The CAPITALS - 25 March 2024 : some fear the Russian terrorist attack could lead Putin to a more forceful response in Ukraine.

 

Today's top stories

Good morning from Brussels, While European countries sent condolences and largely stayed away from commenting further on its implications, some fear the Russian terrorist attack could lead Putin to a more forceful response in Ukraine. Europe will keep a “wait and see” stance on the matter pending further developments on the Russian side, a Southern European diplomat, contacted by Euractiv, said. Alexandra Brzozowski and Euractiv’s network report on the reactions in member states amid uncertainty over Moscow’s next steps.  Meanwhile, Slovakia’s former pro-Western foreign minister, Ivan Korčok, scored a surprise victory in the first round of the presidential election on Saturday. Reporting from Bratislava, Natália Silenská stresses that the road to final victory over Robert Fico’s coalition partner, Peter Pellegrini, will not be smooth, and he will have to grapple with the ruling party’s increasingly problematic foreign policy stance vis-a-vis Russia and Ukraine. Read the full story.

From abortion rights to assisted dying: Macron’s 180-degree shift In today's episode of Today in the EU, Evi Kiorri is looking at how European elections have impacted French President Emmanuel Macron’s policy choices.

Bubbling in Brussels

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The much-discussed EU Nature Restoration Law, which has divided the EU parliamentary groups and member states for months, has reached a new stalemate. Hungary’s last-minute decision on Friday to withdraw support for the proposal means that the law’s future is uncertain, writes Donagh Cagney. Meanwhile, the European Commission presented on Friday five pillars that will form the basis of boosting Europe’s competitiveness in quantum computing, a rapidly growing technology that solves problems too complex for classical computers. Euractiv’s Alina Clasen has the full story.

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Western Europe

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PARIS France’s right-wing Les Républicains (EPP) party took aim at President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance (Renew) and Le Pen’s Rassemblement National (ID) at the launch of the party’s EU election campaign in Aubervilliers Saturday. Read more. New anti-immigration candidate to feature on Le Pen’s EU list. Malika Sorel-Sutter, known for her strong anti-immigration stance, will be the second candidate on the French far-right Rassemblement National party’s list for the European elections in June, making her the second candidate on the list formerly associated with the currently struggling right-wing Les Républicains party. Read more.  /// BERLIN  German trade union boss questions EU carbon price on petrol, gas. The introduction of an EU-wide carbon price on heating and road fuels in 2027 should be reconsidered, Yasmin Fahimi, president of the German trade union confederation (DGB), said in Berlin on Saturday. Read more. /// BRUSSELS Belgian polls reveal regional disparities in voting behaviour in the lead-up to elections. Belgian opinion polls show vast differences in voting behaviour between the country’s regions, with Wallonians being the least likely to go to the polls while the far right is gaining ground in Flanders. Read more.

Europe's south

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ROME Lega leader, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, and French far-right leader Marine Le Pen have confirmed at an event in Rome that they will not support European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a second term. Read more. /// MADRID Spain’s Sánchez reiterates full support for Ukraine, pledges more military aid. Madrid will continue to “firmly support” Ukraine, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (PSOE/S&D) reiterated in a telephone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday. Read more. Spain’s Sánchez ‘cannot govern alone’, Sumar leader warns. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (PSOE/S&D) is “mistaken” if he thinks he can govern alone in defiance of the political line of the progressive Sumar platform led by Díaz, the junior member of the governing coalition, Sumar leader, Labour Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz warned on Saturday. Read more.

Eastern Europe

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BRATISLAVA Slovakia’s former pro-Western foreign minister, Ivan Korčok, scored a surprise victory in the first round of the presidential election on Saturday, but the road to final victory over Robert Fico’s coalition partner, Peter Pellegrini will not be smooth, and he will have to grapple with the ruling party’s increasingly problematic foreign policy stance vis-a-vis Russia and Ukraine. Read more. /// WARSAW Russian missile entered Polish airspace during attacks on Ukraine. A Russian cruise missile briefly crossed into Polish airspace during an overnight air strike on the western regions of Ukraine, the Polish armed forces said on Sunday. Read more.

The Balkans

SOFIA Bulgaria’s GERB withdraws from negotiations to form government. Bulgaria’s largest party, GERB, has pulled out of negotiations to form a new government, despite an earlier agreement with the PP-DB to nominate former European Commissioner Maria Gabriel as prime minister, the party said on Sunday. Read more. ///  BUCHAREST Romanian defence spending far below Iohannis’ 2022 pledge. Romania’s defence spending in 2023 reached 1.6% of the country’s GDP, far below the 2.5% pledge made by President Iohannis at the NATO summit in Madrid in 2022, an official NATO report has found, TVR reported. Read more.

Agenda

EU: Environment Council convenes to discuss Waste framework directive, binding food waste reduction targets and more; Informal meeting of fisheries ministers expected to focus on future of EU fisheries, aquaculture sector, and more; Commission Vice President Dubravka Suica delivers keynote speech at Conference on demography, under the Presidency of Belgium; Hosts Population Europe demography experts; Vice President Maroš Šefčovič participates in annual Brussels meeting of ad-hoc council European Government Business Relations Council on “2024 a year of change for the EU?”; Belgium: NATO Steadfast Defender 2024 military exercise; Switzerland: 55th session of the Human Rights Council;

*** [Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson]

The Capitals is brought to you by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Alice Taylor, Sofia Leeson, Daniel Eck and Charles Szumski.