Rubio leaves after assembly with Pope Leo amid tense relations between Vatican and US
In the meantime, US secretary of state Marco Rubio has now left the Vatican after assembly Pope Leo after some two hours there.
He met initially with the pontiff earlier than sitting down with senior Vatican officers, together with high diplomat Italian cardinal Pietro Parolin, Reuters reported.
The Vatican and the US state division didn’t present any quick particulars concerning the talks.
I’ll deliver you extra if/after we get it.
Key occasions
‘Appreciable progress’ made in EU talks on finalising commerce cope with US
Lisa O’Carroll
“Appreciable progress” was made in crunch talks with MEPs to finalise the US commerce deal that has been on the desk since final summer time, Maroš Šefčovič, the EU commerce commmissioner has mentioned after six hours of talks final night time.
The so-called “trilogue talks”, involving the European Fee, the European Parliament and representatives of member states, are the ultimate stage within the ratification system within the bloc, a course of that’s testing Donald Trump’s endurance.
Though they didn’t agree on amendments sought by MEPs, each the commerce committee chair Bernd Lange and Šefčovič are indicating a compromise isn’t far off.
Talks final six hours, double the time scheduled for negotiations.
“This important funding of effort and time means that we’re making appreciable progress and have already achieved loads – though, after all, nothing is agreed till the whole lot is agreed,” mentioned Šefčovič.
He mentioned in a submit on LinkedIn that he had three aims:
“To show that the EU is strolling the speak and honouring its commitments”
To safe a consequence that absolutely respects the EU-US Joint Assertion.
To protect the pursuits of EU stakeholders, together with by equipping the Fee with the devices mandatory to make sure that the EU-US Joint Assertion is faithfully applied by either side.”
Final Friday Trump threatened to hike tariffs on EU automobiles this week, in contravention of the commerce deal, in protest towards the prolonged delays on the EU facet.
The delays had been partly a response to his overseas coverage, with the European parliament twice pausing ratification course of over his risk to extend tariffs in January, after which his risk to take management of Greenland.
MEPs are looking for three amendments to the implementation Brussels-side – together with a sundown clause which can finish the deal in March 2028 until renewed, a dawn clause making certain the deal will come into drive on the EU facet if the US respects its commitments and a suspension clause.
Present proof exhibits hantavirus continues to pose ‘low’ danger to Europeans, UN insists
Talking on the European Fee’s noon briefing, the manager’s well being spokesperson Eva Hrncirova insisted that the chance to Europeans posed by the brand new hantarivus remained “low.”
“In response to the proof that we now have for the time being, the chance for the general public in Europe, the chance for the Europeans is low. Well being of the residents in Europe is our absolute precedence,” she mentioned.
She confused there was “no trigger for concern,” and the EU was working intently with the World Well being Group and the European Centre for Illness Prevention and Management to watch the scenario.
EU is not going to go away Kyiv regardless of warnings of attainable Russian strikes
In the meantime in Brussels, the EU mentioned it could not go away Kyiv after Russia warned of a attainable retaliatory strike on the Ukrainian capital and urged overseas organisations to evacuate.
“As to us, the EU, we is not going to change our posture or presence in Kyiv. Russian assaults are… sadly, a every day actuality in Kyiv and elsewhere in Ukraine,” EU overseas affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni mentioned in feedback reported by AFP.
double citation mark Russia’s public threats to assault Kyiv are a part of its reckless escalatory techniques.
The European Union’s diplomatic mission in Kyiv was broken in August final yr after Russian missiles struck near the constructing.
Hungary’s Magyar meets with Italy’s Meloni forward of inauguration weekend
In the meantime, Hungary’s incoming prime minister Péter Magyar has arrived for talks at Palazzo Chigi in Rome, the place he is because of meet with Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni.
Since he’s not the Hungarian PM but – he’ll take his position this weekend – he was formally welcomed exterior the Palazzo by a senior adviser to the Italian PM as a substitute.
Ukraine, worldwide order, Europe’s push to arm a part of discussions with Pope Leo, Poland’s Tusk says
Earlier at this time, Pope Leo welcomed Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk within the Vatican, and going by Tusk’s press convention afterwards, it was a superb geopolitical heat up act for the massive transatlantic meet with Marco Rubio.
Chatting with reporters after the assembly, Tusk mentioned the pair mentioned a possible papal go to to Poland signalling 2028 as an choice into consideration, however that an enormous chunk of their dialog targeted on worldwide affairs.
“After all, the dialog was about Ukraine, … concerning the worldwide order, the armament of Poland and Europe, and the armament of Germany. Properly, you understand how many scorching matters there are.
As you realize, I may also have a gathering with prime minister Meloni at this time and secretary of state Rubio is right here too; he may have a gathering with the Holy Father proper after me. So this additionally exhibits how a lot is occurring and the way troublesome the problems are to debate and clear up.”
Later at this time, Tusk may also meet Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, who can also be anticipated to welcome Hungary’s incoming prime minister Péter Magyar sooner or later at this time – and can see Rubio tomorrow.
Rubio arrives in Vatican for talks with Pope Leo – in photos
Rubio arrives for two-day go to to see Pope Leo, Italy’s Meloni
Lorenzo Tondo
in Palermo
In the meantime, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, is to satisfy Pope Leo on the Vatican on Thursday in an effort to ease tensions after Donald Trump’s repeated criticisms of the primary North American pontiff.
Amid unprecedented pressure on relations between the Holy See and Washington, Rubio is anticipated to satisfy Leo on the Apostolic Palace within the morning, earlier than holding a sequence of conferences with the Italian authorities.
Trump on Tuesday accused the pope of supporting nuclear weapons and “endangering loads of Catholics’’ along with his stance towards the Iran conflict, within the newest assault by the US president on the pontiff.
On Wednesday, Leo responded:
“If anybody desires to criticise me for proclaiming the gospel, allow them to achieve this with the reality: the church has spoken out towards all nuclear weapons for years, there isn’t a doubt about that. I merely hope to be listened to due to the worth of God’s phrase.”
Rubio downplayed the rift between Trump and Leo and advised reporters on the White Home on Tuesday that the president’s current criticism of the pontiff was rooted in his opposition to Iran probably acquiring a nuclear weapon, which could possibly be used towards thousands and thousands of Catholics all over the world.
Trump “doesn’t perceive why anybody – go away apart the pope – would assume that it’s a good suggestion for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon,” Rubio mentioned.
Relations between the Vatican and Washington have by no means been so fraught. In April, the US president lashed out at Leo over the pope’s criticism of the conflict in Iran, branding him “weak on crime” and “horrible on overseas coverage”, and claiming he had solely been elected pontiff as a result of Trump himself occupied the White Home. Trump later shared – earlier than deleting – an AI-generated picture depicting himself as a Christ-like determine.
Rubio’s probably purpose is to attempt to easy over Trump’s insults and restore more and more broken ties between the US and the Vatican. In response to a number of analysts, the secretary of state is anticipated to defend Washington’s rationale for launching the conflict in Iran, whereas fastidiously avoiding a direct conflict with the church’s place.
Rubio may also meet the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, on Friday as relations between Rome and Washington have additionally deteriorated.
At a separate press convention with Latvia’s defence and inside ministers, we’re advised broadly related issues that the incident remains to be being investigated.
I’ll return to this subject if we get one thing considerably new.
Romania reviews transient breach of its airspace by Russian drone attacking Ukraine final night time
In the meantime, Romania has simply reported a quick violation of its airspace by drones participating in a Russian assault on civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine final night time.
The drone was monitored by two F-16 patrolling plane and tracked because it crossed into Romania’s airspace within the Chilia space, the nation’s defence ministry mentioned in an announcement.
The ministry “firmly condemned the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation, which contravene the norms of worldwide regulation and pose dangers to regional safety and stability within the Black Sea.”
Flanked by senior police and military officers, the Latvian prime minister Evika Siliņa is simply giving a quick replace after this morning’s disaster cupboard assembly in Riga.
She says there’s nonetheless no readability on who directed the drones reported within the Latvian airspace, and this continues to be investigated.
She sticks to key strains that as she stresses that the incident is a consequence of Russia’s persevering with conflict on Ukraine, and Latvia must be ready for related conditions because it continues to help Ukraine.
She additionally warns about any disinformation makes an attempt coming from Russia in response to the incident.
Siliņa additionally talks about some sensible considerations about the way in which Latvia’s emergency alert system labored final night time.
Lisa O’Carroll
In the meantime, the European Parliament has mentioned it can work “expeditiously” to make sure the “spirit and the letter” of the EU’s commerce cope with Donald Trump is sealed, after representatives failed to succeed in a deal in ratification talks with member states final night time.
No deal is anticipated now till 19 Might when talks with MEPs resume.
A timetable in Europe’s democratic course of dangers invoking the ire of Trump who on Friday mentioned he would enhance automobile tariffs from 15% to 25% as a result of the EU had been taking to lengthy to implement its facet of the Turnberry deal.
The parliamentary delegation within the so-called “trilogue” talks which additionally concerned the European Fee had been led by MEP Bernd Lange, chair of the commerce committee.
Lange mentioned in an announcement final night time:
“We now have simply concluded a constructive second trilogue throughout which we made good progress on the difficulty of the safeguard mechanism and the evaluation and analysis of the primary regulation, however there’s nonetheless some option to go.
We’ll proceed to work expeditiously and responsibly on the 2 legislative proposals to make sure that the letter and the spirit of the Turnberry Deal are honoured, in full respect of our democratic norms, procedures and timelines. The subsequent trilogue will happen on 19 Might in Strasbourg.
We stay extra dedicated than ever to advance and defend Parliament’s mandate in order to offer further ensures that can profit residents and corporations in each the EU and the US.”
The 19 Might date for subsequent talks can be seen as a optimistic step nonetheless as yesterday Lange’s group had been anticipating the following date could possibly be as distant as June.
Lange’s committee had been in search of three key amendments to the deal hashed out at Trump’s golf course final July.
Jakub Krupa
We should always get extra on the Latvian incident earlier than lengthy, as we expect to listen to from the federal government after this morning’s emergency cupboard assembly.
Crucially, the crash website of the second drone reported inside Latvian airspace is but to be found, so let’s see if we hear extra on this.
I’ll control this.
Morning opening: Latvia investigates drones ‘from Russia’ after in a single day airspace violations
Latvia is investigating two drones which entered its airspace from Russian territory in a single day and crashed in jap a part of the nation close to an empty oil storage facility.
4 empty oil tanks had been reported broken, with minor smouldering reported in one of many tanks. The native public broadcaster captured a drone flying within the space on their digicam.
Latvian prime minister Evika Siliņa convened a disaster administration assembly for 10am native time. She earlier mentioned she was “in fixed communication” with related ministers and state establishments.
“After the incident concludes, I count on reviews from the accountable ministers on what occurred,” she mentioned.
The investigation remains to be in very early levels, however the drones may need been Ukrainian items that misplaced their means because of sign jamming, defence minister Andris Sprūds mentioned.
This may not be the primary time {that a} misplaced Ukrainian drone attacking Russia’s oil terminals loses its means and leads to a neighbouring Nato nation, with related incidents involving Estonia and Lithuania.
“So long as Russia’s aggression in Ukraine continues, the recurrence of such incidents when a overseas unmanned plane enters or approaches Latvian airspace is feasible,” the Latvian military mentioned in an announcement.
The air warning within the nation has now been lifted, however some flight restrictions stay in place.
Elsewhere, I may also hold a watch at US secretary of state Marco Rubio’s go to to see Pope Leo within the Vatican amid a bitter confrontation between the US president, Donald Trump, and the pontiff. Earlier than that, Leo – who will mark one yr in workplace tomorrow – may also meet with Poland’s Donald Tusk.
In the meantime, Hungary’s incoming prime minister Péter Magyar can also be anticipated close by, as he is because of meet with Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, previously a detailed ally of Magyar’s arch-rival Viktor Orbán.
Elsewhere, I’m anticipating some developments in Bulgaria with Rumen Radev more likely to be requested to type the following authorities, and clearly will proceed maintaining tabs on the hantavirus-hit cruise that electrified the general public opinion worldwide.
Heaps to cowl.
It’s Thursday, 7 Might 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa right here, and that is Europe Reside.
Good morning.
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