Summary
Vladimir Putin didn’t make any shift in Moscow’s position during a call with Donald Trump that lasted over an hour. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Moscow wants a negotiated end to the Ukraine war but would not step back from its original goals. He told reporters: “Our president also said that Russia will achieve the goals it has set: that is, the elimination of the well-known root causes that led to the current state of affairs, to the current acute confrontation, and Russia will not back down from these goals.” Ushakov also said that while Russia was open to continuing to speak with the US, any peace negotiations needed to occur between Moscow and Kyiv. There’s been no word from the White House so we don’t yet know what Trump made of the call, but if and when we get that it’ll be covered over on our US politics blog.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy openly spoke about “doubts about continued US support for Europe” as he repeated his call to “strengthen our cooperation and coordination” through the EU, Nato, and in bilateral relations (he said today he wants Ukraine to join the EU, which Denmark threw itself behind). He explicitly said that Ukraine needs the US and there will area where the US support is essentially irreplaceable, but it’s clear this is a source of growing concern for him. He is due to talk to Donald Trump tomorrow, so they will no doubt discuss the US military weapons deliveries pause. Zelenskyy also made it clear that he remained supportive of the US president’s efforts to bring about a lasting peace and hinted that “a meeting at the level of leaders” would be needed to conclude any talks.
French president Emmanuel Macron said he wanted a EU-US trade deal “as soon as possible, with the lowest tariffs possible”, as a Washington-set deadline looms to reach an accord. His comments come as the EU’s trade chief, Maroš Šefčovič, is in Washington DC for talks with the US administration amid hopes that a framework deal can be struck ahead of the next week’s deadline to avoid punishing 50% tariffs. The US secretary of treasury Scott Bessent offered a rather cryptic answer on the progress of talks with the EU saying only: “We will see what we can do.”
Prime minister Mette Frederiksen said Denmark has to “steer Europe safely through one of the most challenging times in our history” at the inauguration ceremony for the Danish presidency of the EU in Aarhus. In a hard-hitting speech she was clear about Denmark’s priorities with security, supporting Ukraine, and migration.
A wildfire fanned by gale-force winds forced the evacuation of more than 1,500 people on the Greek island of Crete, officials said, as large swathes of continental Europe baked in a punishing early summer heatwave linked to at least nine deaths. About 230 firefighters, along with 46 vehicles and helicopters, were battling the blaze today after it broke out 24 hours earlier near Ierapetra on the south-east coast of the country’s largest island, threatening to engulf houses and hotels.
Two wildfires that began overnight near the western Turkish resort of Izmir were raging out of control today, fuelled by high winds, officials said. Locals in at least five districts in the two areas were evacuated as a precaution but there were no immediate reports of injuries.
It comes as Europe continues to face extreme heat, with Spain, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and Croatia all experiencing temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius today. In Italy, the fierce heat over the last week has been linked to at least five deaths, with two people, aged 75 and 60, dying on beaches in Sardinia. Italy’s health ministry placed 18 major cities on maximum ‘red’ alert for heat today, 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.
Due to the climate emergency, Italian seas have reached temperatures above 20C even at depths of 40 metres, according to a report released yesterday by Greenpeace. Across the Mediterranean, 2024 marked the hottest year on record for average sea temperature in the basin, with a mean value of 21.16C.
Serbian police detained 79 protesters late last night in a crackdown on street demonstrators calling for a snap election and an end of the 12-year rule of Aleksandar Vučić and his Serbian Progressive Party. Police and protesters clashed in the capital Belgrade and the cities of Novi Sad, Niš and Novi Pazar, the interior ministry said in a statement. Today, the European Union strongly condemned “acts of hatred and violence” in Serbia and called for calm.
Portugal and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota died in a car crash overnight. The accident, first reported by Portuguese media and the Spanish sports newspaper Marca, took place near Zamora in northwest Spain, with local emergency services confirming two fatalities aged 28 and 26, without giving their names. The Portuguese football association confirmed the media reports in a statement, saying they “lacks the words” to describe the loss of the player. The BBC earlier said it also confirmed Jota’s death with the Spanish civil guard, Guardia Civil. Local media reported that the car went off road and was fully engulfed in flames by the time first responders arrived on scene.
Food delivery platform Glovo announced it was suspending the introduction of financial bonuses for couriers working in high temperatures, following criticism from unions and politicians. Union leaders and politicians condemned the scheme, warning it risked turning “a health hazard into an economic incentive”, and insisted that “no compensation can justify working under extreme risk conditions”.
Lauren Sánchez packed 27 designer dresses for her wedding to the billionaire Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, in Venice last week, but left with only 26 after one went missing. Sources familiar with the situation confirmed that a dress had gone missing but denied it was stolen. It is unclear where the dress disappeared and when.
Four people were injured in a stabbing in Tampere, Finland. Police said there were no fatalities, and investigators believe there is no reason to suspect “a terrorist or racist motive”.
French air traffic controllers began a two-day strike demanding better working conditions, causing disruption to air travel as the summer season gets under way. Ryanair said it had to cancel 170 flights disrupting 30,000 passengers, with a secondary effect on flights flying over France to other destinations. Air France, France’s largest airline said it had adapted its flight schedule, without giving details, but that it was maintaining long-haul flights.
Kremlin aid Yuri Ushakov also said that while Russia was open to continuing to speak with the US, any peace negotiations needed to occur between Moscow and Kyiv.
That comment comes amid some indications that Moscow is trying to avoid a trilateral format for any peace negotiations. The Russians asked American diplomats to leave the room during such a meeting in Istanbul in early June, Ukrainian officials have said.
Trump and Putin did not talk about a face-to-face meeting, Ushakov added.
On Iran, Yuri Ushakov said:
The Russian side emphasised the importance of resolving all disputes, disagreements and conflict situations exclusively by political and diplomatic means.
Trump last month sent US military bombers to strike three Iranian nuclear sites, in a move condemned by Moscow as unprovoked and illegal.
Here’s more detail on the call between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump which, from the Russian side, suggests that Putin did not make any shift in Moscow’s position during the conversation with the US president.
As we reported earlier, a Kremlin aide said Moscow wants a negotiated end to the Ukraine war but will not step back from its original goals.
In the wide-ranging conversation, Trump “again raised the issue of an early end to military action” in Ukraine, Yuri Ushakov told reporters, adding:
Vladimir Putin, for his part, noted that we continue to seek a political and negotiated solution to the conflict.
Putin briefed Trump on the implementation of agreements reached between Russia and Ukraine last month to exchange prisoners-of-war and dead soldiers, Ushakov said, and told him that Moscow was ready to continue negotiations with Kyiv. He went on:
Our president also said that Russia will achieve the goals it has set: that is, the elimination of the well-known root causes that led to the current state of affairs, to the current acute confrontation, and Russia will not back down from these goals.
The phrase “root causes” is shorthand for the Kremlin’s argument that it was compelled to go to war in Ukraine to prevent the country from joining Nato and being used by the western alliance as a launch pad to attack Russia.
Updated
We are still waiting to hear from Donald Trump on his call with Putin.
But be assured that we will bring you the US view on the phone call when we have it.
That’s all from me for today, but Lucy Campbell will guide you through the evening.
Updated
Macron says he wants EU-US deal 'as soon as possible'
Separately, French president Emmanuel Macron said he wanted a EU-US trade deal “as soon as possible, with the lowest tariffs possible”, as a Washington-set deadline looms to reach an accord, AFP reported.
“The right deal for me is the deal that is struck as soon as possible, with the lowest tariffs possible, and that must be fair and firm,” Macron said.
His comments come as the EU’s trade chief, Maroš Šefčovič, is in Washington DC for talks with the US administration amid hopes that a framework deal can be struck ahead of the next week’s deadline to avoid punishing tariffs (17:27 and 17:59).
Updated
Four people injured in stabbing in Finland
Trump-Putin spoke for 'nearly hour' on 'negotiated solution' on Ukraine, but Russia won't step back from its goals, senior Kremlin aide says
We are getting first lines from a senior Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov on the Trump-Putin call.
As per Reuters, he told reporters:
The pair spoke for nearly an hour, stating their intention to “seek a negotiated solution” on Ukraine and Trump “raising issue of bringing Ukraine conflict to swift halt.”
But Putin insisted that Russia “will achieve its goal of removing root issues that led to Ukraine conflict” and “will not step back from its goals.”
Russia’s position is “that Ukraine peace talks are between Moscow and Kyiv”
Putin and Trump did not talk about halting of some US weapons deliveries to Ukraine.
They also had “a detailed discussion” on Iran and the Middle East.
The leaders agreed they would continue discussions going forward.
Updated
'We will see what we can do with the EU,' US treasury secretary Bessent says
We are still waiting to get any updates on the Trump-Putin call, but in the meantime the US secretary of treasury Scott Bessent offered a rather cryptic answer on the progress of talks with the EU saying “we will see what we can do,” Reuters reported.
As you know, EU’s trade chief Maroš Šefčovič is in Washington tonight, with the bloc hoping they could get a high-level deal in place to avoid 50% tariffs on all exports from next week (17:27).
Glovo suspends controversial bonus scheme for deliveries in high temperatures
in Palermo
A day after the food delivery platform Glovo introduced financial bonuses for couriers working in high temperatures, the company announced on Thursday it was suspending the initiative following criticism from unions and politicians.
Glovo had offered a 2% bonus for deliveries made in temperatures between 32°C and 36°C, 4% between 36°C and 40°C, and 8% for temperatures above 40°C — a move that sparked a backlash in Italy.
Union leaders and politicians condemned the scheme, warning it risked turning “a health hazard into an economic incentive”, and insisted that “no compensation can justify working under extreme risk conditions”.
On Thursday, the platform said it had “decided to temporarily suspend nationwide the bonus system for deliveries carried out during the hottest hours of the day”.
Responding to the controversy, Glovo issued a statement:
“The bonus is not an incentive to work. Riders are fully free to choose.
The current collaboration model guarantees each rider maximum freedom to decide when and how to work, even in challenging weather conditions.
In this context, the so-called bonus during periods of extreme heat is intended as a compensatory measure and in no way represents an incentive to work. The bonus is activated automatically once certain temperature thresholds are exceeded.”
I have earlier promised you I would keep an eye on the developments in Finland, where police reported that several people were stabbed near a shopping centre in Tampere.
The latest update from the emergency services is that they cordoned off the scene of the incident and are interviewing witnesses.
But the Finnish Broadcasting Company, of Yle, says there is still little clarity as to how many people were wounded in the attack and the extent of their injuries.
I will let you know if or when we know more.
Designer dress goes missing from Bezos-Sánchez wedding
in Rome
Lauren Sánchez packed 27 designer dresses for her wedding to the billionaire Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, in Venice last week, but left with only 26 after one went missing.
The couple, who are now honeymooning in Taormina, Sicily, were wed during a star-studded three-day celebration in the lagoon city.
They left Venice on Sunday, but mystery over the missing dress has generated chatter in Venice, with Corriere della Sera claiming that it was stolen, possibly by someone who evaded security and gatecrashed a party on the tiny island of San Giorgio, where the couple exchanged rings, on Friday.
The newspaper said the number of gatecrashers to the event was such that officers from the local unit of Italy’s anti-terrorism squad, Digos, were called to the island.
Sources familiar with the situation confirmed that a dress had gone missing but denied it was stolen. It is unclear where the dress disappeared and when. The couple lodged at the seven-star Aman hotel, where the bride’s wedding outfits were reportedly kept under close watch.
The sources stressed that no legal complaint about the missing dress had been made to police, with the expectation being that the garment would eventually “turn up”. They also denied the report that a dress caught fire and that the celebrations had been infiltrated by gatecrashers.
… and on a slightly lighter note …
More than 70 detained in Serbia in police crackdown on protesters
Serbian police detained 79 protesters late on Wednesday in a crackdown on street demonstrators calling for a snap election and an end of the 12-year rule of the President Aleksandar Vučić and his Serbian Progressive Party, Reuters reported.
Police and protesters clashed in the capital Belgrade and the cities of Novi Sad, Niš and Novi Pazar, the interior ministry said in the statement.
On Wednesday evening, police moved to remove students in front of the entrance of the Law Faculty in Belgrade, and briefly detained dozens, N1 TV reported.
On Thursday, the European Union strongly condemned “acts of hatred and violence” in Serbia and called for calm, AFP said.
“We strongly condemn all acts of hate and violence. The rights of peaceful demonstration, freedom of assembly and freedom of expression are to be upheld,” the EU delegation in Serbia posted on X.
The statement said, “police action must be proportionate and respect fundamental rights.”
Agencies are also noting that tennis superstar Novak Djoković pumped his arms when celebrating a win over Dan Evans at Wimbledon – a gesture that has become a symbol of the protests.
Crete wildfire forces 1,500 to evacuate as Europe heatwave continues
Jon Henley Europe correspondent and Angela Giuffrida in Rome
A wildfire fanned by gale-force winds has forced the evacuation of more than 1,500 people on the Greek island of Crete, officials have said, as large swathes of continental Europe baked in a punishing early summer heatwave linked to at least nine deaths.
About 230 firefighters, along with 46 vehicles and helicopters, were battling the blaze on Thursday after it broke out 24 hours earlier near Ierapetra on the south-east coast of the country’s largest island, threatening to engulf houses and hotels.
A fire brigade spokesperson, Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, said: “There are wind gusts in the area, some measuring 9 on the Beaufort scale, triggering rekindling and hindering firefighting efforts.” He added that four settlements had been evacuated.
Residents and tourists were taking shelter at an indoor stadium and some had left Crete by boat, authorities said. Local media reported some homes had been damaged. An estimated 5,000 more holidaymakers left south-east Crete independently.
EU closing in on ‘framework’ trade deal with US to avoid Trump’s 50% tariffs
The EU and US are closing in on a high-level “framework” trade deal that would avert 50% tariffs on all exports from the bloc next Wednesday, Donald Trump’s self-imposed deadline.
Talks in Washington could go down to the wire, but diplomats and officials said the EU was willing to accept Trump’s 10% blanket tariffs. Negotiators will only accept this, however, in exchange for an extension in talks and possible concessions on a 25% car tariff, which is hurting the German car industry, sources said.
Trump has threatened to impose 50% tariffs on all EU goods from 9 July unless the two sides reach a deal. Most EU goods already face a 10% tariff, with levies of 25% on cars and car parts and 50% on steel and aluminium.
The EU’s trade chief, Maroš Šefčovič, who is in Washington seeking to seal an agreement, has been granted an unexpected meeting with the US commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, on Thursday afternoon.
Šefčovič will also meet the trade representative Jamieson Greer and the treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, who has been closest to Trump in other key talks including with China.
The push for a narrowly focused agreement in principle comes days after the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, reiterated his calls for a quick deal. “It is better to achieve a quick and simple solution than a lengthy and complicated one that remains in the negotiation stage for months,” he said in Berlin.
One EU diplomat said they expected a deal “if not this week then before Wednesday”, because it was “in everybody’s interest”.
“It will be very high level, but enough for Trump to declare victory,” said one source. Some believe a deal could even be struck this week, giving Trump a significant announcement on 4 July Independence Day celebrations on Friday.
As we wait for any update on that Trump-Putin call – which is still ongoing, as per the Kremlin – let me bring you some other news from around Europe.
Zelenskyy's comments on US aid, Trump in Denmark - snap analysis
It’s interesting that Zelenskyy openly spoke about “doubts about continued US support for Europe” (16:45) as he repeated his call to “strengthen our cooperation and coordination” through the EU, Nato, and in bilateral relations.
He explicitly said that Ukraine needs the US and there will area where the US support is essentially irreplaceable (16:55), but it’s clear this is a source of growing concern for him.
It looks like he might be talking to Trump tomorrow, so this question will no doubt pop up in that conversation.
But in the meantime, the big question is: what will come out of Trump-Putin call today?
Zelenskyy made it clear that he remained supportive of the US president’s efforts to bring about a lasting peace and hinted that “a meeting at the level of leaders” would be needed to conclude any talks (17:06).
But would it be just a meeting of him and Putin – or perhaps there could be a third chair for Trump, too?
'Strenghten us, as you did before,' Zelenskyy tells reporter asking what Denmark could do to help Ukraine
Ha, that’s interesting.
With the press conference wrapping up and the leaders turning around to walk off the podium, one journalist defiantly persisted with asking his question regardless.
He wanted to know what the Danish presidency in the EU could do to support Ukraine.
Already two steps away from the podium, Zelenskyy turned around and appeared to say:
“Strenghten us, as you did before.”
'Not sure they have a lot of common topics to talk,' Zelenskyy says on Trump-Putin call
Zelenskyy also gets asked about Trump’s call with Putin, he says:
I don’t know. I’m not sure that they have a lot of common ideas, common topics to talk because they are very different people.
He then reiterates that Ukraine has been supportive of president Trump’s proposal for an unconditional ceasefire “from the very beginning.”
He adds that Ukraine remains ready for “any kind of format” for talks, and “I think that in Russia, only Putin is the real decision maker” and “that’s why we need a meeting on the level of leaders if we really want peace.”
We want Ukraine to be EU member, Zelenskyy reaffirms
Zelenskyy also gets asked about some countries – read: Hungary – blocking Ukraine’s ambition to join the EU.
He says:
From our side we do our best during the war, really.
He adds that security context makes it difficult for government to progress at pace, but he says clearly:
We want to go further forward, to be a member of the EU.
He appears to briefly consider going further in his comments on this, but then makes a pause, and says it’s a “sensitive question,” and merely ends by saying “we will manage.”
Frederiksen repeats her backing for the accession, and says “the vast majority” of countries are in favour.
But she says it’s “a bit too early” to talk about concrete next steps.
Responding to the same question, Denmark’s Frederiksen repeats her line that “the war in Ukraine has never only been about Ukraine – it’s about Europe.”
“All of us hope that US will continue their support for Ukraine, and because of Ukraine for Europe, but if there are any gaps, then I personally believe that we should be willing to fill in,” she says.
Von der Leyen says that EU countries can spend more money on Ukraine with newly agreed fiscal flexibility, and any such spending would also count towards the new, higher Nato targets.
Zelenskyy confirms plans for call with Trump, says Ukraine counts on continuing US support
Zelenskyy gets asked about the pause in US aid deliveries for Ukraine, with EU leaders questioned if they can step in to fill this void.
“We count on continuation of American support, [and] there are some items which Europe … doesn’t have,” he says, referencing missiles for Patriot systems, among others.
“This is crucial,” he says.
He also makes a broader point on supporting Ukraine’s domestic military production.
On Ukraine’s relationship with the US, he says “I hope that maybe tomorrow or in coming days … I will speak about it with president Trump.”
Updated
'Putin does not want peace, so we need to put pressure on him,' EU's von der Leyen says
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is up next, who says the Danish presidency will now be tasked with getting the 18th package of sanctions over the line, despite opposition from Hungary and Slovakia.
“I am confident that this will be possible,” she says.
We all know that Putin does not want peace, so we need to put pressure on him to come to the negotiation table.
She says Russia’s “overheated war economy” appears to be “coming to its limits,” as she also calls for more investment in defence to support Ukraine’s self-defence.
On trade, she lauds the recent EU-Ukraine trade agreement that she says “will provide long term and predictable trade relationship on agricultural products.”
“We are working hard on your accession process. We’re preparing for your future as a free at modern country inside the European Union,” she says.
'Deeply disappointed' with Russia not engaging with Trump's peace plans, EU's Costa says
European Council president and former Portuguese prime minister António Costa strikes a similar tone, pointedly criticising Russia for threatening the global peace and violating the international rules-based order.
“I’m deeply disappointed that Russia is not engaging with the efforts of President Trump to achieve a just and lasting peace,” he says.
He stresses the EU will “continue to give full support to Ukraine,” with member states getting more flexibility to spend more on Ukraine aid.
On accession, he praises “impressive” work by Ukraine, and also signals his support for “moving forward” in talks on accession.
Even more important to strenghten cooperation among doubts about continued US support, Zelenskyy tells EU leaders in Denmark
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy begins with elegant congratulations to Denmark for assuming the EU presidency.
“Our first goal is put maximum pressure on Russia to stop this war. These pressure means building up our defence, and keeping tough sanctions on Russia. And we are working hard on both,” he says.
He says he is expecting a “strong” 18th package of EU sanctions and hopes for “full coordination of these sanctions across key global jurisdictions.”
He also highlights the importance of working together on defence funding, and on Ukraine’s plans to be involved in the EU’s rearming process.
He then turns to the EU’s enlargement process, as he says Ukraine “has done everything required” to start accession talks, and adds “we will be ready for other clusters later this year.”
He says that “when there are doubts about continued US support for Europe, it’s even more important to strengthen our cooperation and coordination through the EU, Nato and also in our direct relations.”
Zelenskyy appears alongside EU leaders in Denmark
Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen opens the briefing by saying the European family “would not be complete” without Zelenskyy in attendance as “no one is sacrificing more for Europe right now than you and your brave countrymen and women.”
The blood shed on the fields of Donetsk is Ukrainian, but the fight for freedom is Europe’s.
She says European leaders “need to stop thinking about European support for Ukraine as donations or gifts and see it as it is, the defence of Europe against aggressive Russian imperialism.”
It has been said that we live in the age of predators. In this age, Europe must not end up being the prey.
We are expecting to hear from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy very soon.
He is about to appear alongside Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president António Costa at a briefing in Aarhus, Denmark.
Several people stabbed in Tanmere, Finnish police say
Several people were stabbed near the Ratina shopping centre in the Finnish city of Tampere, police said in a statement.
A suspect was arrested at the scene and it is believed there is no further danger to the public.
“The victims are being given first aid,” they added.
I will keep an eye on this story in the background as we wait for more updates on Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy.
The call between Trump and Putin comes just hours after a deputy commander of the Russian navy who had previously led one of the military’s most notorious brigades has been killed near the frontline with Ukraine.
Here’s our defence and security editor Dan Sabbagh’s take on this:
Gudkov had been personally promoted by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in March, having led the 155th marine brigade, a frontline unit repeatedly reconstituted because so many of its members had been killed.
Originally considered an elite unit, members of the 155th brigade have been accused of war crimes by Kyiv during the course of the war, such as the execution of nine Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Kursk region last summer. A captured Russian marine said he had witnessed the killing of two other PoWs a month earlier in the same sector.
The Russian unit participated in the failed attempt to take Kyiv in spring 2022, and was then involved the repeated offensives at Vuhledar in 2023 in the south-east corner of the frontline, before being redeployed to fight off Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk province.
Timings wise, the Trump-Putin call puts Ukraine’s Zelenskyy in an awkward position.
He is now meeting Danish king Frederik X, and will soon move to join the Danish EU presidency event, where he is expected make brief ‘doorstep’ remarks at some point in the next hour.
So, essentially, at the same time as the Trump-Putin call.
Updated
'Will be speaking to Putin,' Trump confirms
And we now have a confirmation of the call with Putin from Trump, as he says on Truth Social:
Will be speaking to President Putin of Russia at 10:00 A.M. Thank you!
10am (presumably?) Washington time is 3pm London, 4pm CEST, so essentially in just under ten minutes from now.
Russia's Putin says he will talk with Trump later today
Russian president Vladimir Putin told Russian media he was going to speak with US president Donald Trump later today.
Reuters noted that it will be the sixth publicly known conversation since Trump’s inauguration in January. They last spoke in mid-June.
The call comes after we heard that Trump is also planning to speak with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy tomorrow (13:42).
EU's von der Leyen's line on US trade talks sets expectations for Šefčovič’s meeting in Washington - snap analysis
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.
Updated
Frederiksen's language on Ukraine and migration a sign of Danish priorities - snap analysis
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.
Denmark's Frederiksen throws her support behind Ukraine's accession to EU
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.
Updated
EU plans to strike deal in principle with US before 9 July deadline, von der Leyen confirms
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.”
US halt to military aid would be a serious setback for Ukraine and Europe, Frederiksen says
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.”
'Ready for deal' with US, but 'all instruments on table,' EU's von der Leyen says
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 needs to steer Europe through one of most challenging times in history, Frederiksen says
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.
Zelenskyy hails new drone production deal with US company as he begins Denmark trip
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.
Ukraine's Zelenskyy to speak with Trump on Friday on weapon deliveries pause
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.
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European heatwave – in pictures
More details emerge about Lleida wildfire that killed two in Spain
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.
At least five deaths linked to extreme heat in Italy
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.
Italian seas see temperatures above 20 Celsius at 40 metres, Greenpeace warns
in Italy
Due to the climate emergency, Italian seas have reached temperatures above 20C even at depths of 40 metres, according to a report released on Wednesday by Greenpeace.
The report, titled Mare Caldo (“Warm Sea”), draws on data collected in 2024 by the University of Genoa.
In the Cinque Terre, sea temperatures rose by as much as 3.65C above the seasonal average. Similar anomalies were recorded across a number of marine areas: 3.25C in Miramare, just over 3C in the Tremiti Islands, 3.28C in Portofino, 3.21C near Elba, 2.39C in Tavolara, 2.38C in Torre Guaceto, 2.31C off Ventotene, 2.23C in Plemmirio, 1.90C near Asinara, and 1.49C in Capo Carbonara.
In Syracuse, water temperatures remained around 26C even below 20 metres of depth, with peaks of 23C recorded beyond 40 metres.
Across the Mediterranean, 2024 marked the hottest year on record for average sea temperature in the basin, with a mean value of 21.16C.
The warming trend was observed throughout the year, with unusually high temperatures recorded not only in summer but also during winter months.
Let’s now do a quick round on the latest about the heatwave in Europe and its implications for people’s lives and the environment.
Zelenskyy lands in Denmark for talks on prospects for EU accession
Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Denmark today to attend a ceremony marking the Danish presidency of the European Union which began on 1 July.
Zelenskyy will be hosted by the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, and will meet with the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and the European Council president António Costa for talks on Ukraine’s membership in the EU.
Frederiksen said in a press statement that “Ukraine belongs in the EU,” as she pledged to “do everything we can to help Ukraine on its path towards EU membership.”
Separately, Zelenskyy will also soon meet with the Danish monarch, King Frederik X.
Deputy head of Russian Navy killed by Ukraine in Kursk, official says
Maj Gen Mikhail Gudkov, the deputy head of the Russian Navy who also led a brigade fighting against Ukraine, has been killed in Russia’s Kursk region, Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of a far eastern Russian region, said on Telegram.
Unofficial Russian and Ukrainian military Telegram channels had earlier reported that Gudkov had been killed along with 10 other servicemen in a Ukrainian attack on a command post in Korenevo in the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, Reuters added.
EU should seek to strike 'quick, simple' deal with US on tariffs, Germany's Merz says
Back to European politics, German chancellor Friedrich Merz reiterated his call for the European Union to strike a “quick and simple” deal on tariffs with the United States, with just days to go before a negotiating deadline, AFP reported.
“It is better to achieve a quick and simple solution than a lengthy and complicated one that remains in the negotiation stage for months,” he told the annual convention of the National Association of Cooperative Banks in Berlin.
His comments come as the bloc’s trade chief Maroš Šefčovič is in Washington for talks with the US ahead of next week’s deadline.
Portuguese prime minister Luís Montenegro reacted to the news of Jota’s death, expressing his condolences to his family.
The news of the death of Diogo Jota, an athlete who greatly honored Portugal’s name, and his brother is unexpected and tragic. I extend my deepest condolences to their family. It is a sad day for football and for national and international sports.
You can follow our football live blog for more updates here:
Updated
Portugal and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota dies in car crash
We are now getting shocking news from Spain that Portugal and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has died in a car crash overnight.
The accident, first reported by Portuguese media and the Spanish sports newspaper Marca, took place near Zamora in northwest Spain, with local emergency services confirming two fatalities aged 28 and 26, without giving their names.
The Portuguese football association have confirmed the media reports in a statement, saying they “lacks the words” to describe the loss of the player.
BBC earlier said it also confirmed Jota’s death with the Spanish civil guard, Guardia Civil.
Local media reported that the car went off road and was fully engulfed in flames by the time first responders arrived on scene.
Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the club. He won the Premier League title, the FA Cup and League club with Liverpool, the Championship title with Wolves in 2018 and was a two-time winner of the Uefa Nations League with Portugal.
He was an immensely popular figure in the Liverpool dressing room with a warm and friendly personality.
Jota and his partner were married in Porto on 22 June, and announced the news in a social media post a few days ago.
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French air traffic controllers go on strike over pay causing travel disruptions
Meanwhile, French air traffic controllers began a two-day strike demanding better working conditions, causing disruption to air travel as the summer season gets under way, Reuters reported.
Ryanair said it had to cancel 170 flights disrupting 30,000 passengers, with a secondary effect on flights flying over France to other destinations. “EU skies cannot be repeatedly closed just because French Air Traffic Controllers are going on recreational strikes,” the airline said.
Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary went even further, saying that “once again European families are held to ransom by French air traffic controllers going on strike,” adding “it makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays.”
Air France, France’s largest airline said it had adapted its flight schedule, without giving details, but that it was maintaining long-haul flights.
Wind-fuelled wildfires rage in Turkey
Separately, two wildfires that began overnight near the western Turkish resort of Izmir were raging out of control on Thursday, fuelled by high winds, officials said, in comments reported by AFP.
“Strong winds are making firefighting efforts difficult in Izmir,” Turkey’s forestry directorate said on X as aerial firefighting planes and helicopters resumed their sorties at sunrise.
Locals in at least five districts in the two areas were evacuated as a precaution but there were no immediate reports of injuries.
Since Friday, hundreds of fires have been reported across drought-hit Turkey, fuelled by high winds, AFP noted.
On Monday, more than 50,000 people were evacuated, mostly in the Izmir area but also from the southern province of Hatay, the AFAD disaster management agency said.
Morning opening: Heatwave continues with wildfire warnings in place
More than 1,500 people were evacuated from hotels and homes overnight on Crete as firefighters are fighting a fast-spreading wildfire on the southern coast of the Greek island.
Over 230 firefighters are involved fighting multiple outbreaks posing a “very difficult” overall picture for the emergency services, the Greek fire brigade said in an update on Thursday morning.
A separate fire broke out in Halkidiki region of Greece, with 160 firefighters and 49 vehicles involved in emergency response, the fire service said.
The service warned that the country was entering “the most difficult month of the fire season,” with strong winds contributing to their spread.
Separate wildfires were reported in Germany, where at least two were seriously injured and over 100 reportedly evacuated in a forest fire in Saxony, and in Spain.
The fires come as Europe continues to face extreme weather conditions, with Spain, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and Croatia all expected to report temperatures in mid-30s today.
I will bring you all the latest here.
It’s Thursday, 2 July 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
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