00:00You
00:05You
00:10You
00:15Good morning. It's Friday the 30th of January. I'm mad at win
00:20This is Europe Today your daily fix of European news and analysis
00:25Live here on your news coming up on today's show with Russia
00:30And Ukraine set to resume peace talks in Abu Dhabi over the weekend
00:35The EU's foreign policy chief says Moscow is not taking negotiations serious
00:40After yesterday's meeting of EU foreign ministers Kaya Callas also
00:45Accused the Kremlin of weaponizing winter by pounding Ukraine's energy
00:50Network and said the EU could consider an entry ban on Russian soldiers
00:55Who fought in Ukraine joining me now on set to debrief
01:00All of this is our EU editor Maria Tadeo
01:03Morning Maria great to have you
01:04Good morning great to see you
01:05Bring us up to speed now on the latest because it looks like Ukraine is facing a really really tough city
01:10Well, it is probably the most difficult winter for Ukraine since the war started of course
01:15There's been now a weather alert that suggests that temperatures will drop significantly in which
01:20We talk about minus 20 degrees potentially going all the way to minus 30 degrees
01:25The situation even more difficult because the war after four years the energy infrastructure
01:30Has been severely damaged and of course we've talked and reported many times
01:35On this network about the very difficult not just war frontline situation but really
01:40It's very humanitarian when it comes to the blackouts that can go on for hours the impact on the electricity
01:45And the heat in minus 20 degrees and no heat in obviously it's a very difficult situation
01:50Of Ukraine and for the people of Ukraine on that note yesterday
01:52Kaiek quayle said that
01:53She believes
01:55The Russians are not serious about the negotiations.
01:57We know there's a number of documents that have been put on the table.
02:00Conversations and talks that are going on between the U.S., Russia, the European Union and Ukraine.
02:05We talk about this idea of the prosperity plan, the reconstruction of Ukraine all the way to 2040.
02:09But obviously all of the.
02:10This is underpinned by the final peace settlement.
02:12And that still looks very, very far away.
02:15This brings up, however, a very uncomfortable question for Kayakalas, which is.
02:20Why are the Europeans not directly involved?
02:22Is there a way that Europe can have a bigger say?
02:25We are now seeing tensions within the 27, some of which suggest Kayakalas cannot do it.
02:30We need to bring up someone, someone else to talk to the Russians.
02:33Let's take a look at those.
02:35We need to talk with them if we want a solution.
02:38If we.
02:40Can't talk to them, we won't find a solution.
02:41And if if I was too small to do it, if then the president.
02:45Or someone else is able to represent Europe because they don't want to talk to to Kayakalas.
02:50We can't be the demanders here that.
02:55You know, we go to Russia, talk to us.
02:57The concessions that Americans are putting on.
03:00Ukraine are quite strong, so I don't think there is anything.
03:05That we can offer to Russia on top of that.
03:10Divided opinions there.
03:11Maria, there was also consensus yesterday on listing Iran.
03:15Iran's revolutionary guard as a terrorist organization.
03:18Yeah, of course, our European officials briefed of this.
03:20This is really the killing machine of the regime.
03:22And this is in response to this very violent crackdown.
03:25That took place at the start of the month on the streets of Iran when the protests are really...
03:30Ultimately, the French, the Spanish and the Italians agreed to designate them.
03:35As a terrorist group, there had been concerns that this is why this decision took about...
03:40Two weeks to get finally sealed and approved by the French and certainly also the Spanish.
03:45That A, there is a hostage situation in Iran.
03:47So there was a concern about the well-being of nationals.
03:50And European citizens who are still in the country.
03:52But also there was a concern that this could really...
03:55Completely now cut off all diplomatic channels.
03:57It was interesting yesterday to hear from Kayakala saying that...
04:00This, this new designation as a terrorist group, had been, quote, a calculated risk, but also pointed...
04:05To the idea that the channels with the foreign ministry still remain.
04:08Maria, thank you for that.
04:09We'll be keeping an eye on...
04:10That story, of course, throughout the day.
04:11But coming up next, I'll be joined by former European Council...
04:15President Charles Michel.
04:16He served for five years in the top Brussels...
04:20And steered EU leaders' response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
04:25Ukraine in 2022.
04:27He has also served as the Prime Minister...
04:30of Belgium before becoming the European Council president.
04:34And I'm very, very...
04:35happy to say that he joins us now in our studio in Brussels.
04:39So...
04:40Welcome back to Euronews.
04:41Great to have you.
04:42Good morning.
04:43Listen, we heard from Kayakala...
04:45Resisting this pressure coming from Maloney, Macron for the EU...
04:50to engage directly in talks with Russia.
04:52Do you think it's the right moment?
04:53I think it's...
04:55Macron and Maloney, they are right to say we need to be around the table because...
05:00today, that's very sad.
05:01That's even a bit shocking.
05:03Who is defending the European...
05:05interest around the table, not the United States, not Russia.
05:08And I think that...
05:10Ukraine and the EU, we have the same goals.
05:13We want more stability.
05:15We want peace.
05:16We want security.
05:17And I think it would be legitimate if there is...
05:20a way to make sure that our European interests are better defended.
05:25But who can go to those talks?
05:26Who can stand up to Putin?
05:28Is it Kayakala's?
05:29Because many leaders say...
05:30she can't do it.
05:31Yeah, I think that the European Council has a special role to play.
05:35because that's a very legitimate body with 27 head of state, head of government...
05:40and that's, I think, a debate for the European Council.
05:43And I'm confident that sooner or later...
05:45the European Council can give a mandate to someone.
05:48It can be to the point of the European...
05:50the European Council, Antonio Costa, for instance, to be the one who has the legitimacy to talk.
05:55on behalf of the 27 member states.
05:56Yet calls in this town this week from some...
06:00headquarters on the EU to consider merging the roles of the Council Chief and the Commission.
06:05Is that something you'd support?
06:06Do we need a president of the EU?
06:08Look, this is a traditional...
06:10debate and the day there will be a direct election.
06:15of the European representatives of the European institutions, then that's a legitimate...
06:20debate and question.
06:22But, you know, my impression is the following...
06:25the European Union is based on a double legitimacy, the member states on the one hand and on the other...
06:30the European Parliament and the Commission with a certain role to defend the general...
06:35the European interests.
06:36And I think that whatever we do in terms of institutions, we will...
06:40have always to take into account this double reality.
06:43You had harsh words for the next...
06:45to Chief Mark Rutte earlier this week.
06:47Do you think he's smooth-talking Trump too much?
06:50You say that Europe is able to defend itself.
06:52I want to be clear.
06:53Mark Rutte is disappointed.
06:55I don't think.
06:56And I'm losing confidence.
06:57Why?
06:58Because I'm not expecting Mark Rutte to...
07:00to be an American agent and expecting Mark Rutte to work for the unity within NATO.
07:05So today we can see that Article 5 is put in danger.
07:09Why?
07:10Because...
07:10Because of this very hostile rhetoric developed within the United States, developed by the...
07:15White House, point one, we face intimidations, we face threats.
07:19What is going...
07:20on with Greenland is not acceptable.
07:23And I expect Mark Rutte to be...
07:25the Austrian vote to defend the unity within NATO.
07:28But how, if you are in his shoes, what...
07:30should Europe do?
07:31How can it stand up to Trump?
07:32It's very clear that appeasement will not work.
07:35The more flattering diplomacy will lead to a failure, to a total failure, the more...
07:40you use this flattering diplomacy, the more we are observing the United States...
07:45are going very far in this tactic of intimidation and threats against...
07:50their allies.
07:51And the EU is a very loyal partner and ally for the United States.
07:55That's why we do not deserve this behaviour.
07:58We can see, for instance, the...
08:00ambiguities coming from the United States with Russia, the way Donald Trump decided to...
08:05give legitimacy to Vladimir Putin, we can see some sanctions against...
08:10reform a EU commission.
08:11That's not acceptable.
08:12Finally, on Ukraine, very briefly, if you can, President Zelensky...
08:15Zelensky says the country should join the EU by 2027.
08:18Is that feasible?
08:19He's absolutely right.
08:20And that's possible.
08:21There's a question of political will.
08:23The Ukrainians are making a lot of...
08:25progress in terms of criteria that have to be fulfilled to join...
08:30the EU, and everything must be done to help them, to support them, and I think...
08:35that Ukraine, being a member of the EU, it should take place as...
08:40as fast as possible.
08:41Shachmisha, that's all we have time for.
08:43Thank you so much for coming to join us on...
08:45on set this morning.
08:46See you again soon, we hope.
08:48Now, we're moving on to another hot button.
08:50a geopolitical issue now.
08:51It's been nearly one month since the US ordered the capture of Venezuela's...
08:55Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this week that the US is...
09:00committed to democratic transition in the country.
09:02I'm pleased to say that joining us live from Madrid...
09:05is Leopoldo Lopez, a figurehead of Venezuela's opposition forces.
09:09So, well...
09:10welcome.
09:11It's great to have you with us.
09:12Let us start with the recent US...
09:15intervention in Venezuela.
09:17You fought for years for democracy and freedom in...
09:20the country.
09:21Is the US helping your cause here?
09:23Well, thank you very much.
09:25I can tell you that we are much better off than what we were on January this...
09:30the second.
09:31Venezuelans, we have done for decades everything to have democracy...
09:35democracy in our country.
09:36We have taken the streets, not once, but thousands of times.
09:39We have gone to a...
09:40elections and these elections have been stolen.
09:42We have engaged in 16 rounds.
09:45elections of negotiations with all sorts of mediators from the Vatican to...
09:50to Norway.
09:51And it all led to the same position where Maduro...
09:55only use those negotiations to buy time and to manipulate.
09:59So, we are...
10:00much better off with the removal of Nicolas Maduro.
10:03We are not where we want to be.
10:05We want to be in a fully and total democratic Venezuela.
10:09And we understand...
10:10that this is a transition and that's what we need to push for.
10:13Because the figureheads of the Maduro regime...
10:15we are talking about Delcy Rodríguez, Teostado Cabello are still in power.
10:20in Caracas.
10:21Is the US really interested in free and fair elections or...
10:25do you think they will settle for a soft democracy if it serves their commercial interests?
10:30Well, I can tell you that the Venezuelan people are set to be in a democratic Venezuela.
10:35We have been fighting for this for, as I said, over two decades.
10:38And we will continue to do so.
10:40That's the aspiration of the Venezuelan people, the Venezuelan democratic leadership.
10:45And the US has committed to democracy and not in the very, very short term.
10:50There is a transition that has started mostly on the economic realm.
10:55But we need to push for democracy.
10:57That's our responsibility.
10:59And that's what...
11:00That's what we will do.
11:01We expect a process that will lead us to...
11:05a general election that will give the Venezuelan people the voice.
11:10to who will govern the country.
11:13That's what we hope for.
11:14That's what we...
11:15that we will fight for.
11:16And are you hoping for, for example, the return of Maria Corina Machado or...
11:20would you be able to contemplate returning to Venezuelan politics if the...
11:25the US does guarantee this transition?
11:27No, absolutely.
11:28Absolutely.
11:29There are...
11:30thousands...
11:31I would say hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans that will be willing to return.
11:35At the political level...
11:36Okay.
11:37Yes.
11:38We hope to return as soon as possible.
11:40Okay.
11:40to Venezuela.
11:41And to contribute to the rebuilding of our country.
11:43Yes.
11:44Leopoldo Lopeta.
11:45So we have...
11:45I don't have time for it, I'm afraid.
11:46But thank you so much.
11:47It was a pleasure to have you with us this morning.
11:49Next up, we're moving...
11:50to space.
11:51Is the EU getting ahead in the space race?
11:54Our report...
11:55Yacob Yanis takes a look.
11:57Hey, fall.
11:59Hey, fall.
12:00Let's clear the air when you hear EU space industry you think of
12:05bureaucracy not rockets and honestly I can't blame you
12:10This week your reporter took part in the European Space Conference to verify it
12:15So is the EU that far behind in the space race? Let's take a look
12:20Meet Copernicus, Europe's eyes in the sky
12:25It is the invisible infrastructure that powers your weather up and spot
12:30the storms before they even hit and meet Galileo the EU's navigation
12:35It connects your bank and your phone and is the only thing I'm sure
12:40ensuring that when a geopolitical crisis explodes the EU is not relying on
12:45Washington to tell Europeans where they are and meet the new kids
12:50Govs.com because space is now a dogfight the EU
12:55finally has an encrypted shield for European leaders and the military to protect
13:00secrets from cyber attacks but here is what Eurospace is now
13:05It isn't Starlink or SpaceX while Elon Musk dominates
13:10the sky with thousands of satellites Europe is still playing catch up
13:15And the EU's alternative iris squared won't be flying until
13:202029 so can the EU compete with the US
13:25and China
13:26The talent is here but the speed not quite
13:30Europeans are missing Silicon Valley's private capital and European
13:35expansion funds are too scared to bet on exploding rockets and while China
13:40China and the US are shooting for the moon this year Brussels is still filling
13:45out the paperwork and hard work is ahead in this era of hard work
13:50And the power can the EU be seen from space because for now all I can
13:55see is the Great Wall of China and obviously Trump's ego
14:00is the Great Wall of China and the European Union
14:02is the Great Wall of China and the European Union
14:05pianist there and that brings this edition of Europe Today to an end
14:08Thank you for your company throughout the week
14:10we'll be back with more news and analysis on Monday morning
14:14Have a great weekend
14:15Have a great weekend
14:20Have a great weekend
14:25Have a great weekend
14:30Have a great weekend
14:35Have a great weekend
14:40Have a great weekend
14:45Have a great weekend
14:50Have a great weekend
14:55Have a great weekend
15:00Have a great weekend
Comments