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Europe Today: Is the EU ready to talk directly to Putin about ending the war in Ukraine?
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READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2026/05/12/europe-today-is-the-eu-ready-to-talk-directly-to-putin-about-ending-the-war-in-ukraine
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00:14Good morning, it is Tuesday the 12th of May. I'm Maeve Magamaghan and this is Europe Today.
00:21Your daily check-in with European news and analysis, live here on Euronews.
00:26Coming up, the European Union has signed off on sanctions against Israeli settlers over ongoing violence in the West Bank.
00:34EU foreign ministers took the decision at talks in Brussels.
00:38The long-awaited move was possible due to Hungary's brand new government.
00:43And EU countries remain divided over whether to engage directly with Vladimir Putin.
00:48Last weekend, the Russian president suggested he was open to talks to end the war
00:53and hinted that the former German chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, could play a role.
00:58Brussels, though, has rejected the proposal.
01:00Meanwhile in the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure with more Labour MPs calling for his resignation.
01:08We'll speak exclusively to the UK's Europe minister, a member of the very Labour Party.
01:13And it's that time of the year again when millions of Europeans tune in to the pan-European song contest,
01:19the Eurovision.
01:20It starts tonight.
01:21But this year is different.
01:23Spain and Slovenia are snubbing the festival and Ireland over Israel's war in Gaza.
01:29We can start first with those meetings between EU foreign affairs ministers that saw countries split
01:34over that idea of engaging directly with Russia to end the ongoing war in Ukraine.
01:39Your news is Jorge Liberero, follow the talks for us, and joins me now for the latest.
01:44So, Jorge, I really feel like we've been here before.
01:47Remind us why this topic is on the agenda again.
01:49Indeed, we've been talking about talking with Russia for at least one year now.
01:54But something has changed now.
01:56It's not Vladimir Putin.
01:58It's more Volodymyr Zelensky, who is increasingly exasperated and frustrated with the White House diplomacy,
02:04which is now fully focused on the Middle East.
02:07Last week, Zelensky publicly called on the Europeans to have one common voice with talks with Russia.
02:15And he said we need to find a workable diplomatic format to make this happen.
02:20So now we have Zelensky's encouragement on the record.
02:23But despite this, member states remain very divided on whether we should talk with Russia or not to break this
02:30diplomatic isolation.
02:31We know that some member states, like France and Italy, want to have a seat at the table as soon
02:36as possible,
02:37while other member states like Germany, the Baltics, the Nordics, prefer to wait and approve new sanctions to weaken the
02:44Russian economy.
02:45And this could weaken Russia's negotiating hand.
02:49But the divisions, as I said, are intractable for the time being.
02:53And this became very clear yesterday at the meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers.
02:57And this is what Kayakal, as the high representative, had to say at the end.
03:02The EU has always supported attempts to achieve a just and lasting peace.
03:08For Europe to take a more active role, we must agree amongst ourselves what we want to talk to Russia
03:15about and what are our red lines.
03:18Yes. Kayakal is there. So what's next? Can Kayakal is there bridge the differences?
03:22Can she do it? That's a good question.
03:24Look, for the past weeks, Kayakal has been circulated a confidential document that includes concessions and demands that Russia should
03:33fulfil at the negotiating table.
03:36Of course, this document is going to be ignored by Russia, but it could help bring all the 27 member
03:41states together towards a common position to avoid this sort of cacophony that we have seen in the past.
03:47You know, when member states go their own way.
03:49And this document will be discussed again later this month in Cyprus.
03:53So let's see if they find they find a final version of this document.
03:57However, there are two factors that are influencing the discussions very much.
04:01The first one is that Russia's position remains maximalist.
04:05It remains unchanged.
04:06So what is the point of speaking with Russia if Russia is going to tell you the same thing that's
04:11been saying for the past year?
04:12And the second one is that Russia continues to bombard Ukraine.
04:15Last week, it bombarded a kindergarten.
04:19So it shows the ruthlessness of this war of aggression.
04:22So nobody wants to send a special envoy to Moscow.
04:26And then the next day, see Moscow strike a hospital in Kyiv.
04:30This is something that would be humiliated for the Europeans.
04:32So the bottom line is here.
04:35Do the benefits of speaking with Russia outweigh the risks or do the risks outweigh the benefits?
04:41And when the Europeans manage to answer this question, they will be able to take a step forward.
04:47Well, they probably might need a little bit more time.
04:49More time indeed.
04:49Thank you so much for that very comprehensive update there.
04:53And for another view, coming up, we'll be joined by Thomas Byrne, the Irish Minister for Defence and European Affairs.
05:00As Ireland prepares to take over the presidency of the Council of the European Union,
05:05the Fianna Vail politician is in Brussels today to join EU defence ministers for more talks on how to support
05:11Ukraine and to boost European security.
05:13That's all in a context of an uncertain Middle East, with President Trump stating that the ceasefire with Iran is
05:19on, quote, life support.
05:21Good morning, Minister. Great to have you with us.
05:22Good morning, Maeve. How are you?
05:23Good. So, look, you'll be meeting defence ministers today.
05:26You'll be joined by the Ukrainian defence minister.
05:28Should we expect anything concrete?
05:30Well, look, I think we will be discussing lots of issues in the defence sphere.
05:33We had the discussion yesterday at the Foreign Affairs Council on Ukraine as well.
05:36I think Ukraine is very, very strong and forward in people's minds in Europe.
05:40So, the question is, how do we best help Ukraine, whether it's provision of military materiel,
05:45whether it is through sanctions on Russia, whether it is through peace talks or indeed the enlargement of the European
05:51Union.
05:51I think there are so many different avenues for us to help Ukraine and to end this war.
05:57And on sanctions against Russia, a 21st package is being written as we speak,
06:01something you probably have to push through during your presidency.
06:04Will it work, though, these sanctions?
06:05Well, look, we've achieved a huge amount.
06:07We have unanimity requirements for sanctions and we've got through 20 packages.
06:10So, we'll do another package, we certainly hope, and work is ongoing in relation to that.
06:15Those sanctions have had an impact on the Russian economy, quite a significant impact on the Russian economy.
06:20They clearly haven't ended the war.
06:22But I think we need to continue putting the pressure on Russia and, indeed, on its people
06:26in order that they can somehow put pressure on Vladimir Putin.
06:29And this is the issue. The war is still ongoing.
06:31Some are floating the idea of potentially speaking to Russia,
06:34a conversation that's been going on for many, many months now.
06:37What is Ireland's view here?
06:38Well, look, we support continued sanctions.
06:40We support the enlargement of the EU to include Ukraine.
06:43And we've also supported when individual leaders have contacted Vladimir Putin in the past.
06:47We think it is important to allow that dialogue to take place if it's going to end the war.
06:53Is it time for a special envoy, an appointee?
06:55Well, look, I mean, that's a consideration for another day.
06:58And that's a Vladimir Putin suggestion this week.
07:01So, I don't think I'm going to lean into that.
07:03I think the focus has to be to support Ukraine.
07:05We have peace talks which the Americans have been facilitating.
07:08And we've been very supportive of those peace talks.
07:11And if there were to be a place for the European Union, I think we'd be supportive of that as
07:14well.
07:14But, of course, coming into presidency mode, Ireland, of course, has to take into account the views of the member
07:19states.
07:20And, of course, Kai Callas and Antonio Costa make, you know, get the consensus of the member states on foreign
07:26policy issues.
07:27And on consensus, there was one move last night here in Brussels regarding sanctions against settlers in the West Bank.
07:34This was allowed, of course, because of the new change of government in Hungary.
07:38Will these have much of an impact, though, on the ground?
07:40Well, look, I think it's very, very welcome that Hungary has changed its position on this.
07:42And that if all the member states of the European Union agreeing on this, I think this is a step
07:46forward.
07:46I think there is more that we can do to help people in Palestine.
07:50But I think this is very, very welcome.
07:51Nobody disagrees with this now around the European table.
07:54I think it does send a message to people that the European Union is responding to genuinely serious concerns that
08:00people have.
08:01And what else could change now that there's a new government in Hungary?
08:03Well, look, we await discussions with them.
08:06But, I mean, obviously the Hungarian government up to now has blocked the opening of accession talks formally with Ukraine.
08:12And that's something that we'd like to see change.
08:14And they obviously have to negotiate a significant amount of money to be paid into Hungary that they would have
08:20been entitled to, but for the actions of their previous government.
08:23So I think there's a lot of work going to happen in relation to that in the next few weeks
08:26and months.
08:26And just a final question.
08:27The Eurovision is starting, of course, tonight.
08:29You won't be watching.
08:30Ireland is boycotting the music festival.
08:33Are you disappointed other countries didn't join in your boycott?
08:35It's not a matter for the government.
08:37RTE has taken that decision themselves.
08:39People in Ireland can watch BBC and other channels as well if they wish to watch it.
08:43This is a decision that RTE has taken.
08:44Do you support it?
08:46Look, we don't get involved.
08:47We're not Hungary.
08:48We don't get involved in telling the media what to do in Ireland.
08:50So I think it's important that they have their independence.
08:52They've decided this independently.
08:54And that's the decision for them to take in relation to their audience.
08:58The independence of RTE, I think, is something that has been critical and central to our democracy over the decades.
09:03OK, Minister Lambert Barron, thank you so much for coming in to us.
09:05And best of luck with your long day of talks.
09:07Here, and now to the UK, where Keir Starmer's hold on power appears to be slipping away.
09:12Cabinet ministers have asked him to set out a timetable for his departure.
09:16Despite this, the UK is still trying to reset relations with Brussels and set the agenda abroad.
09:22Our EU correspondent, Angela Scudins, spoke to the UK-Europe minister and started by asking him about Downing Street's role
09:28in supporting abducted Ukrainian children.
09:31Russia, as I said, has taken tens of thousands of these children, identifying where they are, making sure that we
09:39understand where they've gone.
09:41They've gone all over Russia, in many cases forcibly adopted and in some cases taken to camps, indoctrinated, in some
09:49cases taught to try and hate where they came from.
09:53I mean, it's one of the most shocking things, I think, that I've ever heard of.
09:57And that's why today also we are announcing new sanctions on individuals and organisations who are behind this practice, building
10:05on the sanctions that we've already introduced.
10:07Tell me a little bit more about the sanctions as well as that 1.3 million euro equivalent injection that
10:14has been pumped into this fight.
10:16Well, that money comes on top of money that we've already put into some of the pilot tracing programs and
10:21initiatives,
10:22which are doing this crucially important work on identifying these children and where they've gone.
10:27But on top of that, it is about exposing and holding to account those who are responsible.
10:33And as I said, that's not just individuals, that's also organisations and locations which have been used for these indoctrination
10:40camps
10:41and attempts to turn Ukrainian children against their culture and their heritage and their history.
10:47And that's what's the most heinous part of this really, is this not only what's being done to these children
10:52directly,
10:52but it's that attempt to destroy Ukrainian culture, history, language.
10:57And that very much sits at the horrific way in which Putin has prosecuted this war.
11:03Absolutely. Let's look at the recent election over the weekend in Britain.
11:08How is the government of Keir Starmer digesting this news,
11:12which saw Labour lose quite disastrously in the local election, the council elections, pardon,
11:17and saw the Reform UK doing quite well?
11:21Well, the Prime Minister set out his response very clearly in a speech this morning.
11:25He has accepted responsibility for where there have been significant challenges,
11:30particularly in the way that we're communicating with the country and that people are anxious for change and change to
11:37happen faster.
11:38But I'm very proud of our record as a government and what we're doing on health, on education, on transport,
11:44on bringing children out of poverty, on increasing the minimum wage,
11:48on the greatest transformation of workers' rights in a generation, our investments in renewable energy,
11:53our new police on the streets.
11:54And we all have a job to do to communicate that more clearly and to provide hope and optimism about
12:01the future
12:01in what is a very, very difficult time.
12:03And what he was acknowledging absolutely this morning is that people are still feeling the pinch in their pocket.
12:08They're seeing conflict around the world.
12:10They're seeing pressure on energy prices.
12:11And we as a government have to be seen to be responding to that.
12:15And we are.
12:15And we will continue to do so.
12:17But he's also made it quite a big, strong point of his policy platform to reset relations between the UK
12:23and the EU.
12:25Does this, the results at the ballot box, suggest that perhaps Britons don't actually want this?
12:30Well, he set out very clearly this morning that, you know,
12:33a lot of the things that were told us about Brexit by Nigel Farage and reform were simply not true.
12:38He said it would make us richer.
12:40It hasn't.
12:41He said it would bring down migration.
12:43In fact, migration had gone up, although we're taking significant steps to reduce irregular migration.
12:49And, of course, he made a load of other false promises about the so-called sunny uplands that would come.
12:55And that hasn't been the case.
12:57So the Prime Minister has set out very clearly we need to be working closely with our European partners on
13:01the economy,
13:02on security, on defence and internationally in what is a very turbulent world.
13:06And that's exactly what we will be doing in the run up to the next UK EU summit and what
13:11we're trying to achieve through our agreements on agriculture and food,
13:14on energy, on a youth experience scheme.
13:17That's what he set out this morning.
13:19It's what we're all working towards.
13:21Do you have a date for that summit?
13:22We don't have a fixed date yet, but it will be this summer.
13:26And we're working on an ambitious agenda.
13:30And, of course, we will keep a very close eye on that summit and report on it.
13:34But now, farmer groups are furious about rising energy and fertiliser costs.
13:40Since the war in Iran and high gas prices, fertilisers are becoming very expensive to produce.
13:45And farmers were hoping for serious support from Brussels.
13:48Now, the European Commission will come out with the Fertiliser Action Plan next Tuesday.
13:53But the leaked version so far has not impressed farmer groups.
13:57For more, we can bring in now Maximiliano Gian Santi.
14:00That's the president of COPA, a group that represents no less than 22 million farmers all across Europe.
14:06So thank you so much for joining us.
14:08Good morning to you.
14:09And tell us first your thoughts on the leaked version of this draft Fertiliser Action Plan that will come out
14:15next Tuesday here in Brussels.
14:18Hello, good morning.
14:19The situation in the country is serious and critical.
14:23We have seen a significant increase in fertilisers and energy costs.
14:27In particular, on the fertiliser side, the price of duree has passed from 300 euros for a ton to 1
14:34,000 euros for a ton.
14:36So the farmers are really, really tough.
14:40The situation is not so good.
14:42The first leaks on the action plan on next week is not what we expect, but it's leaks.
14:49So we have to see.
14:50We have three clear requests to the commission.
14:54First of all, to suspend the seed bump tax.
14:58The seed bump tax is another cost for the consumers because the farmers must pay for this year more or
15:05less 1 billion euros more just in taxes.
15:08And we will arrive at 3.4 billion euros in the next year.
15:13So much money for farmers.
15:16Second one, more flexibility in the use of the nitric directive.
15:21In this moment, we have to use all what we have inside of our farms.
15:27Why we have to go on the market to buy and spend so much money.
15:31Third, to have a temporary removal of MFN tariffs on duties on the fertilisers imports.
15:39It's very important.
15:40Because the risk is to have increasingly prices in the cost for farmers.
15:48And that means the farmers are going to switch to change their program.
15:53The FAO says we are on face on an agri-shot and agri-food inflation.
16:00And that is what we don't want to have.
16:02Well, indeed, that was my next question for consumers.
16:05What's at stake here for them?
16:07Could we be facing food shortages in your view?
16:11The risk is to have an increasing price on the food, yes.
16:15What we saw in the past that, for example, in the Ukrainian war in 2022,
16:24later, six to nine months, we had a seriously increasing in the price of the food.
16:30And the risk is to have the same thing also this time.
16:33So the time to act is now.
16:35And this is why we make pressure on the commissioner.
16:40The farmers is not just an expended money for commission.
16:46It's food security.
16:48And the food security is what the European citizens want by the farmers.
16:52So you've got three very clear demands there for the European Commission.
16:55But of course, you won't get exactly what you want.
16:57Do you think the commission might meet you here in the middle?
16:59Have you high expectations ahead of Tuesday's proposal?
17:03I don't know.
17:04Let's see.
17:04The expectations are very, very high because the situation is really critical.
17:09There is a lot of farmers that are using less fertilizers.
17:13That means we have less production on the next summer on wheat, for example.
17:18The wheat is at the basis for bread or pasta.
17:21So the risk is that the farmers on the next September are going to have different choices on the next
17:28sowing time.
17:30OK, thank you so much for that.
17:32We'll check in again with you, of course, next Tuesday.
17:34But now we move on to a heartbreaking story that has brought a number of families together in France at
17:39stake here.
17:40The tech giant TikTok, they say, is responsible for the death of their teenagers.
17:44Jakob Janis tells us more.
17:4716 French families have launched an unusual collective complaint against TikTok,
17:52accusing the social media platform of a systematic abuse of weakness.
17:57And while U.S.-style class actions are rare in the French legal system,
18:01this group is united by a tragic common thread.
18:04Five of their children have died by suicide.
18:07And according to France Info, their lawyer describes the algorithm as a digital crack,
18:12designed to trap teenagers in mental prisons that could lead to self-harm and depression.
18:19Let's investigate.
18:22This legal battle is fueling President Macron's push for a total social media ban for those under 15,
18:28planned for this September.
18:30This digital shield would also ban mobile phones in high schools across the country.
18:34And Brussels follows.
18:36A new EU age verification app is now ready for rollout
18:40and is expected to be available for public download by this summer.
18:44It allows teenagers to prove their age using zero-knowledge technology,
18:48meaning they can verify their identity without handing over private data to tech giants.
18:54For years, platforms argued that checking ages created too many risks to data protection.
18:59But with this new technology, the European Commission says they are now no more excuses.
19:04It is for parents to raise their children and not for platforms.
19:09However, some experts remain unconvinced.
19:12Critics argue that the EU app is a quick technical fix for a structure problem
19:16and they insist the danger is in the user's age.
19:19But the addictive recommend the systems that platforms refuse to change.
19:23One thing is certain, though.
19:25France is effectively declaring a public health emergency against big tech.
19:29And for these families, the status quo is no longer an option.
19:38Jakob Janus there on a story being watched carefully here in Brussels.
19:41And speaking of the Belgian capital, if you are trying to get in or out of it today, you won't.
19:46As Belgium's three largest trade unions are striking over retirement age law.
19:50So there's major disruptions at Brussels airport.
19:53For more on that story or anything else we're covering, do visit Euronews.com.
19:57But that brings this edition to an end.
19:59Reach out to us here at Europe Today at Euronews.com if you have any comments or pointers.
20:04Take care.
20:05Thanks for watching and see you very soon.
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