00:35The EU's foreign policy chief says Moscow is not taking negotiations seriously.
00:40After yesterday's meeting of EU foreign ministers, Kaya Callas also accused
00:45the 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.
00:57Joining me now on set to debrief...
01:00of this is our EU editor, Maria Tadeo.
01:02Morning, Maria.
01:03Great to have you.
01:04Good morning.
01:05Great to see you.
01:05Nicholas, bring us up to speed now on the latest because it looks like Ukraine is facing
01:09a really, really tough situation.
01:10Well, it is probably the most difficult winter for Ukraine since the war started.
01:14Of course, there's...
01:15There's been now a weather alert that suggests that temperatures will drop significantly and
01:20we talked...
01:20Talk about minus 20 degrees potentially going all the way to minus 30 degrees this...
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 on the...
01:35this network about the very difficult, not just war frontline situation, but really humanity...
01:40and 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.
01:48Obviously, it's a very difficult situation.
01:50for the people of Ukraine.
01:51On that note yesterday, Kayakhala said that she 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 US, Russia, the European Union and Ukraine...
02:05and talk about this idea of the prosperity plan, the reconstruction of Ukraine all the way to 2040...
02:09but obviously all of this...
02:10is underpinned by the final peace settlement and that still looks very, very far away...
02:15this brings up, however, a very uncomfortable question for Kayakhalas, which is...
02:20why are the Europeans not directly involved?
02:22is there a way that Europe can have a bigger say?
02:25and we...
02:25we are now seeing tensions within the 27, some of which suggest Kayakhalas 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 different...
02:35opinions.
02:36We need to talk with them if we want a solution...
02:39if we...
02:40we can't talk to them, we won't find a solution...
02:41and if...
02:42if I was too small to do it, if then the President Macron...
02:45or someone else is able to represent Europe because they don't want to talk to Kayakhalas...
02:50we can't be the demandeurs here that...
02:55you know, we go to Russia, talk to us...
02:57the concessions that Americans are putting on...
03:00and Ukraine 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...
03:15the Russian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization.
03:18Yeah, of course, our European officials briefed that this is...
03:20is really the killing machine of the regime, and this is in response to this very violent crackdown that...
03:25took 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 the matter...
03:35as a terrorist group, there had been concerns...
03:37and this is why this decision took about two...
03:40weeks to get finally sealed and approved by the French and certainly also the Spanish that...
03:45A, there is a hostage situation in Iran, so there was a concern about the well-being of nationals...
03:50and European citizens who are still in the country, but also there was a concern that this could really...
03:55clearly 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 pointing to...
04:05the idea that the channels with the foreign ministry still remain.
04:08Maria, thank you for that. We'll be keeping an eye on that.
04:10That story, of course, throughout the day, but coming up next, I'll be joined by former European Council...
04:15President Charles Michel. He served for five years in the top Brussels job...
04:20and steered EU leaders' response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine...
04:25in 2022. He has also served as the Prime Minister of...
04:30of Belgium before becoming the European Council president, and I'm very, very...
04:35happy to say that he joins us now in our studio in Brussels.
04:40Well...
04:40Welcome back to Euronews. Great to have you.
04:42Thank you. Good morning.
04:43Listen, we heard from Kayakala...
04:45there, resisting 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?
04:54I think that...
04:55Macron and Melonie, 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...
05:05the European interests around the table, not the United States, not Russia.
05:09And I think that...
05:10Ukraine and the EU, we have the same goals. We want more stability...
05:15we want peace, we want security, and 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? Who can stand up to Putin?
05:28Is it Kayakala's? Because 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, and...
05:40that's, I think, a debate for the European Council, and I'm confident that sooner or later...
05:45the European Council can give a mandate to someone. It 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 on...
05:55on behalf of the 27 member states.
05:57Yet calls in this town, this week, from some...
06:00on the EU to consider merging the roles of the Council Chief and the Commission.
06:05Is that something you'd support? Do we need a President of the EU?
06:08Look, this is a traditional...
06:10debate.
06:11And today, there will be a direct election...
06:15of the European representatives of the European institutions, then that's a legitimate...
06:20debate and question. But, 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...
06:35European interests. And I think that whatever we do in terms of institutions, we will have...
06:40always to take into account this double reality.
06:43You had harsh words for the NATO...
06:45Chief Mark Rutte earlier this week. Do 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. Mark Rutte is disappointed.
06:55And I'm losing confidence. Why? Because I'm not expecting Mark Rutte to be...
07:00an American agent and expecting Mark Rutte to work for the unity within NATO.
07:05And today, we can see that Article 5 is put in danger. Why? Because...
07:10of this very hostile rhetoric developed within the United States, developed by the White...
07:15White House, point one, we face intimidations, we face threats. What is going...
07:20on with Greenland is not acceptable. And I expect Mark Rutte to be...
07:25a strong vote to defend the unity within NATO.
07:28But how, if you are in his shoes, what...
07:30should Europe do? How can it stand up to Trump?
07:32It's very clear that appeasement will not work.
07:35Clattering 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. And the EU is a very loyal partner and ally for the United States.
07:55That's why we do not deserve this behaviour. We can see, for instance, the...
08:00difficulties coming from the United States with Russia, the way Donald Trump decided to...
08:05against legitimacy to Vladimir Putin, we can see some sanctions against the...
08:10reform EU commissioners. That's not acceptable.
08:12Finally, on Ukraine, very briefly, if you can, President Zelensky...
08:15says the country should join the EU by 2027. Is that feasible?
08:18He's absolutely right.
08:20And that's possible. The secretion of political will. The 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 that...
08:35Ukraine 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. Thank you so much for coming to join us on...
08:45said this morning. See you again soon, we hope. Now we're moving on to another hot button to...
08:50be a political issue now. It's been nearly one month since the US ordered the capture of Venezuela's...
08:55Nicolas Maduro. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this week that the US is...
09:00committed to democratic transition in the country. I'm pleased to say that joining us live from Madrid...
09:05is Leopoldo Lopez, a figurehead of Venezuela's opposition forces. So welcome...
09:10it's great to have you with us. Let us start with the recent US...
09:15intervention in Venezuela. You fought for years for democracy and freedom in the...
09:20country. Is the US helping your cause here? Well, thank you very much.
09:25I can tell you that we are much better off than what we were on January this...
09:30for a second. Venezuelans, we have done for decades everything to have democracy...
09:35democracy in our country. We have taken the streets, not once, but thousands of times. We have gone to...
09:40elections and these elections have been stolen. We have engaged in 16 rounds.
09:45of negotiations with all sorts of mediators from the Vatican to ex-presidents...
09:50to Norway. And it all led to the same position where Maduro...
09:55only use those negotiations to buy time and to manipulate. So we are...
10:00much better off with the removal of Nicolas Maduro. We are not where we want to be.
10:05We want to be in a fully and total democratic Venezuela. And we understand that...
10:10this is a transition and that's what we need to push for. Because the figureheads of the Maduro regime...
10:15we are talking about Delcy Rodríguez, Teostado Cabello are still in power.
10:20in Caracas. Is 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. And 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. That's our responsibility. And that's what...
11:00we will do. We 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. That's what we hope for. That's what we will...
11:15fight for. And 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...
11:25best does guarantee this transition?
11:27No, absolutely. Absolutely. There are...
11:30thousands, I would say hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans that will be willing to return.
11:35At the political level, yes, we hope to return as soon as possible.
11:40to Venezuela and to contribute to the rebuilding of our country.
11:43Yes. Leopoldo Lopeta is all we have.
11:45time for, I'm afraid, but thank you so much. It was a pleasure to have you with us this morning.
11:49Next up, we're moving...
11:50to space. Isn't he getting ahead in the space race?
11:54Our reporter...
11:55Jakob Janis takes a look.
11:59Hey, Folk.
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. This...
12:10Last 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 spoils...
12:30the storms before they even hit. And meet Galileo, the EU's navigator.
12:35It connects your bank and your phone. And it's the only thing unsure...
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 kid.
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 in...
13:25and China. The talent is here, but the speed... not quite.
13:30Europeans are missing Silicon Valley's private capital and European pensions...
13:35are too scared to bet on exploding rockets. And while China...
13:40China and the US are shooting for the moon this year...
13:43Brussels is still filling up...
13:45the paperwork. And hard work is ahead...
13:48in this era of hard...
13:50the EU's power...
13:51can the EU be seen from space? Because for now...
13:54all I can see...
13:55democracy is the Great Wall of China...
13:57and, obviously, Trump's ego.
14:00hate.
14:06Ya, could be...
14:05Y eso trae esta edición de Europa Today a un fin.
14:08Gracias por su compañía durante la semana.
14:10We'll be back with more news and analysis on Monday morning.
14:13Have a great weekend.
14:15We'll be back with more news and analysis on Monday morning.
14:20We'll be back.
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14:30We'll be back.
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