EU ready for deal with US but prepared for possibility of no agreement, von der Leyen says – Europe live

EU’s von der Leyen’s line on US trade talks sets expectations for Šefčovič’s meeting in Washington – snap analysis

Jakub Krupa

Von der Leyen’s line on the EU-US trade talks was also interesting, if not exactly surprising (14:53).

But it sets the expectations for Šefčovič’s talks in Washington later today (11:18). One to watch.

Frederiksen’s language on Ukraine and migration a sign of Danish priorities – snap analysis

Jakub Krupa

So, two things stand out for me from what Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen said at this press conference.

The first is her full-throated backing for Ukraine (14:47) and thinly veiled criticism of some countries objecting to its membership in the European Union, such as Hungary (14:57). Expect the Danish presidency to try to push ahead with this process as much as they can.

The second is her language on migration (14:35). We keep hearing similar strongly worded declarations from more and more leaders, with the new German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, also taking a similar stance.

Von der Leyen’s response was fairly weak, but expect much more pressure to come from the member states to tighten the existing system even further.

Asked about Ukraine, Frederiksen again shows the Kyiv administration with praise.

She says it is “extremely impressive” that a country at war can “not only produce better, faster and cheaper than the rest of us, … for example drones, but also [is] on the path to a membership of the European Union, … able to make reforms and concrete steps forward, even though they are at war.”

“I think they are doing their part. There are still a lot of decisions that have to be made before … a real membership, but they are really doing their homework. Now it is time for Europe to do the same,” she says.

And that wraps up the press conference.

Von der Leyen gets also asked for more clarity on the US tariff deal and if the EU wants to strike a general “in principle” deal first, and only agree details later.

She confirms that is the case saying the negotiations are “a huge task, because we have the largest trade volume globally between the European Union and the United States.”

She says:

“Indeed, what we are aiming at is an agreement in principle, because [with] such a volume, in 90 days, an agreement in detail, it’s impossible …

That is also what the UK did. And as far as I’m informed, there are only two countries so far worldwide that have concluded with an agreement in principle.”

Both leaders are asked about their support for Ukraine and the US decision to halt or reduce its military aid.

EU’s von der Leyen says it’s “a clear signal or clear message to step up our own support,” and repeats her point about the need to ramp up EU arms production.

Denmark’s Frederiksen is more outspoken as she admits that “if the US decides not to provide Ukraine with what is needed, it would be a serious setback for Ukraine and for Europe and for Nato.”

“As … both of us have said already, the war in Ukraine has never only been about Ukraine. This is a war about the future of Europe.”

She adds that she wants other European countries to finance more production within Ukraine, and back further sanctions against Russia.

She also declares Denmark is “totally in favour of Ukraine being a member of Nato,” even if “not all allies are supporting it,” as she adds “it’s even more important to ensure that they will be, as they should be, a member of the European Union.”

Responding, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen picks up some of the themes from Frederiksen’s speech.

I have always admired Denmark’s fast and focused approach. You know how to get things done, and that’s exactly the kind of spirit that we need right now.

She talks about the need to ramp up European defence spending and European joint procurement, reform the bloc’s regulatory and other burdens to improve its competitiveness, and to improve its trade relations.

On the on-going negotiations with the US – with her deputy, Maroš Šefčovič, set to attend high-level talks in Washington today – she says:

“I just want to say we are ready for a deal. We want a negotiated solution.

But you all know that at the same time, we’re preparing for the possibility that no satisfactory agreement is reached. This is why we consulted on a rebalancing list, and we will defend the European interest as needed.

In other words, all instruments are on the table.”

On migration, her tone is much less urgent than that of Frederiksen as she says the EU just needs to implement its new rules on asylum and migration, and should focus on making “progress on our return proposal on safe third countries concept and the safe countries of origin.”

Finally, on Ukraine, she says “achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine remains the key priority, because Ukrainians are fighting not just for their sovereignty, but also for us, for our freedom, for our values, and we know that we can never match their sacrifices.”

“What we can do is stand united, determined and resolute by Ukraine, not just for as long as it takes to secure peace, but to give them the chance, the opportunity to have the country they are dreaming of, and that is a country that masters its own destiny, its own future, a country that is member of the European Union.”

Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen is now speaking at the inauguration ceremony for the Danish presidency of the EU in Aarhus.

She is very clear in a hard-hitting speech about Denmark’s priorities with security, supporting Ukraine, and migration.

“The task ahead of us is crystal clear. We have to steer Europe safely through one of the most challenging times in our history,” she declares.

She warns that “Russia has brought war back to our continent,” and with other challenges in geopolitcs, migration, climate change and growing global competition “there is one answer: a stronger Europe.”

Frederiksen highlights the need for “a much stronger European defence” and calls for further support for Ukraine.

“Ukraine is fighting for all of us. I see no sign that Putin wants peace, and I do not trust for a second that Putin intends to stop with Ukraine,” she warns, calling for further sanctions on Russia.

She pointedly welcomes Zelenskyy in Aarhus, stating “our European family would not be complete without his presence.”

She then turns to migration, declaring “the current asylum system is broken,” as she warns “cynical smugglers have the power to decide who can enter Europe and who cannot.”

“Meanwhile, we see the consequences of uncontrolled migration in our societies. We need, of course, to be in control of our own borders, who can enter and stay in our countries? That needs to be a democratic decision,” she says.

She also pointedly adds that “people come from coming outside who commit serious crimes and do not respect our value and way of life, I don’t think they have a place in Europe, and they should be expelled.”

“We need new solutions that will lower the influx of migrants to Europe,” she says.

And just like that:

In a brief social media update just now, Zelenskyy said his visit to Denmark “begins with an important step for our defence” with a new deal on drone production with a US company, Swift Beat.

“It foresees hundreds of thousands of drones [to be produced] this year alone, with the potential to significantly scale up production in the coming year,” he said.

“Today, we will continue our work in Denmark, and on new agreements of this kind – focused on joint production, joint development, and joint defence,” he said.

As we hope to hear from Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit in Denmark at some point today, the Financial Times newspaper just reported (£) that he is expected to talk with US president Donald Trump tomorrow to discuss the abrupt halt in some key US weapons deliveries to Kyiv.

The paper said Ukraine was “caught off guard” by the decision, which was not communicated despite the pair meeting days before during the Nato summit in the Netherlands.

Ukrainian officials were reportedly growing “alarmed by the pause in deliveries of weapons including some now being held in Poland while Russia intensifies a summer offensive that involved its largest aerial attack of the war last weekend.”

But US officials downplayed the White House announcement, saying President Donald Trump still had “robust” options for military assistance to Kyiv.

Earlier today, Russian deputy navy chief Mikhail Gudkov was killed in a Ukrainian strike in the Kursk region (11:39), while a Russian airstrike on the Ukrainian city of Odesa killed two people.

Meanwhile in Spain, the Spanish media are revealing more disturbing details about the so-called “sixth-generation” wildfire that claimed two lives in Torrefeta i Florejacs (Lleida).

El País reported that the two victims, aged 32 and 45, were trapped by the rapidly and unpredictably spreading fire, which consumed over 5,500 hectares of mostly agricultural land. Both died of smoke inhalation, it was reported.

Local authorities announced two days of mourning in response to the event, the paper said.

in Rome

The fierce heat that has engulfed Italy for more than a week is linked to at least five deaths, with two people, aged 75 and 60, dying on beaches in Sardinia.

Temperatures on the island, where wild fires have been raging, have eclipsed 40C in recent day.

In Genoa, an 85-year-old man died of heart failure in a hospital emergency unit after being taken there for treatment for dehydration.

The three fatalities on Wednesday follow the deaths of a 47-year-old construction worker near Bologna on Monday and a 53-year-old woman, who died after fainting while walking along a street in Palermo.

Italy’s health ministry has placed 18 major cities on maximum ‘red’ alert for heat on Thursday, including Rome, Milan, Turin, Bologna, Genoa and Palermo, meaning the heat is so intense that it poses a risk for young and healthy people too.

A measure halting outdoor work, for example on construction sites and farms, during the hottest part of the day has taken effect nationally, although it is not an obligation and so many are continuing to work their normal hours.