Closing summary
… and on that note, it’s a wrap from me, Jakub Krupa.
Here are the three things to take away from today’s Europe Live blog:
Controversial British-American influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate have left Romania this morning on a private flight to the US, after securing a permission to leave the country (9:11). The Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism said that “the two defendants of dual British-American citizenship” have been allowed to travel, but have to report when summoned and any violation of this condition could lead to stricter restrictions on their movement (9:38). The UK is also seeking the brothers’ extradition after Bedfordshire police were granted a warrant as part of an investigation into allegations of rape and human trafficking.
Austria is on the verge of getting a new government, after the conservative People’s Party (OVP) and Social Democrats (SPÖ) have just agreed to form a three-way coalition with the liberal Neos – The New Austria and Liberal Forum party (9:25). Migration, economy, and tackling bureaucracy are among the new administration’s key priorities (11:36), as the three parties teamed up to work without the far-right Freedom party which one last year’s elections (15:40).
Russian president Vladimir Putin has told the FSB security service on Thursday that initial contacts with the administration of US president Donald Trump gave grounds for hope that the relationship between the two countries could soon get better. His comments come on the day as US and Russian officials met in Turkey to discuss reinstating diplomatic presence in each other’s countries (13:37).
If you are interested in arguably the main event of the day, UK prime minister Keir Starmer’s meeting with US president Donald Trump, you can follow our minute-by-minute coverage on our UK politics blog here:
And that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, for today.
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.
I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
Nuremberg-type court to bring Putin to justice for Ukraine nearly finalised
in Dublin
A legal template to establish a new Nuremberg type court to bring Vladimir Putin and others suspected of being involved in the planning and execution of the alleged crimes of aggression in Ukraine to justice has been finalised, the Council of Europe has revealed.
Legal texts underpinning a new tribunal are expected to be signed off at a summit in Strasbourg at the end of March, the culmination of work over 14 meetings of representatives of 40 countries in the Council including all EU states bar Hungary.
At the same time the CoE is working on a separate path for justice for hundreds of thousands of victims of the war of aggression likely to be called the Claims Commission.
CoE director Jörg Polakiewicz told a conference in Dublin the tribunal was a significant step which would build on the Nuremberg charter which allowed the Nazi leadership to be tried after the second world war.
Ad hoc tribunals have been set up in past to deal with war crimes under the aegis of the UN’s security council but this was not an option in relation to Ukraine because of Russia’s veto at the UN.
“It would be the continuation, would build on the Nuremberg precedent. And I think this is also why this tribunal is so important, and Ukraine is also so much arguing for it, because when you see in Russia the importance of Nuremberg.
“They were the victors then, and to have the trial of the Nazi leadership for the Russian leadership was immensely important, and now to see that their own leadership will be tried in an international tribunal, I think this is also the very important symbolic measure,” Polakiewicz told a conference at Dublin City University on the role the Council of Europe will play in pursuit of peace, justice and accountability in Ukraine.
A meeting will be held next week, the 14th of its kind, to review the final text with representatives of the 40 core states involved in the tribunal’s genesis meeting in person to sign off the text on 19 March.
It will then have to be adopted by each state with the text of a bilateral treaty to follow, possibly in May, with Kyiv, said the experts.
If the tribunal were agreed, it would absorb the work of the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression (ICPA) set up in the Hague two years ago in collaboration with the European Commission, Ukraine and the US, said Polakiewicz.
Updated
Starmer's 'biggest diplomatic test' ahead as he meets Trump to talk Ukraine, Nato, and European security
British prime minister Keir Starmer is in Washington today, where he is due to meet with US president Donald Trump.
He is expected to arrive at the White House around 6pm CET (5pm GMT), with a press conference to follow (if it doesn’t get cancelled…) two hours later.
Our political editor Pippa Crerar looked at why Starmer’s meeting with Trump will be his biggest diplomatic test to date.
Ireland’s Martin praises ‘warm’ meeting with Zelenskyy
Irish taoiseach Micheál Martin has praised a “warm and substantial” meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Shannon.
In a social media post, he said he “I reiterated Ireland’s steadfast support and readiness to offer humanitarian and financial support.”
“We discussed how, together with the EU, we can advance a just, sustainable and durable peace in Ukraine,” he added.
In a short clip from the pair’s meeting, Zelenskyy can be heard saying he was “happy to have this opportunity to speak,” and thanking the Irish people for their support for Ukraine.
Romanian court lifts seizure on some of Tate's assets
A Romanian court ruled in favour of an appeal from misogynist influencer Andrew Tate and his brother and lifted a precautionary seizure on multiple assets, his representative said on Thursday, as reported by Reuters.
“This decision restores ownership of properties, vehicles, bank accounts, and company shares to the rightful owners, Andrew and (his brother) Tristan Tate and their companies,” the representative said, adding some assets still remain under precautionary seizure.
Updated
New Austrian government - analysis
Europe correspondent
Five months after the far-right Freedom party (FPÖ) finished first in parliamentary elections, Austria’s three leading centrist parties have reached agreement to form a new government without it.
The agreement ends months of uncertainty after the FPÖ’s historic election victory, when it gained almost 29% of the vote. After the mainstream parties’ unsuccessful effort, the ÖVP entered talks with the FPÖ, which also broke down this month.
With the country without a government for the longest stretch in its modern history, president Alexander Van der Bellen had called on all three party leaders to reach a deal as quickly as possible. Ministerial roles are expected to be announced on Friday.
Ukraine's Zelenskyy meets with Ireland's Martin at Shannon Airport
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is now in Ireland, where he is meeting with Irish taoiseach Micheál Martin at the Shannon Airport, Ireland’s RTÉ says.
The meeting takes place as Zelenskyy is en route to the US, where he is due to meet with US president Donald Trump on Friday.
Last night, Martin told Irish businesses that:
We will join with others in providing new assistance to the people of Ukraine as they continue to seek the future of peace, prosperity, democracy and sovereignty which is their fundamental right.
And in this, the sustained support of the Irish people for Ukraine has been essential in helping me and my government to play an active role on this.
We will bring you pictures from their meeting when we have them.
Updated
Putin says US-Russian contacts give 'hope' as talks on restoring diplomatic ties continue
Earlier today, Russian and US diplomats met in Istanbul, Turkey to discuss the normalisation of relations between the two countries and plans to restore diplomatic presence.
The meeting came on the back of last week’s US-Russia talks in Riyadh, where top diplomats agreed to restart diplomatic ties as part of a broader effort to improve bilateral relations.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has been speaking in the last half hour on this, telling the FSB security service on Thursday that initial contacts with the administration of US president Donald Trump gave grounds for hope, Reuters reported.
He also reportedly insisted that Russia and the US are ready to set up cooperation, and show pragmatism, despite his claims that “some western elites will try to undermine our dialogue.”
Former Polish PM charged over failed 2020 postal election plan
Poland’s former prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki has been charged with misconduct and negligence over the organisation of a presidential postal ballot that did not happen, prosecutors said Thursday.
AFP reported that the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) government led by Morawiecki pressed ahead with a controversial postal ballot to be held in May 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, only to later abandon the idea for legal reasons.
Mired in chaos, the ballot was ultimately postponed by over a month and a new hybrid system of postal and conventional voting was put in place.
AFP noted that Poland’s Supreme Audit Office (NIK) in 2021 accused Morawiecki and three ministers of violating the law over the postal vote plan.
On Thursday, legal charges were pressed against Morawiecki over “exceeding his powers and failing to fulfil his official duties”, prosecutor Piotr Skiba told reporters.
Morawiecki has denied any wrongdoing.
The NIK estimated that the preparations of the abandoned postal vote cost the state around 76.5 million złoty (18 million euros).
Over 4,500 alleged human rights breaches during Russian invasion of Ukraine, Council of Europe says
in Dublin
The scale of alleged Russian criminal and civil offences in Ukraine has been laid bare by the Council of Europe which has revealed it has already received 4,500 applications for legal cases on breaches of human rights.
A further 13,000 claims for damage and destruction to buildings in Ukraine have been recorded, Bjørn Berge, deputy secretary general, has told a conference in Dublin on the role of the Council of Europe in the pursuit of peace, justice and accountability in Ukraine.
“We need to ensure accountability and seek ways to eliminate impunity,” he said.
He also revealed that significant progress has been made to establish a tribunal for the crime of aggression with legal experts from more than 40 countries working with Ukrainian authorities, the European Commission and European External Action Service and the Council of Europe close to an agreement.
“After 13 meetings, the legal foundations are now agreed; this happened at the meeting in Brussels earlier this month. The main focus is now to set up such a special tribunal through a treaty between Ukraine and the Council of Europe,” he said.
Updated
EU condemns China's support for Russia in its invasion of Ukraine
The European Commission “strongly condemns third countries’ continued support for Russia’s war of aggression” against Ukraine and “urges them to seize all assistance,” a commission spokesperson said.
Anouar El Anouni was asked more specifically about China and said it was “the largest provider of dual use goods and sensitive items that … sustain Russia’s military industrial base.”
We are seriously concerned about reports of Chinese companies providing components for attack drones used by Russia on the battlefield, or even fully assembled attack drones.
Without China’s support, Russia wouldn’t be able to continue its war of aggression against Ukraine with the same force.
Key event
It’s midday in Brussels so it’s time for my favourite guilty pleasure of watching EU spokespeople navigate difficult and random questions, and today they were faced with a question on Trump’s comments about the bloc “screwing the US” as he floated potential 25% tariffs on the EU.
The commission’s Olof Gill was asked by Euractiv’s Nicholas Wallace the following question: “Would you say that the European Union has done a very good job or a very bad job of screwing the United States?”.
It’s fair to say he wasn’t too impressed.
It’s sometimes difficult to believe that we have to offer responses to this type of stuff, but as you’ve asked…
We believe that the European Union, since its foundation has been a boon for the United States.
Why do I say that? By creating a large and integrated single market, the EU has facilitated trade, reduced costs for EU exporters, and harmonised standards and regulations across all our member states.
As a result, US investments in Europe are highly profitable American companies have been able to invest and generate substantial revenues precisely because the EU is a large unified market that is good for business. This is also one of the key reasons why transatlantic trade amounts to over 1.5 tn euro annually, making it the largest bilateral trade and investment relationship in the world.
The European Union believes we should work together to preserve these opportunities for our people and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, instead of working against each other. We stand for dialogue, openness and reciprocity. We are ready to partner with you, provided you play by the rules.
More broadly, the commission refused to offer any detailed commentary on Trump’s statements, just saying that:
We are ready to engage with our US counterparts, and we are doing so.
But of course, if necessary, we will defend our interest one of European companies and European citizens.
Updated
Danish retailer to help consumers who want to buy European
Denmark’s largest retailer Salling Group will add a black star on electronic labels to help consumers who want to choose European products, in a sign of growing trade tensions with the US under Donald Trump and other countries.
Anders Hagh, Salling Group’s CEO, said in a LinkedIn post that the company “recently received a number of inquiries from customers who want to shop for groceries from European brands.”
From March, electronic price tags in Bilka, føtex and Netto chains will see a small black star next to products owned by a European company.
Hagh said the company will still “continue to have brands on the shelves from all over the world, and it will always be up to the customers to choose,” but the new feature will help those who want to pick European brands.
EU's von der Leyen to travel to London on Sunday for Ukraine security summit
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will travel to London this Sunday to take part in an informal meeting on Ukraine and European security, a spokesperson for the European Commission has just confirmed.
This comes after comments by Polish president Donald Tusk earlier this week, who first revealed the plans for this London summit.
Aggression must not go unpunished, Ukrainian diplomat in Ireland says ahead of Zelenskyy's visit
in Dublin
Dmytro Shchedrin, deputy Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland, has said it is a “moral imperative the crime of aggression must not go unpunished”.
He was speaking just moments after it was announced that Volodymyr Zelenskyy was on his way to the US stopping over at Ireland’s Shannon airport for a meeting with the taoiseach Micheál Martin (11:23).
“The latest developments in the world are resulting in a fragmentation of different international partnerships. The unity of international community is essential to ensuring that peace and justice ultimately prevail,” he said.
He said “one of the most pressing priorities” after a potential ceasefire or peace deal was the establishment of a “special tribunal for the crime of aggression”
European justice institutions have already set up a process to collect evidence of crimes of war and aggression including sexual violence, kidnapping of children and displacement of civilians.
Migration, economy, tackling bureaucracy among new Austrian government's priorities
Speaking at a press conference in Vienna, the Austrian People’s Party’s leader Christian Stocker hailed the success of “probably the most difficult government negotiations in history,” as the country seems to be on course to get its new government after five months since the general election in September.
He praised the value of “consensus and compromise,” taking a swipe at other parties to “have refused to cooperate and evaded responsibility” for governing the country.
Stocker said the government formation was taking place amid a challenging environment, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a difficult economic situation, and an on-going migration crisis.
He explained that the government programme includes proposals for economic reform, and cutting bureaucracy, as well as tightening of the migration and asylum policy, including an immediate suspension of family reunification programmes, and a promise to look at freezing asylum applications if their number go substantially up again.
Ukraine's Zelenskyy to visit Ireland today en route to US
in Dublin
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is to visit Ireland today on his way to the US to seal a controversial deal with Donald Trump on the country’s rare earth minerals.
He will meet the taoiseach Micheál Martin, who has cancelled a trip to Belfast, at Shannon airport.
Ireland’s minister of state for European affairs and defence Thomas Byrne told a conference on the role of the Council of Europe in a lasting peace in Ukraine said:
There should be nothing about Europe without Europe.
Together with our EU partners, Ireland, will continue to build global support for comprehensive, just and lasting peace on Ukraine’s terms, which upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and which is based on respect for the principles of the UN charter and international law.
And we know that if any peace agreement will last it must have justice and accountability at heart.
Poland's Tusk hits back at Trump's EU comments
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk has bit back at comments from US president Donald Trump, who claimed overnight that the EU was formed “to screw the United States.”
In a social media post in English, Tusk said:
The EU wasn’t formed to screw anyone. Quite the opposite. It was formed to maintain peace, to build respect among our nations, to create free and fair trade, and to strengthen our transatlantic friendship. As simple as that. 🇪🇺🇺🇸
Austrian three-way coalition parties meet president to outline their plans
The leaders of the three parties likely to form the next Austrian government (9:25 CET) have now visited the country’s president, Alexander Van der Bellen, to present their proposed programme.
The party leaders are starting their press conference on the new government’s plans now, so I will keep an eye on any key news lines there.
Meanwhile in Germany, a viral social media image of the man likely to be Germany’s next chancellor and his transition team has revived longstanding questions about whether Friedrich Merz can bridge a persistent gender gap.
“Not great optics” was among the more generous of the thousands of comments on the post by Merz’s Bavarian ally Markus Söder, which seemed to hark back to another time.
“We’re ready for political change in Germany,” was Söder’s caption on X and Instagram for the shot from the all-male working breakfast in Berlin with Merz and his team, ranging in age from 47 to 69.
In Sunday’s election, Germans elected fewer women to the parliament as a whole this time, making up 32.4% of the new class of MPs – down from 35%.
Next court hearing expected in late March - media reports
Romanian media Adevarul and Antena 3 CNN are both reporting from their sources that the pair are expected to report for a court hearing in Bucharest in late March.
Tate brothers allowed to travel, have to report to court when summoned - statement
The statement from the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism says that “the two defendants of dual British-American citizenship” have been allowed to travel, but have to report when summoned and any violation of this condition could lead to stricter restrictions on their movement.
Here it is in full (in Romanian).
Romanian prosecutors confirm they approved Tate's travel outside Romania
Romanian prosecutors approved the request of internet personality Andrew Tate to travel outside Romania pending criminal investigation, Reuters reported.
Austria close to getting new government
In other news, Austria may soon get a new government, after the conservative People’s Party (OVP) and Social Democrats (SPÖ) have just agreed to form a three-way coalition with the liberal Neos – The New Austria and Liberal Forum party.
The government’s 200-page programme will be presented at a press conference at 11am CET and reportedly includes provisions for radical toughening of migration and asylum laws.
The new cabinet is expected to be sworn in by Monday, but the deal is still subject to final approvals by parties.
The talks between the three parties were again opened last week after previous attempts to form government in various configurations, including led by the election winners in the far-right Freedom party (FPÖ), failed to get any traction.
It has been five months since the general election in September, the longest it has taken Austria to form a government since the second world war.
Updated
Morning opening: And now for something different
Today was meant to be all about UK prime minister Keir Starmer’s visit to the US, a second attempt this week – after French president Emmanuel Macron’s trip on Monday – to put forward European arguments to US president Donald Trump in a bid to convince the new US administration of the importance of supporting Ukraine.
But, but, but.
Controversial British-American influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate have reportedly left Romania this morning on a private flight to the US, after securing a permission to leave the country, Romanian media report.
The former professional kickboxer and his brother Tristan were arrested in 2022 and indicted in mid-2023, along with two Romanian women, on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.
The brothers, who are dual UK-US citizens and have been vocal supporters of Trump, have denied wrongdoing. The UK is seeking the brothers’ extradition after Bedfordshire police were granted a warrant as part of an investigation into allegations of rape and human trafficking.
What does it have to do with Starmer’s visit to the US and European relations with the new Trump administration, I hear you ask?
In recent weeks, Financial Times (£) and other media outlets reported that the new US administration has pressed the Romanian authorities to lift travel restrictions on the pair.
The reports were denied by the Romanian government, with the country’s prime minister Marcel Ciolacu saying last week that “the US has not made any requests to Romania” on this. Romanian foreign minister Emil Hurezeanu was quoted, however, as confirming, however that the US enquired about the brothers – even if he insisted there was “no form of pressure”.
According to Antena 3 CNN, a Romanian news channel partnered with the US cable network, the brothers left on a private plane for Florida at 5:30am (3:30 GMT) this morning, after securing a permission to travel from the Romanian prosecutor’s office.
The issue could have an impact on Starmer’s visit with questions over the role the US administration played in allowing the brothers to travel.
I will bring you all the latest on this, Ukraine, and other topics around Europe.
It’s Thursday, 27 February 2025, and this is Europe live. It’s Jakub Krupa here.
Good morning.
