Macron à Dresde:
“Nous Européens voulons une paix durable. Quelle paix, quelle sécurité, si la loi du + fort prévaut en Ukraine?
Si la charte des Nations unies est foulée aux pieds à quelques kilomètres d’ici?
La paix n’est pas la capitulation de l’Ukraine.”

On the eve of next week’s EU election, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is inviting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to team up and form a right-wing super-grouping that would be the second-biggest party bloc in the European Parliament. trib.al/fEuBzl3

Diplomatic relations between Israel - Spain, Norway, Ireland at new low. Israeli authorities say trio are rewarding Hamas by recognizing Palestinian state during war. Spanish FM says ceremony to do so will go ahead as planned next Tuesday, won’t be bullied out of two-state push.

Polish FM «You are an island, but you are a European island. You may have affairs elsewhere, but to us you are married…I could imagine Britain being a permanent guest at the foreign affairs council. Whether Britain would want to is another matter.»

theguardian.com/world/article/…

A lot going on ahead of the European elections. AfD kicked out, big implications for Le Pen’s group, Renew’s campaign at crossroads over VVD and von der Leyen signals there’s an offer to made to Giorgia Meloni, but what does she want in return? Brussels never boring.

Important from von der Leyen.

Asked about Meloni: “We’ve worked at the Council, she’s pro-European, against Putin and pro-rule of law…if this holds..then we offer to work together.”

So yes to ECR? “That’s not what I said. I’m speaking MEPs and want to see where groups fall”

#BREAKING The leader of the Identity and Democracy group in the European Parliament has made a request to expel the far-right Alternative for Germany, according to a document seen by dpa

FMs of Poland, Germany and France met in Weimar format clearly calling for a much stronger mandate for the High Representative / top diplomat…with consideration of geography and new priorities. Who could that be?
auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsroom/ne…

German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit was just asked in Berlin whether ICC arrest warrants would be implemented. His answer: 'Of course. Yes, we abide by the law' POLITICOEurope

Pedro Sánchez insiste en una disculpa pública por parte de Javier Milei refiriéndose a la dignidad de España. El portavoz argentino deja claro que no la habrá al entender que no existen motivos. España habla de crisis diplomática, Argentina de agitación por calendario electoral.

I would like to express my deepest condolences to the Iranian people upon the tragic acccident that took the lives of President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Iran.

From hashtag EUsolidarity to condolences, institutions sticking to protocol - but this is also politics and it exists in larger context:

Spanish government framing this as a matter of national sovereignty - yet context is highly political given VOX is organizer and European elections due in three weeks. Socialist party will want a reaction from the EPP/ PP. Campaign definitely on now.

Argentina’s Milei spent the weekend in Madrid where he joined a convention organized by VOX. He lashed at the Spanish PM and wife by extension. Spanish Govt recalls ambassador in Buenos Aires sine die and says Milei sinking diplomatic relations to most “grave hour” in rare move.

«España llama a consultas a su embajadora en Buenos Aires, tras palabras de Milei en Madrid dirigidas al presidente Sánchez y su mujer durante un acto organizado por Vox. »

Acaba de arrancar la campaña por las europeas. Y el marco queda bastante claro.

Following incident of #Iran President Raisi helicopter that gone
- missing
- on way from E Azerbaijan
- “hard landing”
- condition unknown
- search operation underway

⁦Dmytro Kuleba⁩ : “it’s tough. Send us Patriots, artillery, ammunitions, allow us to hit any military target in Russia and you will see the difference” #LennartMeriConference

As the EU scrambled to put together a statement, the Baltic foreign ministers (plus Iceland) got on a plane to Georgia. They may be small in size, but they’re tight, have a sense of timing and optics.

Slovak PM Fico in hospital after being shot bbc.in/4dCQQDz