00:00KONIEC
00:30Now entering its fourth winter
00:31As the US piles pressure on the country to make concessions
00:35The French President pulled out all the stops
00:37For President Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelensky yesterday
00:40As they move on to Ireland today
00:42Concern is rising that Ukraine could be forced into a bad deal
00:46For an update I'm joined here on set
00:49By Euronews' Ukraine correspondent Sasha Vakilina
00:51And Euronews' EU editor Maria Tadeo
00:54Good morning, lovely to have you with us
00:55Sasha, the territorial question seems to be the hardest to solve
00:59How will they manage?
01:00This has always been the most complicated point
01:02Both for Kyiv and for Moscow
01:04Because while Kyiv is trying to negotiate
01:06And trying to see where the deal is
01:07They also insist on first having a ceasefire
01:09And then discussing any possible territorial concessions
01:12Whilst for Moscow, the Kremlin never moved
01:14And never scaled down on its maximalist demands
01:17Not only it wants the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine
01:20It also wants Ukraine to withdraw Kyiv forces
01:23From Ukraine's territory
01:24Which Russia never ever occupied
01:26Now for Kyiv, this is not just a matter of fact
01:28For Volodymyr Zelensky
01:29This is something that Ukrainians and the military would never accept
01:33Given that there are millions of Ukrainians
01:34Still on those occupied territories
01:36And more than one million Ukrainian children
01:38Who are still there on Ukraine's occupied territories
01:41And meanwhile, Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff
01:43Is planning to visit Moscow today
01:45What are his motives there?
01:47The meeting is indeed scheduled for this afternoon in Moscow
01:49He's going to sit down with Putin
01:52Interestingly, he might make a stop in Ireland
01:55Where Volodymyr Zelensky now is
01:56Because we also know that Ukraine's delegation
01:59Are going to meet Zelensky in Ireland
02:01On their way back from Florida
02:03There might be some sort of a point
02:05For them to have a quick meeting
02:06And to negotiate a little bit
02:07To see where the positions are
02:09And whether anything has changed
02:10Before Witkoff goes to Putin
02:13To present to him
02:14Whatever was discussed in Florida, Maeve
02:17And meanwhile, Marie Tadeo
02:18The Europeans are trying to muscle their way back
02:20Onto the negotiation table
02:22That's why we saw President Macron
02:23Host President Zelensky yesterday
02:24Please update us
02:25Yeah, and it was really a red carpet moment
02:28As the second visit from the Ukrainian president
02:30To Paris
02:31To meet with the French president Emmanuel Macron
02:33Who really gave him a big public show of support
02:37Insisting that fundamentally
02:38The European position has not changed
02:41When it comes to Ukraine either
02:42Of course, we have to keep in mind
02:44Last week was a very difficult week
02:46For the Ukrainian government
02:47For the Ukrainian president
02:49Of course, we know that behind the scenes
02:51There is immense pressure from the U.S.
02:52To have the Ukrainians cut a quick deal
02:55With big concessions
02:57Especially on the territorial question
02:58But also the allegations of corruption
03:00When it comes to people and faces
03:03That are very close to President Zelensky
03:05The French president repeated
03:06The fundamental position has not changed
03:08We still believe that Russia is not interested in peace
03:11And Ukraine needs a dignified deal
03:14So let's take a look
03:15It is clear to all of us
03:20That when we talk about peace
03:21Everyone has a role to play
03:23Russia must stop the aggression
03:25It has given no signal
03:27No evidence in this regard
03:28Ukraine is the only one
03:30That can discuss its territories
03:32They belong to them
03:33As recognized by international law
03:35And sovereignty
03:36When we talk about security guarantees
03:38They cannot be discussed or negotiated
03:40Without the Ukrainians
03:41Whose territory it is
03:43Being at the table
03:44And without the Europeans
03:45And all the allies of the Coalition of the Willing
03:48Being at the table
03:49Since they are the guarantors
03:50And since it also concerns the security of European territory
03:54And that was the French president Emmanuel Macron
04:01Repeated the session in Paris
04:05Was useful because it can serve
04:06To prepare the sequence for the next days and weeks
04:10But that shows us that this imminent deal
04:12For a deal in this deadline is completely gone now
04:16And then two
04:18The French president is insisting
04:19That there are questions and guarantees
04:21That only Europeans can fix
04:22Because they hold the key
04:24Like when it comes to the frozen asset
04:25The issue of course is that the Trump train
04:27Has left the station
04:28And he's not always interested in the European input
04:31Okay
04:31Maria Tadeo and Sasha Vakilina
04:33Thank you so much for those updates
04:35Now coming up
04:36We'll be joined by Andrius Kubilius
04:38The EU Commissioner for Defence and Space
04:41The centre-right politician from Lithuania
04:43Has been twice prime minister, party leader
04:46And even had a stint as a member of the European Parliament
04:49As EU Commissioner now for Defence
04:51Based here in Brussels
04:53His task is to re-arm Europe
04:56Commissioner Kubilius
04:57Welcome to Europe Today
04:58On the week that marks one year
05:00Since you took up the post
05:02It's lovely to have you with us
05:03You're very welcome
05:04My pleasure
05:05Let's start by talking about the SAFE programme
05:08The 150 billion euro fund
05:10To help countries re-arm
05:11After months of talks
05:13You just signed a deal with Canada
05:15The first non-EU country, if you like
05:17Tell us more
05:17Yeah, so there are two good news
05:20One is that member states really signed up
05:22European Union member states
05:24Signed this, you know, SAFE loans
05:26We got the national investment plans
05:29We are prepared really to move very quickly
05:33In order that money should reach governments
05:37Somewhere, you know, during the next several months
05:39And second good news is really with Canada
05:42Which is showing that our programme is very open
05:44Despite the criticisms that we are protectionists and so on
05:48And the bad news, the UK talks are still ongoing
05:51Tell us more, what's going on?
05:53So, yeah, with Canada we had a very good agreement
05:57With UK it was not so successful
05:59But we see UK as a very important strategic partner
06:03In our defence and security
06:05We have a partnership agreement
06:06And SAFE loans, of course, is just the beginning of, you know
06:10It's just the beginning of this plan to re-arm Europe
06:12Let's talk about Ukraine
06:14Because, of course, you were sidelined
06:15By Trump's initial peace plan
06:17The 28-point peace plan
06:19Why is Brussels always reacting
06:21And never really driving the day?
06:23Well, I think that, again
06:26We really, you know
06:28We need perhaps to overcome
06:30Some kind of our mental, you know
06:32Problems that usually we are waiting
06:35When some plans will come from Washington DC
06:37It would be very good for us
06:39To have our own plan
06:41And then, you know, to compare with American plan
06:44To see what is good
06:45What we want to discuss
06:47So I think that we are moving in that direction
06:49Since really this approach
06:52That we need to be more independent
06:54Both in our defence capabilities
06:57But also in our geopolitical standing
07:00Is coming
07:00Because do you think President Trump
07:02Is interested in peace
07:03Or is he more interested in making money
07:05And real estate?
07:06Well, you know
07:07I cannot judge perhaps
07:09It's good that he is taking initiative
07:12Trying to bring peace
07:14The question is really
07:15If, you know, that peace
07:17As this plan is proposing
07:20Will be just and long-term peace
07:22That is what we need to be concerned
07:24And we're standing together with Ukraine
07:26And definitely Ukraine wants peace
07:28You know, and all of us will want peace
07:30The question is
07:31Are we able to really to convince Putin
07:34To sit down for negotiations
07:36And to agree on a just and long-term peace?
07:39Well, Vladimir Putin, of course
07:40Is meeting Steve Witkoff today
07:41Trump's envoy
07:42Could Ukraine be forced into a bad deal, Commissioner?
07:46Well, definitely no
07:49I cannot tell anything about what Ukraine now
07:53How they stand and what they want to do
07:55But that would be bad
07:57Bad deal would be bad not only for Ukraine
07:59It would be bad also for the whole Europe
08:00Because definitely we need to understand
08:03And we need to take seriously
08:06What our intelligence services are saying
08:07That during the next several years
08:09Russia can be ready to test Article 5
08:11Indeed, that's what the German Intelligence Service
08:13Said this week
08:13And are we ready for that potentiality here in Europe?
08:16Well, we are strong enough
08:18But also we need to see that Russia
08:21Is building their military capacity
08:23Very intensively
08:25They switched all their economy
08:27Into so-called war economy
08:28And we need to, you know, catch up
08:31And we need to ramp up our production
08:32That's what is our agenda
08:34And should young Europeans be learning how to fight?
08:37Well, we need to be ready to defend ourselves
08:38This is the only way how we can really
08:40Deter any kind of possible aggression
08:43What about the Russian frozen assets?
08:46The EU, you're banking on using this funding
08:48But Belgium is blocking it
08:49It's not going to happen
08:50Well, we shall see
08:52As we understand, really, you know
08:54Talks in between of Commission President
08:57And Belgian Prime Minister
08:59They are continuing
08:59We are ready to prepare
09:01What we call a legal proposal
09:03And then we expect that
09:05Later on
09:08On, you know, next council meeting
09:11European council meeting
09:12Where all the leaders will come
09:13There will be a decision
09:14Because this is very crucial
09:16We need to understand that
09:18Our financial support
09:19To Ukrainian defense capabilities
09:22Now are, you know
09:25Without any kind of
09:28There are no any more, you know
09:30Financial support from the United States
09:32So
09:33But the Belgians have put their foot down
09:35So you need a plan B
09:36Well, you know
09:38Well, I still hope that plan A
09:40Will happen
09:41So
09:41And that, you know
09:43That would be also very important
09:44Because such an amount of
09:46Financial support
09:48Maybe could convince also Putin
09:50That he will not achieve anything
09:51Okay, that's of course
09:52The leverage the EU has on the table
09:53Commissioner Gobilius
09:55Thank you so much for being our guest today
09:56On Europe Today
09:58Now the Commissioner
09:59As you can see
10:00Is kept awake at night
10:01Worrying about rearming Europe
10:02But most of us are also focused
10:04On counting the days
10:05Until Christmas
10:06Especially that now
10:07Advent has begun
10:08The city of Brussels
10:10Though has sparked
10:10A major controversy
10:11Among worshippers
10:12For installing
10:13An alternative kind of crib
10:15In the iconic
10:16Complace
10:16Ida Sanchez reports
10:18Brussels has a problem
10:21With the faces
10:22Of their new nativity
10:23Or rather
10:24The lack of them
10:25Mary, Joseph
10:26And baby Jesus
10:27Are depicted in clothes
10:29And with no faces
10:30Just a piece of fabric
10:32Honestly, it's awful
10:35It doesn't work
10:37I like it
10:38I don't like it
10:42However, I went to
10:43This interior designer's website
10:44And I found
10:45Some successful works
10:46You saw the heads
10:50And everything
10:51The costumes
10:52It's not pretty at all
10:53Yeah, it's beautiful
10:58Yeah, I like it
10:59I find it horrible
11:02To have changed
11:03Our traditions
11:04There's nothing human about it
11:08Paper faces
11:09Mean nothing to me
11:10Yeah, I like it actually
11:12I know some people
11:14Don't like it
11:15But I found it actually
11:16Different
11:17So, yeah
11:18I think it's good
11:19Yeah
11:20Not so much
11:24I like more realistic styles
11:27And this is too abstract for me
11:29For a nativity
11:32I think it's a shame
11:33Especially because apparently
11:34It was very expensive
11:35The nativity scene
11:38Made by the Brussels artist
11:39Victoria Maria
11:40Has the support
11:41Of the main church in Brussels
11:43And the mayor
11:44Of the Belgian capital
11:45The designer
11:47A Christian herself
11:49Said that she wanted
11:50To give free reign
11:51To everyone's imagination
11:53And on top of it
11:56The head of the figurine
11:57Of baby Jesus
11:58Has since been stolen
12:00Ida Sanchez
12:07Reporting there
12:08On a story
12:09That has triggered
12:09A national debate
12:10Here in Belgium
12:11About Christmas traditions
12:13Versus art
12:13Let us know your thoughts
12:15Write to us here
12:15At Europe Today
12:16At yournews.com
12:18But now
12:18Another big debate
12:20Is taking place
12:21But this time
12:21Next door in France
12:22About whether or not
12:23To cut free healthcare
12:25For foreign pensioners
12:26Our reporter
12:27Jakob Janis
12:28Brings you some bad news now
12:30If you were planning
12:30To retire
12:31In the south of France
12:32One day
12:33Boys, boys, boys
12:37Sun shines down
12:38So come to town
12:40Set your body free
12:41Was the summer hit
12:43Of 1987
12:44If you remember this song
12:46Boys and girls
12:47Do I have some news
12:48For you
12:49First
12:50Collect your nice pension
12:52You boomer
12:53Second
12:54Coming to town
12:56In Sabrina's words
12:57To set your body
12:58Body free
12:59Might just got
13:00A little bit harder
13:01The French government
13:06Plans to end
13:07Free healthcare
13:08For foreign pensioners
13:09Closing a loophole
13:11That let them join
13:12The system
13:12After just 90 days
13:14Of residence
13:15The law
13:16Will hit all
13:17Non-EU pensioners
13:18Including the British
13:19And the Americans
13:20And the numbers
13:22Are significant
13:23Data shows
13:24There are around
13:25100,000
13:26Adult Americans
13:28Living in France
13:29Today
13:29And a roughly
13:30Similar number
13:31Of Britons
13:32And the plan
13:33Is moving fast
13:35It was accepted
13:36By the parliament
13:37Last month
13:38With a clear majority
13:39And it is
13:40Likely to be passed
13:42By the French government
13:43Next year
13:44For future retirees
13:48That means
13:49The free ride
13:49Is soon to be over
13:51And for those
13:52Who already
13:53Have been taking
13:53Advantage
13:54Of the generous
13:55System
13:56All you are left
13:57With
13:57Is to sing
13:58In a thick
14:01American accent
14:02Because after all
14:04It's another song
14:05From your youth
14:06Isn't it?
14:12Jacob, Iannis there
14:13On just one
14:14Of the measures
14:15French lawmakers
14:16Want to use
14:16To address their spending
14:17And bring down
14:18Their budget deficits
14:19For more on that story
14:20Do visit
14:21Euronews.com
14:22Or download our app
14:23But that does bring
14:24Tuesday's edition
14:25Of Europe Today
14:26To an end
14:27Thank you so much
14:27For tuning in
14:28And do join us
14:29Again tomorrow
14:29I'll be joined here
14:31By the 2025 winner
14:32Of the Nobel Prize
14:33For Economics
14:34See you soon
14:34On Euronews
14:57I'll be joined aquí
14:59Do not forget...
15:02In.
15:03When you're Ojib
15:03Do not forget to
15:05To him
15:06You10
15:06Do not forget to
15:07Begin to
15:08Or cancel
15:09Foromas
15:09Do not forget to
15:11Use your
15:11Like you
15:12Do not forget to
15:12Or
15:13Take đi
15:13publishers
15:14You
15:14Here
15:14Fill
15:15On Euronews
15:15And
15:16Especially
15:16John
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