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NATO Summit in The Hague II: everyone survived, now all eyes on Türkiye

NATO Summit in The Hague II: everyone survived, now all eyes on Türkiye

The Nato Summit held in The Hague on 24-25 June was a failure, wrapped in success. It was a success because it avoided public display of divisions, mainly by avoiding issues: it was the shortest summit anyone can remember; it also had a very short final statement that basically had two points, the first a re-commitment to article 5 of the North Atlantic Charter and the principle that an attack on one will be considered an attack on all. The fact that Nato leaders in the Hague had felt the need to re-emphasise this should be a cause of worry not celebration, but in the end, it is good that it was said. The second outcome, the one that received most attention, was the commitment of European countries to spend more on their defence: 5 per cent of GDP, of which 3.5 per cent on hard defence, and 1.5 per cent on related ancillary areas such as infrastructure. You may, if you want, believe that this was a response to US President Donald Trump's insistence. Or, if you are more prudent, understand that countries that matter – Germany, France, Poland and the Scandinavian countries had decided on this course of action quite separately, and as a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which was a wake-up call. Finland and Sweden’s decision to abandon their neutrality, and join NATO was taken long before Trump returned to the White House. The EU’s decision to spend massively on defence was always to ensure that other European countries are part of this process, willy-nilly.

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Türkiye mediates talks between Somalia and Ethiopia

Türkiye mediates talks between Somalia and Ethiopia

Türkiye mediated talks between Somalia and Ethiopia on Monday (1 July) to ease diplomatic tensions between the two African neighbours, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. Ethiopian Foreign Minister Taye Atske Selassie and Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi held a frank and forward-looking discussion on their differences, mediated by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The negotiations are the latest effort to mend diplomatic relations between the East African neighbours. Tensions arose after Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with the breakaway region of Somaliland in January, which Somalia condemned as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
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Thousands of Yemeni pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia after Houthis seize Yemenia planes

Thousands of Yemeni pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia after Houthis seize Yemenia planes

At least 1,000 Yemeni pilgrims are stranded in Saudi Arabia after the Houthis seized Yemenia Airways flights that were to take them from the kingdom to Houthi-held Sanaa, the Yemeni government said on Saturday (29 June). Last week, the Houthis took control of three Yemenia planes at Sanaa airport, preventing them from returning to Jeddah airport in Saudi Arabia to take Yemeni pilgrims home. The Yemeni government accused the Houthis of "hijacking" the planes and worsening the plight of the Yemeni people.
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Outgoing Dutch PM Mark Rutte officially named next NATO chief

Outgoing Dutch PM Mark Rutte officially named next NATO chief

The 32 NATO countries have officially elected outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the next Secretary General of the transatlantic military alliance. NATO made the announcement on Wednesday (26 June). Rutte will take over when current NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg completes his final term on 1 October 2024.
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International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for former Russian defence minister

International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for former Russian defence minister

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant on Tuesday (25 June) for former Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. He is suspected of being responsible for attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine between October 2022 and March 2023. An arrest warrant has also been issued for Valery Gerasimov, commander-in-chief of the Russian army.
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EU adopts 14th package of sanctions against Russia

EU adopts 14th package of sanctions against Russia

The Council of the European Union on Monday (24 June) adopted a 14th package of economic and individual restrictive measures against Russia, "dealing a further blow to the Putin regime and those who perpetuate its illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine". These measures are designed to target high-value sectors of the Russian economy, such as energy, finance and trade, and make it increasingly difficult to evade EU sanctions.
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EU tariffs on China are not punishment, says German economy minister

EU tariffs on China are not punishment, says German economy minister

Proposed European Union tariffs on Chinese goods are not a "punishment", German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck assured Chinese officials in Beijing on Saturday (22 June). The visit is the first by a senior European official since Brussels proposed significant tariffs on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) in response to what the EU sees as excessive subsidies. Ahead of Habeck's arrival, China warned that rising tensions over EVs could spark a trade war. "It is important to understand that these are not punitive tariffs," Habeck told the opening session of a dialogue on climate and transformation. He stressed that unlike the US, Brazil and Turkey, which have used punitive tariffs, the EU is taking a different approach.
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EU Commissioner for Climate Action Wopke Hoekstra visits Azerbaijan

EU Commissioner for Climate Action Wopke Hoekstra visits Azerbaijan

On Thursday (20 June), EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra visited Azerbaijan as part of the preparations for COP29, which will be hosted by Baku in November 2024. He held several high-level bilateral meetings with government officials in Baku: Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov. Commissioner Hoekstra also met with representatives of civil society.
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The United States to give Ukraine priority for new Patriot missiles

The United States to give Ukraine priority for new Patriot missiles

The United States is moving Ukraine to the top of the list to receive air defence interceptors to protect its cities from the onslaught of Russian missile attacks. The policy decision applies to interceptors used by the Patriot and other air defence systems to shoot down incoming missiles and drones. As a result, the US will give priority to Ukraine for Patriot surface-to-air missiles. Deliveries to other countries will be delayed to allow Ukraine to build up a sufficient stockpile.