the protection of civilians by providing technical and financial support to build a responsible, accountable, disciplined security sector and judiciary that upholds the rule of law. The EU should also engage with authorities to ensure that independent investigators, including international mechanisms and civil society groups, can do their job properly and without obstacles. Cooperation with the UN Commission of Inquiry and the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria, including permission for them to open offices in Syria, would be key first steps. The EU is also well-placed to provide support and expertise to lay the groundwork for credible, comprehensive transitional justice and accountability processes, and to encourage authorities to join the International Criminal Court. The EU should also actively address other sources of tensions, including in the northeast with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, with which an integration agreement into Syria's institutions was signed on Monday, and effectively press Israel to refrain from violations and threats of abuses in southwest Syria. Addressing these foundational problems is only part of the challenge to achieve lasting stability. Syrians also face an economic collapse of staggering proportions. Driving through Damascus – and knowing conditions are even harsher beyond the capital – offered a stark reminder of the devastation years of conflict and oppression have wrought. With 90% of Syrians living below the poverty line and half of the population unable to access or afford enough quality food, the scale of humanitarian need is overwhelming. Western countries should realise that continued international sanctions are hampering Syria's recovery and Syrians' access to basic services. The EU's recent suspension of sanctions in some key sectors, like energy and transport, and easing of those on its financial sector, has been a good step but more is needed. The EU should urgently lead efforts to prevent over-compliance with sanctions that harm ordinary Syrians and assess the impact of remaining EU sanctions, including on banking and dual-use materials, on Syrians' economic and social rights. The EU should also offer a very clear and public roadmap to Syrian authorities on the steps needed to lift remaining sanctions. Finally, the EU should closely coordinate and press other sanctioning entities, especially the US, to follow suit. While it might be tempting to use sectoral sanctions as political leverage, they are not the most effective or fair tool for supporting Syrians' aspirations for justice and recovery. Especially without specific benchmarks, such sanctions risk becoming a blunt instrument that prolongs suffering rather than fosters positive and meaningful change. Meanwhile, discussions by Human Rights Watch team in Damascus revealed limited space for civil society to operate in Syria, affecting both groups providing aid or willing to play a role in the country's transition. Colleagues told us about restrictions and administrative obstacles to their work, including re-registration and other requirements that resemble those in place under al-Assad. More openness to the work of independent groups should be a key message for the EU to articulate. The EU should also make commitments to those who found protection in Europe or who may still seek it out. EU ministers have rightly supported allowing Syrian refugees to undertake go-and-see-visits without losing their legal status. The Commission and every member state should make allowing these visits a priority. The fall of al-Assad brought a mixture of hope and uncertainty for millions of Syrians at home or in exile. If the EU and its members are truly committed to helping Syrians to break with decades of repression and impunity, they should redouble and speed up efforts to assist Syria and make it clear to Syrians they will support their rights and well-being. Philippe Dam is EU Director, Advocacy, at Human Rights Watch.
