Survey finds 71% back an EU army
Welcome, Europeans. 🇪🇺
A new survey measures support for an EU army, while European leaders debate who should join Ukraine peace talks. We also have news on Czech media funding, UK-EU relations and Storm Charles.
Today in Europe:
- 🪖 A GLOBSEC survey finds 71% support for an EU army.
- 🕊️ A US envoy says Europe will join the next Ukraine talks; Moscow has not confirmed it.
- 📺 The EU’s democracy commissioner pledges to protect media freedom amid a Czech funding dispute.
- 🤝 Kaja Kallas calls for closer UK-EU ties before next week’s summit.
- 🌧️ Storm Charles floods parts of southern Europe and disrupts flights.
🪖 Survey finds 71% support an EU army
Some 71% of Europeans surveyed want the EU to have its own army, according to a GLOBSEC security think tank report seen by Politico Europe. Support was strongest in Romania, at 82%, followed by Lithuania at 78% and France at 75%.
Majorities also backed the idea in Poland and Bulgaria, both at 70%, and Germany, at 69%. Politico reports that the findings come as governments discuss strengthening military capabilities amid Russia’s continuing war against Ukraine and uncertainty over the US commitment to European security.
Why it matters: Europe’s defence debate needs to move from enthusiasm to democratic choices. A European army would need agreed command, funding and accountability—not just a popular name.
Ask voters what they are prepared to build, then put a real plan on the table.
🕊️ US envoy says Europeans will join Ukraine talks
US envoy Jared Kushner says Ukraine and Russia have agreed to include European partners in the next round of negotiations, Euronews reports. Moscow has not confirmed whether it agreed to their participation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the prospect, saying European involvement made sense as Ukraine hopes eventually to join the EU, the BBC reports. EU leaders meeting in Dublin on Friday remain divided over who should represent them, according to Politico Europe. Leaders are also due to discuss artificial intelligence and the bloc’s next budget.
Why it matters: A European seat is useless without a European position. Security arrangements negotiated around Ukraine will affect the whole continent; governments cannot protect their interests by competing for the microphone.
Agree the mandate first. The seating plan can wait.
📺 Czech media funding bill draws EU scrutiny
EU democracy commissioner Michael McGrath has pledged to use “all relevant tools” to protect media freedom amid a dispute over Czech public broadcasting, EUobserver reports.
The Czech lower house voted last month to scrap radio and TV licence fees in favour of funding public broadcasters from the state budget. McGrath did not confirm whether the draft bill conflicts with European law. The fast-tracked funding change has prompted strikes and rallies, with a protest planned in Prague on Sunday, according to DW.
Why it matters: Public broadcasters cannot hold power to account if their funding depends on its goodwill. Replacing a licence fee with budget funding demands safeguards against political pressure.
Brussels should spell out what those safeguards require—and enforce the rules.
🤝 Kallas calls for closer UK-EU ties
EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas wants next week’s UK-EU summit to begin “small steps” towards Britain rejoining the bloc, EUobserver reports.
Speaking in Dublin on Thursday, Kallas said she would like the UK to return but acknowledged that negotiations would not be easy. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham wants sectoral agreements on areas including emissions trading, energy, migration, agricultural produce and industry. He said a “win-win” deal with the EU could be done, according to The Guardian.
Why it matters: Closer cooperation with Britain is worth more than another summit photograph. Energy, trade and security all need practical agreements with democratic oversight on both sides.
Start with the deals on the table, not a contest over slogans.
🌧️ Storm Charles disrupts southern Europe
Storm Charles has brought flooding and flight cancellations across southern Europe, The Guardian reports. Heavy rain and winds first hit Madeira before the storm reached mainland Portugal on Wednesday.
Funchal airport recorded a wind gust of 136 km/h, with rainfall reaching 355 mm in 12 hours. Lisbon had 183 flights cancelled on Wednesday, around a third of its normal daily traffic; Madrid’s Barajas airport had 155 cancellations. After flooding in Spain and Portugal, the storm moved through southern France towards northern Italy, causing significant flooding in parts of Cannes.
Why it matters: Flood protection and resilient transport deserve the same urgency as headline climate targets. Communities and airports need infrastructure that can withstand severe weather, backed by plans that cross borders.
Cut emissions—and budget for the water already arriving.
📰 In Other News
- ⚖️ A London court convicted two Iranian men of spying on journalists; one was also convicted of planning a violent attack.
- 🇭🇺 Hungary is to scrap its abortion “heartbeat regulation” as part of women’s rights reforms.
- 🏅 Norway will bar Russian and Belarusian professional athletes from competing in the country, following a similar Finnish announcement.
- 🏥 An Israeli strike on Gaza’s Nasser Medical Complex killed six people and injured at least 27, the WHO said.
- 🔥 A study suggests children’s exposure to pollution from home wood-burning could be as significant as exposure to traffic exhaust.
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Written with the help of AI from the reporting linked above.