EU’s foreign policy chief and the ex-Estonian PM dismiss Putin’s suggestion that former German chancellor could coordinate talks

Russian affairs reporter

The EU on Monday dismissed Vladimir Putin’s suggestion that the Kremlin-friendly former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder could serve as a European mediator in peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

US secretary of state has been meeting Italian leader amid strained tensions over Iran

The European Commission also insisted that airlines must not charge customers extra fuel fees after they have already bought tickets, as the aviation sector feels the pain from high energy prices because of the Middle East war, AFP reported.

“Airlines may adapt their published fares to the situation, but adding a fuel surcharge to a ticket after it has been bought cannot be justified,” EU spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen told reporters in Brussels.

Health body gives briefing as Spain says ship will not dock in Tenerife but be anchored offshore and passengers will have no contact with the public

Meanwhile, Hungary’s incoming prime minister Péter Magyar has arrived for talks at Palazzo Chigi in Rome, where he is due to meet with Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni.

Since he is not the Hungarian PM yet – he will take his role this weekend – he was officially welcomed outside the Palazzo by a senior adviser to the Italian PM instead.

The move puts the country’s access to EU funds at risk and it could take weeks until a stable majority can be assembled

in Bucharest

President Dan is set to issue a statement at 6pm local time (4pm UK).

The US president said he would carry out of a review of US military presence in Europe after public criticism of the US-Israeli war on Iran

If you are still planning your summer holidays and looking at some of perhaps more original ways of spending your time crossing Europe, you now have a new option in a train between Prague and Copenhagen via Berlin and Hamburg.

The Czech operator, České dráhy, has been somewhat excitedly posting about the latest addition to the growing network of cross-European trains as more passengers turn towards environmentally friendly and picturesque alternatives to flying.

US president’s latest outburst comes a day after he suggested a ‘possible reduction’ in US troops in Germany

• Why does the US have military bases in Germany – and will Trump follow through on his threat?

Donald Trump has again lashed out at Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, saying he should focus on “fixing his broken country” and trying to end the Russia-Ukraine war – and spend less time “interfering” in Iran.

“The Chancellor of Germany should spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!),” Trump wrote in a social media post.

US president uses social media post to criticise chancellor over Ukraine, immigration and ‘interfering’ in Iran conflict

The Commission was also asked about yesterday’s meeting of Hungary’s incoming prime minister, Péter Magyar.

But we didn’t get much more than what we saw in yesterday’s social media posts from Magyar and the EU’s Ursula von der Leyen.

Ursula von der Leyen later due to meet new Hungarian leader who is seeking to unlock EU funds in return for reforms

AFP is reporting that so far, officials in Brussels are hopeful that Péter Magyar – who once served under Viktor Orbán, before turning on his former boss – will genuinely launch a new chapter in ties.

But wary of celebrating too soon, they insist they need to see concrete moves and not just kind words.

“A huge mandate, a strong mandate, a great responsibility!

We know our task: we will bring home the EU funds that Hungarians are entitled to. More soon.”

Sakharov prize winner was given eight-year sentence after process widely condemned as politically motivated

The Polish-Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut, the 2025 Sakharov prize winner, has been freed after five years in a Belarusian penal colony as part of a US-brokered multi-country swap deal.

His release has been confirmed by Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, who posted a picture of him on social media, saying: “Andrzej Poczobut is free! Welcome to your Polish home, my friend.”

Sakharov prize winner was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony in Belarus in 2021

Polish-Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut, the 2025 Sakharov prize winner, has been freed from Belarusian prison.

His release has been confirmed by Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk, who posted a picture of him on social media saying: “Andrzej Poczobut is free! Welcome to your Polish home, my friend.”

“Both have paid a heavy price for speaking truth to power, becoming symbols of the struggle for freedom and democracy.”

Across country, at least 14 have been injured as Zelenskyy highlights importance of air defences

Top EU officials and Hungary’s incoming government will discuss on Wednesday the changes Budapest needs to push through to release €17bn in EU funds that have been blocked due to rule-of-law concerns under the outgoing government of Viktor Orbán.

Some of the frozen funds, such as €11bn euros ($13bn) from the post-pandemic Recovery Fund, must be drawn by mid-August, or be irrevocably lost, Reuters noted.

Musician Chris Martin, tennis star Iga Świątek and footballer Robert Lewandowski join Łatwogang in epic fundraiser

A Polish social media influencer has raised more than £50m after a nine-day, nonstop online stream during which he was joined by a parade of celebrity guests to help a charity supporting children battling cancer.

Streaming from a studio flat in right-bank Warsaw, the 23-year-old influencer, known by his nickname Łatwogang, listened to a charity song dedicated to children battling cancer on loop for nine days straight, filling time with entertaining dares and celebrity appearances.