- 14 hours ago
Serbia heads for elections as EU-China trade tensions grow
US and Iranian delegations return to Qatar for fresh talks as Brussels and Beijing work to resolve key trade disputes. Meanwhile, Serbia prepares for early elections after President Aleksandar Vučić announced his resignation.
READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2026/06/30/serbia-heads-for-elections-as-eu-china-trade-tensions-grow
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US and Iranian delegations return to Qatar for fresh talks as Brussels and Beijing work to resolve key trade disputes. Meanwhile, Serbia prepares for early elections after President Aleksandar Vučić announced his resignation.
READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2026/06/30/serbia-heads-for-elections-as-eu-china-trade-tensions-grow
Subscribe to our channel. Euronews is available on Dailymotion in 12 languages
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NewsTranscript
00:14Good morning, it is Tuesday the 30th of June. I'm Maeve McMahon and this is Europe Today,
00:21your daily update of European news and analysis live here on Euronews.
00:25Coming up, a huge blow for the Mannschaft. Four-time World Cup winner Germany crashes out of the World Cup
00:32in a dramatic penalty shootout.
00:35We'll cross live to Berlin for all the reactions.
00:39And after delicate talks in Brussels with his Chinese counterpart, the EU's top trade negotiator, Maris Sefcovic,
00:46has set an October deadline to resolve a long list of trade disputes between Brussels and Beijing.
00:52We have the latest from our correspondent, Angela Skudins.
00:55Meanwhile, Europe's deadly heat zone has moved east, with red warnings issued today in Hungary, Poland and Romania,
01:03and authorities urging people to stay indoors.
01:06Across the continent, wildfires have broken out, while violent storms and flash floods have also been reported.
01:14Plus, the EU's lending arm, that's the European Investment Bank, has announced its largest ever commercial loan,
01:19in a €3 billion package for the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, who will speak exclusively to the bank's president, Nadia
01:27Kavinia.
01:27But first, US and Iranian delegations are heading to Qatar today, although no direct bilateral meeting has been confirmed.
01:35The talks were expected to focus on implementing the Memorandum of Understanding signed recently between Washington and Tehran.
01:41But expectations are low, and even President Trump appears to have lost his enthusiasm.
01:51Donald Trump lowering his expectations really ahead of those talks.
01:55For more on the talks, we can head now to Qatar and bring in our correspondent, Leila Humarai, who's following
02:02the talks for us this morning.
02:03Look, a lot of confusion over the talks, Leila, whether they're happening.
02:07Just tell us, what is going on?
02:11Good morning, Maeve. That's right.
02:13Our team here in Doha is closely watching developments of these negotiations that are set to take place here in
02:19Doha today and this week.
02:21Although, as you mentioned, doubts still remain whether Iran will attend or if they will meet with the US delegation
02:28face-to-face.
02:28What seems clear is that Trump's special envoys, Steve Wyckoff and Jared Kushner, are on their way to Qatar and
02:35set to be arriving in the coming hours later today, which we'll also be keeping a close eye on.
02:41Now, following that breakthrough in Switzerland and these talks in Doha, it seems that Qatar's role in mediating have stepped
02:49up.
02:49And as mediators, what Qatar and Pakistan would want is for both sides, the US and Iran, to either preserve
02:56or advance the memorandum of understanding and roadmap that both have agreed to in Switzerland.
03:02So, regardless of where these talks and negotiations take place, the upcoming weeks will be crucial for all parties involved.
03:11And just tell us, meanwhile, what is the situation along the Strait of Hormuz?
03:17That's right. The situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains extremely fragile with tensions and attacks flaring up again just
03:25a couple of days ago.
03:26Now, traffic has been trickling very slowly, but it's clear that it's not.
03:31Oh, it's far and well below its normal capacity.
03:34Now, the critical shipping waterway effectively is still being controlled by Iran, despite what the US says, that freedom of
03:43navigation has been restored and it is the situation, it is under control.
03:48Tehran instead has been doubling down on its grip on the Strait of Hormuz by essentially warning again ships and
03:55vessels that they can only take routes that have been approved by the IRGC.
04:01And we know that this is a major sticking point. Reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is a major sticking
04:07point in these negotiations.
04:09OK, Leila Humarai, keeping a very close eye on that story for us. Thank you so much for that live
04:13broadcast there from Doha.
04:15But now, turning to trade. In closely watched talks, China's commerce minister has wrapped up meetings with the EU trade
04:21chief, Chief Maris Sefkovic.
04:23Talks went late into the night to try to trash out a deal on how to manage the mammoth trade
04:28deficit, which is not in Europe's favour.
04:30Our correspondent, Angela Scugins, followed the late night talks and is here with us now in the studio.
04:36Angela, will more talks narrow this gap, do you think?
04:38Good morning, Mays. So this is certainly the hope of the European Commissioner for Trade, Maris Sefkovic.
04:43Over a week ago, he was given a mandate by the 27 EU heads of state to try and figure
04:48out a way forward when it comes to these macroeconomic imbalances.
04:52This is a shorthand in Brussels for that mammoth trade deficit valued at €360 billion, with Beijing having the upper
05:00hand here.
05:01Right now, Europe's market is currently flooded with a glut of cheap Chinese-made goods made through subsidies.
05:08We're talking about batteries, cars and other electronics.
05:11Now, Sefkovic is following a two-prong approach, speaking to China, but also exploring what's in Europe's arsenal to bring
05:19China to the negotiating table.
05:21But it's super fragile because Beijing has threatened to retaliate if the EU is too bolshie.
05:27But we did hear from the Commissioner he released a statement halfway through these talks Monday evening, in which he
05:33stated China's export to the EU keeps rising, while our market share in China keeps shrinking.
05:40The status quo is not an option.
05:42Our teams have a clear mandate to deliver tangible results by October this year.
05:47So the Commissioner clearly setting a timeline here.
05:50He wants outcomes by October.
05:53But I spoke to a trade expert, Alicia Garcia-Jerrero, who gave us a bit of an outline of how
06:00these conversations could have actually unfolded behind the scenes and stating that unless Europe is serious with its wish list,
06:08China won't take the continent seriously.
06:11So if I were China, I would come and say, you don't seem ready to take decisions.
06:16Remember, we will retaliate.
06:19That's what Wantao is going to say.
06:20The question is, we should put on the table a clear negotiation scheme.
06:26That's what we want.
06:27A, B, C.
06:28And the question is, do we have that?
06:30Do we have that wish list that Wantao should bring back home to avoid a trade war?
06:37And if not, does that mean we could be heading towards this trade war?
06:40So the diplomats that I've spoken to have stated that this is not clearly what's happening.
06:46The scenes between China and the EU doesn't resemble what we're seeing between the US and China, for example, severe
06:53escalation.
06:54There's also quite a bit of optimism from the European Commissioner here setting that October deadline, stating that there'll be
06:59a clear roadmap for negotiations and how those talks could resemble.
07:04But Alicia Garcia Herrero has stated that the writing is clearly on the wall.
07:10China isn't playing ball here.
07:11And this could be seen as late last year when they slapped export controls on critical rare earth minerals.
07:18And Europe really needs to wake up and deal with the beast in the east.
07:23We're not starting a war.
07:24We're just basically levelling the playing field.
07:28So for me, that would be the narrative we should use.
07:31So after these talks in October, what is clear is that Brussels needs to explore what else it can do,
07:37whether this is triggering the anti-coercion instrument, so shutting off China from the EU single market, whether other options
07:43are on the table, such as export controls, quotas, tariffs or more dialogue is needed.
07:49The Commissioner did state that through every conversation, progress is being made, but whether this progress is valued at €360
07:57billion is yet to be seen, Maeve.
07:59That indeed is the question.
08:00Very delicate talks and discussion.
08:02Thank you so much for the very comprehensive update.
08:05But now moving on.
08:06The European Investment Bank has announced its largest ever commercial loan, dedicating €3 billion to boosting aerospace giant Airbus.
08:14For more on the deal, Euronews' Marit Gwynn spoke exclusively to the bank's president, Nadia Calvino.
08:19And started by asking her whether this investment was a response to the competitiveness crisis facing Europe.
08:26We are announcing a flagship deal.
08:30It's a loan to Airbus, a €3 billion loan, the largest ever to a corporate by the European Investment Bank,
08:37precisely to support their strategic plan in the area of aerospace and also security and defence.
08:43I think it's a good illustration of how Europe is ramping up its capacity and strategic autonomy.
08:48And I must ask you, because recently we saw a major project collapse, essentially, the Franco-German fighter jets project,
08:56because companies couldn't see past their industrial rivalries and work together towards a common goal.
09:02Is that a problem that you see in Europe?
09:05Well, it is an issue, the fact that we're 27 countries, 27 democracies, and obviously there are divergent views on
09:15many issues.
09:15But that's why it's so important to flag this agreement with Airbus, because Airbus is the great success story of
09:23Europe.
09:23It's a profitable company, a profitable company, a global leader in key areas, aerospace, security and defence.
09:30And so that's why I think it is important to also flag those areas where we are moving in the
09:35right direction, as is the case in this loan.
09:38And it is true that the EIB is shifting its focus more towards defence investments.
09:45Do you see that as the future of your institution moving more into becoming almost a defence bank?
09:51And where does that leave other priorities like energy and green policies and so on?
09:56The European Investment Bank has proven to be flexible to adjust to Europe's changing priorities.
10:01We need to adjust to the new geopolitical context.
10:04And we're very strongly aligned with Europe's policy priorities and the member states that are our shareholders.
10:10As you know, the 27 member states, our governors have endorsed our roadmap, our strategic roadmap, which has three top
10:18priorities.
10:19The first one is consolidating our role as the climate bank.
10:23Secondly, technological leadership, supporting innovation and scaling up.
10:28And thirdly, security and defence.
10:30And we are playing our role as Europe's financing arm, but also one of the world's largest multilateral development institutions
10:37in these three areas in particular.
10:40Of course, the political rhetoric around the importance of climate policies, climate mitigation investments has really shifted in recent years.
10:48If we were sitting here five years ago, the rhetoric coming from the Commission here was very different.
10:52Do you fear that there's a rhetoric discourse now that says that climate policies and Europe's industrial competitiveness are incompatible?
11:02I think that beyond noise and rhetoric, as you're saying, and not very productive debates, in my view, the reality
11:11is quite stubborn.
11:12And the reality is that there is an energy revolution in full swing in Europe and the world.
11:18The reality is that we need to break free from our excessive dependence on fossil fuels.
11:24And, you know, more and more often I have the impression that the EIB is not only Europe's climate bank,
11:30but the world's climate bank, because in many other jurisdictions, maybe they have a different narrative.
11:36But the reality is that private companies are also getting on with it and investing in the clean transition, because
11:43it's not only the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do.
11:45But we did hear you leaders back in February promise this new economic reset, a new economic agenda by June.
11:54That's kind of passed now. And the economic, the global economic outlook is clearly much more gloomy due to the
12:00war in Iran.
12:01Do you worry about that broader outlook and what it could mean for Europe?
12:05Well, obviously, the geopolitical context is very complex and the geopolitical context is very complicated because all the elements that
12:14have underpinned Europe's phenomenal success since the end of World War Two are being put to the test or openly
12:21contested and challenged or attacked by, you know, from many sides.
12:25But that, you know, in this context, it is more important than ever that we have a clear compass, that
12:32we keep united because united we are we are very powerful.
12:36We are, I always say, we're unstoppable where we where we join our forces, European Union countries and and determined,
12:44you know, to pursue this path.
12:45And what I see is a strong determination on the side of our leaders to continue to face those challenges
12:51together.
12:55Nadia Calvino, they're speaking to our married Gwyn.
12:57But next, big news from Serbia.
12:59President Aleksandr Vucic has said he will resign and call early elections with mass protests, mounting pressure from Brussels and
13:07the country's EU ambitions hanging in the balance.
13:10Our Jakub Janis looks beyond this headline.
13:14Serbia is experiencing a monumental political shakeup.
13:17Last weekend, President Aleksandr Vucic stunned the nation by announcing he will resign within weeks and called early presidential and
13:25parliamentary elections.
13:27But your reporter has one advice.
13:29Do not mistake this for a total surrender.
13:31This move looks more like a calculated strategy from a politician who has dominated Serbian politics since 2012.
13:38Let's investigate, shall we?
13:42What you need to know is that for over 18 months, student-led demonstrations have been shaking Belgrade.
13:48This protest movement erupted after a tragic railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad, killing 16 people and exposing, according
13:56to students and opposition parties, systemic state corruption.
13:59And Vucic is launching now a tactical pivot.
14:02Constitutionally barred from seeking another presidential term next year, experts expect him to return to power by running for prime
14:10minister instead.
14:11With local polling placing his party at 47%, voter support, and the student movement at just under 31%, Vucic is
14:19gambling that snap elections will consolidate his rule.
14:22And he routinely brands the protesters as foreign agents who want to destabilize the country.
14:27At the same time, he pledges to accelerate EU membership goals, while fiercely protecting traditional alliances with Moscow and Beijing.
14:36This geopolitical tightrope is becoming incredibly expensive.
14:40The EU is currently waiting a critical decision to slash up to 1.5 billion euros in development funds.
14:47And Brussels is highly alarmed by laws that strip judges of their independence, violent police crackdowns on student rallies, and
14:55constant state interference in independent newsrooms.
14:58And as the biggest financial backer of the country, the EU provided over half a billion euros in non-repayable
15:04grants between 2021 and 2024.
15:07And actually, official figures from Belgrade revealed that total EU funding and investments have surpassed 7 billion euros since the
15:16year 2000.
15:17For a long time, Vucic has aimed to appease Brussels just enough to safeguard that cash without sacrificing his eastern
15:25allies.
15:26Now the presidency will change hands, but the main force of Serbian politics has no plans to retire from the
15:33political stage.
15:39Jakob Janis reporting for us there.
15:41And now it's time for our FIFA World Cup update.
15:48Well, it was a terrible night for European football overall, and heavyweights Germany and the Netherlands are both out after
15:55penalty shootout.
15:56It's the first time they lose in a World Cup penalty shootout.
16:00It's the first big surprise of the tournament for the reactions in Berlin.
16:03We can go straight over to Germany and bring in our Laura Fleischmann, who's following the match and the reactions
16:08for us.
16:09Laura, what a blow.
16:11I mean, the individual talent on the German team is bigger than this terrible result.
16:15Germans must be shocked this morning.
16:19Good morning, Maeve.
16:21And yes, German football fans were very shocked.
16:23This was a disappointing loss, truly a catastrophic loss against Paraguay.
16:28Many people thought this would be a safe win.
16:30However, the German players failed to convince during this game.
16:34They failed to take control of the game, even though they scored a second goal, which was perhaps unfairly disallowed.
16:41And German football coach Julian Nagelsmann told the players beforehand to be a little bit more streetwise in their approach
16:48to this game.
16:48However, they failed to do so as well.
16:51And going forward, Nagelsmann already stated that he's not planning on resigning.
16:56He said that he wants to remain head coach unless the German football association, the DFB, asks him to resign.
17:02But there has been a name thrown into the ring for a new potential head coach, Jürgen Klopp.
17:08OK, a very familiar name, of course.
17:11Leora Fleishman, thank you so much for that live broadcast there from Berlin.
17:14And a similar downbeat energy in the Netherlands today, who've also got to pack their bags after drawing Morocco 1
17:20-1 and then losing in the penalty shootout.
17:23Meanwhile, Brazil beat Japan 2-1 in a last-minute victory during extra time.
17:27And we'll face the winner of tonight's clash between Norway and the Côte d'Ivoire in the round of 16.
17:33Also coming up tonight is France and Sweden facing each other in a European duel at 11 CET.
17:40And of course, Morocco awaiting as their rival in the next phase.
17:43But that brings this edition of Europe Today to an end.
17:46Thank you so much for your company.
17:48As always, do reach out to us at EuropeToday at Euronews.com with any of your thoughts or points.
17:54But stay with us now as well for more news on Euronews.
18:32Euronews.com with any of your thoughts or comments.
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