Closing summary
… and on that note, it’s a wrap from me, Jakub Krupa, for today.
Top US general in Europe and Nato’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Christopher Cavoli said he was “planning to keep” US soldiers in Europe “where they are” after growing concerns about a potential withdrawal or reduction in US military presence in central and eastern Europe.
But speaking for the Department for Defence, Katherine Thompson, performing the duties of assistant secretary of defence, said there was “a global posture review” in all threatres “based on President Trump’s stated interests, and sizing our force and our resources appropriately to that,” and “no decisions have been made at this time” as to future troops presence (16:55 and 17:40)
The concerns were raised by a report in NBC News and a separate US decision to relocate its troops from Jasionka near Rzeszów in south-eastern Poland, a symbolic gateway for US and Nato’s help for Ukraine since Russian invasion on the country (13:21).
Polish officials insisted the relocation was a pre-planned technical operation (14:00) as they sought to placate fears it could mean a reduction in total number of US troops in the country (14:41 and 14:54).
Separately, Thompson appeared to confirm there were no plans for the US to leave the post of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe in Nato (18:26), as Cavoli also stressed the importance of a US general holding the post for continued nuclear deterrence (17:18).
In other news,
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni confirmed her plans to visit Washington next week to discuss US tariffs on the European Union with president Donald Trump (19:05).
German coalition talks were reportedly getting closer to a conclusion with “a strong will” to complete the process today or in the coming days, over 40 days since the general election (16:05 and 11:50).
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces had captured two Chinese men fighting on Russia’s side in eastern Ukraine, potentially threatening a fragile peace effort in the three-year-old war (15:34 and story).
Further US-Russia military talks were expected in Turkey in the coming days to discuss the normalisation of diplomatic relations between the countries (15:38).
Hungarian foreign minister blamed the European Commission for failing to prepare for and negotiate against Trump’s tariffs and pushed back against the bloc’s plans to retaliate (12:18), a day before the EU is expected to adopt a first round of measures responding to US tariffs on steel and aluminium (story). He also criticised the EU’s sanctions regime against Russia.
For more business reactions, follow our live blog here:
For the latest announcements coming from the White House on tariffs, including the escalating dispute with China, follow our live blog here:
And that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, for today.
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at [email protected].
I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
Italy's Meloni to meet Trump in Washington next week
In the meantime, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni confirmed her plans to visit Washington next week to discuss US tariffs on the European Union with president Donald Trump.
AFP reported that in comments to a meeting with businesses published by her office, the far-right leader backed the European Union’s calls for a negotiated solution to the situation.
“This is the negotiation that must see us all engaged and at all levels... and that involves me, who will be in Washington on 17 April and obviously I intend to address this issue with the US president,” Meloni said.
But she warned against “panic and alarmism” that she said “risk doing more damage than the measure itself”, AFP said.
“I think we can all agree that a trade war between Europe and the United States does not suit anyone,” she said.
The Italian prime minister also indicated the government could use €11bn in cohesion funds to help businesses impacted by US tariff policy.
