Closing summary
… and on that note, it’s a wrap for today!
The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said the EU will provisionally apply the heavily controversial EU-Mercosur free trade agreement (11:51), despite the approval process in the European Parliament being on hold amid a legal challenge (12:07, 14:03) and criticism from EU farmers.
French president Emmanuel Macron has led the critics in condemning the move, calling it a “bad surprise” and arguing it was “disrespectful” towards the European Parliament (14:01).
But German foreign minister Joseph Wadephul hailed the move as “historic,” with German automotive industry expected to be one of the beneficiaries of the deal (14:18).
Meanwhile, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni called for a European free trade zone with the US, saying that recent US proposals on tariffs were “a mistake” and urging a move “in a diametrically opposite direction” (15:27).
In other news,
A local ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was agreed around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southeastern Ukraine to facilitate for necessary repairs of the backup power lines to the plant (10:00).
At least one person is dead, and at least 20 are reported injured after a tram derailed in Milan in Italy, with the cause of the crash still under investigation (17:21).
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited Slovakia’s prime minister Robert Fico to visit Kyiv and discuss “all existing issues,” including the thorny topic of the Druzbha pipeline, amid continuing tensions between Ukraine, Slovakia and Hungary (10:21, 12:29, 12:48, 12:50).
French president Emmanuel Macron will on Monday present his proposals for the country’s nuclear arsenal and how it could be used to protect Europe more broadly (16:55).
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.
One dead, 'at least 20' injured in tram crash in Milan, media reports say
At least one person is dead, and at least 20 are reported injured after a tram derailed and crashed into a building in Milan, Italy.
Some media reports suggested that the number of people injured could be higher, up to 40 people.
The specific model of the tram involved in the crash was reportedly only recently introduced to the city’s streets as part of a new, modern bi-directional fleet that could be steered from either end.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is under way, with early media reports suggesting the speed may have played a factor.
Updated
