‘Frankly, it’s just rude.’ How Trump’s European envoys play to an audience of one  – POLITICO

The marching orders for every flashpoint involving U.S. ambassadors can be found in the lines of the National Security Strategy, published in December. It set American diplomats the task of “cultivating resistance” to the path set by Europe’s current set of leaders and celebrated the rise of “patriotic” far right parties, seen as aligned with […]

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The crisis corps running the EU – POLITICO

Officially, Coreper is not a decision-making body. But those who have been inside the room say the lines are increasingly blurred in recent years. “If we’re honest, it really is a place where decisions are made,” said a second diplomat, arguing that while national leaders have to regularly rubber-stamp its actions, the speed of geopolitics […]

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Trump admin won’t let Venezuela pay for Maduro’s legal fees, his lawyer says

Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro can’t pay for his legal defense in the federal criminal case against him because the Trump administration won’t allow the Venezuelan government to sidestep sanctions and fund his representation, according to a court filing from Maduro’s lawyer. The lawyer, Barry Pollack, said he may ask the court to intervene, arguing that if […]

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France abandons plan to demand Albanese resign at UN meeting – POLITICO

But the speech of France’s Permanent Representative Céline Jurgensen at a meeting of the UNHRC on Wednesday contained no such call for Albanese’s resignation. Jurgensen only referred to “repeated and extremely problematic statements by a United Nations Special Rapporteur,” and called on special rapporteurs to “exercise the restraint, moderation, and discretion required by their mandate.” […]

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