{"id":2009772,"date":"2026-06-25T06:38:38","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T03:38:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2009772"},"modified":"2026-06-25T06:38:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T03:38:38","slug":"newsletter-can-the-recovery-conference-mend-a-fraying-partnership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2009772","title":{"rendered":"Newsletter: Can the Recovery Conference mend a fraying partnership?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/27\/36\/1200x675_cmsv2_e92a8b36-8f0b-517c-97c3-1affaef4e31d-9812736.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2904796-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2904796\" data-cid=\"9812875\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904796-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/28\/75\/189x106_cmsv2_2699418c-20da-5dd7-a12d-b4129a674c99-9812875.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE. A sign marks the entrance of the Micron Technology automotive chip manufacturing plant in Manassas, Virginia, February 2022\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Business<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Micron posts record results as AI boom drives 15-fold jump in profit\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904502-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2904502\" data-cid=\"9811406\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904502-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/14\/06\/189x106_cmsv2_9a10d1c5-02b6-5719-bcab-e7ad90ad0e7c-9811406.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"An anti-air interceptor drone designed to destroy Russian attack drones in Kyiv region, on March 11, 2026. (AP Photo\/Efrem Lukatsky, File)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    The Cube<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    The truth behind the viral video of a drone interceptor\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904797-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2904797\" data-cid=\"9812876\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904797-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/28\/76\/189x106_cmsv2_074d0215-c179-5a01-90c6-b6f66f57c081-9812876.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Worker cleans windows\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    EU.XL<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Pay transparency isn&#8217;t only about women. It exposes more inequalities\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904793-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2904793\" data-cid=\"9812860\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904793-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/28\/60\/189x106_cmsv2_0322f46d-b343-516f-b846-1f321d5ba40a-9812860.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"North Korea&apos;s servicemen attend the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Saturday, May 9, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    North Korea<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    North Korean soldier crosses demilitarised zone into South Korea\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904796-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2904796\" data-cid=\"9812875\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904796-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/28\/75\/189x106_cmsv2_2699418c-20da-5dd7-a12d-b4129a674c99-9812875.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE. A sign marks the entrance of the Micron Technology automotive chip manufacturing plant in Manassas, Virginia, February 2022\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Business<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Micron posts record results as AI boom drives 15-fold jump in profit\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904502-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2904502\" data-cid=\"9811406\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904502-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/14\/06\/189x106_cmsv2_9a10d1c5-02b6-5719-bcab-e7ad90ad0e7c-9811406.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"An anti-air interceptor drone designed to destroy Russian attack drones in Kyiv region, on March 11, 2026. (AP Photo\/Efrem Lukatsky, File)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    The Cube<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    The truth behind the viral video of a drone interceptor\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904797-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2904797\" data-cid=\"9812876\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904797-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/28\/76\/189x106_cmsv2_074d0215-c179-5a01-90c6-b6f66f57c081-9812876.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Worker cleans windows\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    EU.XL<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Pay transparency isn&#8217;t only about women. It exposes more inequalities\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904793-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2904793\" data-cid=\"9812860\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904793-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/28\/60\/189x106_cmsv2_0322f46d-b343-516f-b846-1f321d5ba40a-9812860.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"North Korea&apos;s servicemen attend the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Saturday, May 9, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    North Korea<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    North Korean soldier crosses demilitarised zone into South Korea\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Europe<\/p>\n<p>                          Europe News<\/p>\n<p>                          Europe Today<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Newsletter: Can the Recovery Conference mend a fraying partnership?<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/27\/36\/1536x864_cmsv2_e92a8b36-8f0b-517c-97c3-1affaef4e31d-9812736.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Ukraine&apos;s President Volodymyr Zelensky greets Poland&apos;s Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Kyiv, Ukraine, 10 May, 2025.\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Ukraine&#8217;s President Volodymyr Zelensky greets Poland&#8217;s Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Kyiv, Ukraine, 10 May, 2025.<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspAngela Skujins\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1782369518\">\n                    Published on                 <time datetime=\"2026-06-25 08:38:38 +02:00\">25\/06\/2026 &#8211; 8:38 GMT+2<\/time><span class=\"c-article-publication-date__bullet\">\u2022<\/span>Updated<br \/>\n                                     <time datetime=\"10:12\">10:12<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span 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class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        In today&#8217;s newsletter: A high-level conference in Gda\u0144sk has been plagued by no-shows from the Ukrainian government, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte unveils &#8220;Trump Trillion&#8221; charts while at the Oval Office, and a Commissioner heads to Malta to address corruption.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>Morning Brussels. <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Angela Skujins sending you this newsletter on this scorching Thursday. Temperatures are set to soar across the continent, with no exception in the Belgian capital, as the country joined a longer list of nations to issue alerts due to the extreme heat. <\/p>\n<p>Things are also expected to heat up almost 1,300 kilometres away in the Polish city of Gda\u0144sk for the <strong>Ukraine Recovery Conference<\/strong>. NATO\u2019s top boss Mark Rutte also continued a two-day trip to Washington, DC, using charts for dramatic effect, where things could also get spicy. And a high-ranking EU official will pay a visit to the Mediterranean island country of Malta to discuss the hotly-discussed issue of <strong>corruption<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>First, let\u2019s start with Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>As my colleague <strong>Sasha Vakulina<\/strong> wrote in an expected play-by-play published this morning, Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy\u2019s absence from the two-day affair starting today could become the conference\u2019s most significant political moment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Partners at odds.<\/strong> From the outside, relations between Ukraine and Poland are facing their deepest crisis in years, driven by a sharp resurgence of what is viewed in both countries as one of the most painful and unresolved issues. The president\u2019s absence comes amid a deepening rift with Warsaw over the naming of a military unit after the World War II-era Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).<\/p>\n<p>The Polish delegation is led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who is seeking, if not to resolve the dispute, then at least to prevent it from escalating further. \u201cGiven Poland\u2019s strategic security, I will not have a hand in fuelling these tensions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is in the long-term interests of Poland to build relations with Ukraine based on a vision of the future.\u201d Ukraine\u2019s delegation is led by the country&#8217;s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. <\/p>\n<p>Among the other senior international figures due to attend are German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Lithuanian President Gitanas Naus\u0117da, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babi\u0161, European Council President Ant\u00f3nio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. <\/p>\n<p>But it is not all doom and gloom. Von der Leyen is set to announce the first disbursement to Ukraine under the \u20ac90 billion loan package agreed by EU leaders in December. The \u20ac3.2 billion tranche will help Kyiv cover its financial and budgetary needs, with a second payment of about \u20ac5 billion destined for drone production to be announced before the end of the month. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Charts on Capitol Hill.<\/strong> NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte continues his two-day trip to Washington DC ahead of the annual summit in Ankara on 7-8 July, amid tensions between the Trump administration and allies over the war in Iran. <\/p>\n<p>Rutte met with various senior members of the Trump administration including Vice President Vance, my Euronews teammate <strong>Shona Murray<\/strong> writes in to report. His modus operandi? An unabashed charm offensive aimed at diffusing US anger aimed at Europe over not helping in the offensive against Iran. <\/p>\n<p>The US has repeatedly slammed allies for not spending enough on security, with US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, describing NATO countries as \u201cfreeloaders\u201d at a meeting of defence ministers in Brussels last week. As scooped by Euronews ahead of the meeting, Rutte brought with him several over-sized white boards exhibiting \u201chistoric\u201d levels of extra spending by Europeans and Canada since Trump became president. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI start with this chart,\u201d Rutte said, pointing to a whiteboard showing a sharp incline of payments by allies since Trump came into office. Rutte continues his trip today, by meeting several US Congressional members and officials from the CIA today. We will keep an eye out for more props.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Trouble in paradise.<\/strong> European Commissioner for Rule of Law Michael McGrath will be in Malta today, meeting with journalists as well as the country\u2019s new prime minister Robert Abela. Malta&#8217;s Labour party won a historic fourth term in a snap general election in May, with 48-year-old Abela at the helm. <\/p>\n<p>This means Abela has led Malta since 2020. His predecessor resigned amid a political crisis triggered by the 2017 assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who had exposed high-level corruption in the country. <\/p>\n<p>In a statement shared with me for this newsletter, McGrath confirmed Thursday\u2019s meetings, expected to come ahead of next month\u2019s publication of the 2026 annual Rule of Law report. This includes meeting representatives of the Daphne Foundation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese conversations are an important opportunity to take stock of progress, discuss remaining challenges and reinforce our commitment to strong institutions, an independent justice system, transparency and accountability,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<p>MEP David Casa, the head of the European People\u2019s Party Maltese delegation, was slightly more critical about the trip. \u201cCommissioner McGrath should ask a simple question: is the rule of law in Malta stronger today than it was a few years ago? Many Maltese citizens would say no,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<p>Nearly nine years after the assassination of Caruana Galizia, justice remains \u201cincomplete\u201d, with the need to deliver \u201cmeaningful accountability\u201d and ask questions about weakened safeguards. \u201cThere remain serious concerns that merit careful scrutiny during Commissioner McGrath\u2019s visit,\u201d Casa said.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>EU scales back Ukraine&#8217;s accession timetable due to Hungarian resistance<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The European Union has scaled back its ambitions for Ukraine\u2019s accession talks, now targeting the opening of just two negotiating clusters in July rather than five.<\/p>\n<p>The revised timetable in Brussels aims at unlocking Cluster 6 (external relations) and Cluster 2 (internal market) before the summer break, several officials and diplomats told my colleagues <strong>S\u00e1ndor Zs\u00edros<\/strong> and <strong>Jorge Liboreiro<\/strong>, with the remaining three tackled gradually afterwards.<\/p>\n<p>Ukraine and Moldova, which are informally paired, opened Cluster 1 (fundamentals) earlier this month after a two-year wait under Hungary&#8217;s veto.<\/p>\n<p>The change of plans comes as Hungary renewed its opposition and refused to sign the joint letters necessary to approve the next steps.<\/p>\n<p>For Budapest, opening all six clusters in a condensed period is tantamount to fast-tracked accession. The characterisation is rejected by a majority of member states, which see the clusters as just the beginning of an arduous, complex journey.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are definitely issues, but we expect them to be resolved in time for at least two clusters to be opened in July,\u201d an EU official with an overview of the file told Euronews.<\/p>\n<p>The revised goals represent a significant climbdown for Brussels and Kyiv, which shared the ambition of unblocking the five pending clusters by the end of July.<\/p>\n<p>But Hungary\u2019s new prime minister, P\u00e9ter Magyar, disagrees with the prospect and prefers a slower pace. His message to his peers? Curb your enthusiasm.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read the full story<\/strong><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>More from our newsrooms<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Europe&#8217;s five largest military powers meet ahead of key NATO summit with Ukraine in mind<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The leaders of Europe&#8217;s largest military powers met in Berlin on Wednesday in preparation for a pivotal NATO summit next month, to discuss support and security guarantees for Ukraine and how to strengthen the Atlantic Alliance&#8217;s European pillar. <strong>Luca Bertuzzi<\/strong> has the details.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Twelve EU countries seek green funds beyond 2030 to cope with energy transition<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The member states are historically more dependent on fossil fuels than other EU countries, and have benefited since 2021 from special funding to cope with the accelerating shift to renewable energy sources. Read more on this story by <strong>Marta Pacheco<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Brent crude falls below $74 for first time since start of the Iran war<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As reported by <strong>Doloresz Katanich<\/strong>, Brent crude dropped below $74 a barrel on Wednesday for the first time since the start of the Iran war in late February, as investors continued to price out the geopolitical risk premium that had driven energy markets higher during the conflict.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>We&#8217;re also keeping an eye on<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\u200bExecutive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto visits Paphos, Cyprus.<\/li>\n<li>European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen travels to Taranto, Italy to speak at the European Wine Summit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That\u2019s it for today. Sasha Vakulina, Shona Murray and Jorge Liboreirocontributed to this newsletter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Rutte meets Trump to defuse tensions ahead of major NATO summit<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Poland-Ukraine row is &#8216;not helpful&#8217; and plays into Putin&#8217;s hands, Brussels warns<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Malta&#8217;s Labour party wins historic fourth term in snap general election<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Mark Rutte<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Ukraine<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Malta<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2904623-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904623\" data-cid=\"9811969\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904623-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/19\/69\/320x180_cmsv2_2a2122d2-1903-5791-8465-6b8e2d0c952e-9811969.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE: People hold tied Polish and Ukrainian flags during a demonstration in Warsaw, Poland, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    No Zelenskyy in Gdansk: recovery forum tests Warsaw\u2013Kyiv ties<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2904763-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904763\" data-cid=\"9812673\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904763-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/26\/73\/320x180_cmsv2_6f97c051-722e-5e9f-a6fd-6d8822ded871-9812673.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"President Donald Trump, center, is joined by Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., left, and Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., right, as he departs the Senate Steering Committee Lunch.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Trump says &#8216;courageous&#8217; Zelenskyy &#8216;doing pretty well&#8217; against Russia<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2904640-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904640\" data-cid=\"9812105\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904640-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/21\/05\/320x180_cmsv2_aa99b792-0607-5373-9b55-fe04ceb0b30a-9812105.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A woman and children go for water fountain in a park Saturday, June 18, 2022 in Paris. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Europe\u2019s heatwave fuels record energy bills and lost wages<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2904668-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904668\" data-cid=\"9812256\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904668-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/22\/56\/320x180_cmsv2_e6c53e90-66ef-58b0-8874-dea44c5c2c8e-9812256.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE: An IRGC speedboat approaches a cargo ship during the seizure of one of two vessels accused of violations in the Strait of Hormuz, 21 April 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Hormuz confusion deepens as Iran and US clash over who controls it<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2904094-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904094\" data-cid=\"9809129\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904094-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/80\/91\/29\/320x180_cmsv2_36a2c281-89de-571b-b972-7568e05a065d-9809129.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ein mit Waren gefuellter Einkaufswagen steht am 10. Juni 2009 in einem Supermarkt in Dresden. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Which European countries are the cheapest and most expensive?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-2\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-most-viewed\">\n<h2 class=\"c-most-viewed__title qa-section-title\">Most read<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__list\">\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2900867-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2900867\" data-cid=\"9804724\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Flesh-eating bacteria threat looms over Europe&#8217;s coasts<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">2<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2904232-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904232\" data-cid=\"9809845\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;El Ni\u00f1o is a distraction&#8217;: Why is Europe becoming a deadly heat trap?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">3<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2904178-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904178\" data-cid=\"9809533\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    SpaceX sheds $600 billion in three days and turns to the bond market<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">4<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2904303-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904303\" data-cid=\"9810352\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Spain toughens rules on e-scooters<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">5<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2904276-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904276\" data-cid=\"9810242\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Extraordinary find: WWII assault gun unearthed<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-3\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904623-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904623\" data-cid=\"9811969\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904623-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/19\/69\/320x180_cmsv2_2a2122d2-1903-5791-8465-6b8e2d0c952e-9811969.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE: People hold tied Polish and Ukrainian flags during a demonstration in Warsaw, Poland, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    No Zelenskyy in Gdansk: recovery forum tests Warsaw\u2013Kyiv ties<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904763-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904763\" data-cid=\"9812673\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904763-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/26\/73\/320x180_cmsv2_6f97c051-722e-5e9f-a6fd-6d8822ded871-9812673.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"President Donald Trump, center, is joined by Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., left, and Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., right, as he departs the Senate Steering Committee Lunch.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Trump says &#8216;courageous&#8217; Zelenskyy &#8216;doing pretty well&#8217; against Russia<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904640-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904640\" data-cid=\"9812105\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904640-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/21\/05\/320x180_cmsv2_aa99b792-0607-5373-9b55-fe04ceb0b30a-9812105.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A woman and children go for water fountain in a park Saturday, June 18, 2022 in Paris. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Europe\u2019s heatwave fuels record energy bills and lost wages<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904668-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904668\" data-cid=\"9812256\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904668-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/22\/56\/320x180_cmsv2_e6c53e90-66ef-58b0-8874-dea44c5c2c8e-9812256.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE: An IRGC speedboat approaches a cargo ship during the seizure of one of two vessels accused of violations in the Strait of Hormuz, 21 April 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Hormuz confusion deepens as Iran and US clash over who controls it<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904094-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904094\" data-cid=\"9809129\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2904094-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/80\/91\/29\/320x180_cmsv2_36a2c281-89de-571b-b972-7568e05a065d-9809129.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ein mit Waren gefuellter Einkaufswagen steht am 10. Juni 2009 in einem Supermarkt in Dresden. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Which European countries are the cheapest and most expensive?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2900867-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2900867\" data-cid=\"9804724\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Flesh-eating bacteria threat looms over Europe&#8217;s coasts<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904232-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904232\" data-cid=\"9809845\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;El Ni\u00f1o is a distraction&#8217;: Why is Europe becoming a deadly heat trap?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904178-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904178\" data-cid=\"9809533\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    SpaceX sheds $600 billion in three days and turns to the bond market<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904303-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904303\" data-cid=\"9810352\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Spain toughens rules on e-scooters<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904276-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904276\" data-cid=\"9810242\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Extraordinary find: WWII assault gun unearthed<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">Morning Brussels.\u00a0Angela Skujins sending you this newsletter on this scorching Thursday. Temperatures are set to soar across the continent, with no exception in the Belgian capital, as the country joined a longer list of nations to issue alerts due to the extreme heat.\u00a0Things are also expected to heat up almost 1,300 kilometres away in the Polish city of Gda\u0144sk for the Ukraine Recovery Conference. NATO\u2019s top boss Mark Rutte also continued a two-day trip to Washington, DC, using charts for dramatic effect, where things could also get spicy. And a high-ranking EU official will pay a visit to the Mediterranean island country of Malta to discuss the hotly-discussed issue of corruption.\u00a0First, let\u2019s start with Ukraine.As my colleague Sasha Vakulina wrote in an expected play-by-play published this morning, Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy\u2019s absence from the two-day affair starting today could become the conference\u2019s most significant political moment.Partners at odds. From the outside, relations between Ukraine and Poland are facing their deepest crisis in years, driven by a sharp resurgence of what is viewed in both countries as one of the most painful and unresolved issues. The president\u2019s absence comes amid a deepening rift with Warsaw over the naming of a military unit after the World War II-era Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).The Polish delegation is led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who is seeking, if not to resolve the dispute, then at least to prevent it from escalating further. \u201cGiven Poland\u2019s strategic security, I will not have a hand in fuelling these tensions,\u201d he said.\u201cIt is in the long-term interests of Poland to build relations with Ukraine based on a vision of the future.\u201d Ukraine\u2019s delegation is led by the country&#8217;s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.\u00a0Among the other senior international figures due to attend are German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Lithuanian President Gitanas Naus\u0117da, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babi\u0161, European Council President Ant\u00f3nio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.\u00a0But it is not all doom and gloom. Von der Leyen is set to announce the first disbursement to Ukraine under the \u20ac90 billion loan package agreed by EU leaders in December. The \u20ac3.2 billion tranche will help Kyiv cover its financial and budgetary needs, with a second payment of about \u20ac5 billion destined for drone production to be announced before the end of the month.\u00a0Charts on Capitol Hill. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte continues his two-day trip to Washington DC ahead of the annual summit in Ankara on 7-8 July, amid tensions between the Trump administration and allies over the war in Iran.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Rutte met with various senior members of the Trump administration including Vice President Vance, my Euronews teammate Shona Murray writes in to report. His modus operandi? An unabashed charm offensive aimed at diffusing US anger aimed at Europe over not helping in the offensive against Iran.\u00a0\u00a0The US has repeatedly slammed allies for not spending enough on security, with US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, describing NATO countries as \u201cfreeloaders\u201d at a meeting of defence ministers in Brussels last week. As scooped by Euronews ahead of the meeting, Rutte brought with him several over-sized white boards exhibiting \u201chistoric\u201d levels of extra spending by Europeans and Canada since Trump became president.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI start with this chart,\u201d Rutte said, pointing to a whiteboard showing a sharp incline of payments by allies since Trump came into office. Rutte continues his trip today, by meeting several US Congressional members and officials from the CIA today. We will keep an eye out for more props.Trouble in paradise. European Commissioner for Rule of Law Michael McGrath will be in Malta today, meeting with journalists as well as the country\u2019s new prime minister Robert Abela. Malta&#8217;s Labour party won a historic fourth term in a snap general election in May, with 48-year-old Abela at the helm.\u00a0This means Abela has led Malta since 2020. His predecessor resigned amid a political crisis triggered by the 2017 assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who had exposed high-level corruption in the country.\u00a0In a statement shared with me for this newsletter, McGrath confirmed Thursday\u2019s meetings, expected to come ahead of next month\u2019s publication of the 2026 annual Rule of Law report. This includes meeting representatives of the Daphne Foundation.\u201cThese conversations are an important opportunity to take stock of progress, discuss remaining challenges and reinforce our commitment to strong institutions, an independent justice system, transparency and accountability,\u201d he said.\u00a0MEP David Casa, the head of the European People\u2019s Party Maltese delegation, was slightly more critical about the trip. \u201cCommissioner McGrath should ask a simple question: is the rule of law in Malta stronger today than it was a few years ago? Many Maltese citizens would say no,\u201d he said.\u00a0Nearly nine years after the assassination of Caruana Galizia, justice remains \u201cincomplete\u201d, with the need to deliver \u201cmeaningful accountability\u201d and ask questions about weakened safeguards. \u201cThere remain serious concerns that merit careful scrutiny during Commissioner McGrath\u2019s visit,\u201d Casa said.EU scales back Ukraine&#8217;s accession timetable due to Hungarian resistanceThe European Union has scaled back its ambitions for Ukraine\u2019s accession talks, now targeting the opening of just two negotiating clusters in July rather than five.The revised timetable in Brussels aims at unlocking Cluster 6 (external relations) and Cluster 2 (internal market) before the summer break, several officials and diplomats told my colleagues S\u00e1ndor Zs\u00edros and Jorge Liboreiro, with the remaining three tackled gradually afterwards.Ukraine and Moldova, which are informally paired, opened Cluster 1 (fundamentals) earlier this month after a two-year wait under Hungary&#8217;s veto.The change of plans comes as Hungary renewed its opposition and refused to sign the joint letters necessary to approve the next steps.For Budapest, opening all six clusters in a condensed period is tantamount to fast-tracked accession. The characterisation is rejected by a majority of member states, which see the clusters as just the beginning of an arduous, complex journey.\u201cThere are definitely issues, but we expect them to be resolved in time for at least two clusters to be opened in July,\u201d an EU official with an overview of the file told Euronews.The revised goals represent a significant climbdown for Brussels and Kyiv, which shared the ambition of unblocking the five pending clusters by the end of July.But Hungary\u2019s new prime minister, P\u00e9ter Magyar, disagrees with the prospect and prefers a slower pace. His message to his peers? Curb your enthusiasm.Read the full story.More from our newsroomsEurope&#8217;s five largest military powers meet ahead of key NATO summit with Ukraine in mindThe leaders of Europe&#8217;s largest military powers met in Berlin on Wednesday in preparation for a pivotal NATO summit next month, to discuss support and security guarantees for Ukraine and how to strengthen the Atlantic Alliance&#8217;s European pillar. Luca Bertuzzi has the details.Twelve EU countries seek green funds beyond 2030 to cope with energy transitionThe member states are historically more dependent on fossil fuels than other EU countries, and have benefited since 2021 from special funding to cope with the accelerating shift to renewable energy sources. Read more on this story by Marta Pacheco.Brent crude falls below $74 for first time since start of the Iran warAs reported by Doloresz Katanich, Brent crude dropped below $74 a barrel on Wednesday for the first time since the start of the Iran war in late February, as investors continued to price out the geopolitical risk premium that had driven energy markets higher during the conflict.We&#8217;re also keeping an eye onExecutive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto visits Paphos, Cyprus.European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen travels to Taranto, Italy to speak at the European Wine Summit.That\u2019s it for today. Sasha Vakulina, Shona Murray and Jorge Liboreiro contributed to this newsletter.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2026\/06\/25\/newsletter-can-the-recovery-conference-mend-a-fraying-partnership&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/27\/36\/1200x675_cmsv2_e92a8b36-8f0b-517c-97c3-1affaef4e31d-9812736.jpg&#8221;] Business Micron posts record results as AI boom drives 15-fold jump in profit The Cube The truth behind the viral video of a drone interceptor EU.XL Pay transparency isn&#8217;t only about women. It exposes more inequalities North Korea North Korean soldier crosses demilitarised zone into South Korea Business Micron posts record results [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2009772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2009772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2009772"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2009772\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2009772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2009772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2009772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}