Czechia’s Foreign Minister Petr Macinka made clear on Wednesday that Prague won’t sign off on any EU trade sanctions against Israel.
After talks with Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar, Macinka said Czechia had serious reservations about last week’s EU sanctions package targeting violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Next time, Macinka was clear, Prague will be taking a “more self-confident” approach to halting new sanctions covering trade relations. Germany and Italy have been instrumental in heading off any economic sanctions anyway.
There’s also the prospect of sanctions related to Israel’s participation in the Horizon research programme and targeted restrictions on two Israeli far-right ministers.
But the EU’s lead on foreign affairs, Kaja Kallas, was also clear this week that confronting Israel is increasingly challenging. “The problem is that we don’t have that leverage over Israel even with those measures that are on the table now because we are not united,” she said.
Roundup
EU won’t budge on Russian oil sanctions – The European Commission won’t seek to ease sanctions on Russian energy supply although the UK and US have done so, chief spokesperson Paula Pinho said on Wednesday. On Monday, the US renewed a waiver on Russian crude oil sanctions, and the UK followed suit on Tuesday.
Inside the EU’s aid revolution –The EU wants to overhaul how it spends on foreign aid, aiming to prioritise security, migration and its own economic interests as part of the next long-term budget. Alexei Jones from the European Centre for Development Policy Management called the shift a “transition from a development instrument with geopolitical ambitions towards a geopolitical instrument with development safeguards”.
Budget gamble – MEPs are discussing a possible new tax on online gambling and betting that could help fund the bloc’s proposed €2 trillion long-term budget. Piotr Serafin, the EU’s budget commissioner, is in Strasbourg for the discussion, which comes as pressure mounts on capitals to agree new EU-wide revenue streams.
Across Europe
MEPs warn Slovakia’s Fico (again) – The European Parliament has ramped up pressure on Robert Fico’s government, adopting a second rule-of-law resolution in less than a month. Lawmakers warn that Slovakia could ultimately face the suspension of EU funds.
Energy shock hits borrowing costs – German government borrowing costs have climbed to their highest levels in 15 years as the energy shock triggered by the US-Iran war fuels inflation fears in the eurozone’s largest economy.
Turkish opposition says EU ties at risk – As Germany and Turkey revive their strategic dialogue after a 12-year hiatus, one of Turkey’s leading opposition voices is warning that Ankara’s current political trajectory risks undermining any deeper partnership with Europe.
