Brussels woke to a sweltering Monday, but the heat was not just meteorological. A senior European Commissioner is in Jerusalem today, but her itinerary has been kept unusually quiet, raising eyebrows across the EU capital.
Dubravka Šuica, the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, is scheduled to deliver a press statement alongside Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Sa’ar, at 3:15 p.m. local time. The event was announced via a media invite from Israel’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs, but Šuica’s own office has not confirmed the meeting, and her cabinet did not respond to requests for comment. Multiple diplomatic sources in Brussels told European Pulse they were unaware of the trip or its purpose.
The lack of transparency is particularly striking given the backdrop of a widening rift between Sa’ar and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas. Kallas has reportedly compared Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to apartheid-era South Africa, a remark that prompted Sa’ar to suspend direct diplomatic contact with her until she offered an explanation. Kallas has neither confirmed nor denied the statement but has stressed the importance of continued dialogue.
Šuica’s visit may be an attempt to mend fences, but the secrecy surrounding it suggests internal EU coordination is frayed. The European External Action Service, which coordinates EU foreign policy, also declined to comment. The episode underscores a broader internal power struggle over foreign policy that has left EU diplomacy toward Israel fragmented.
Starmer’s Leadership in Jeopardy
Across the Channel, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces a decisive moment. After two years marked by low approval ratings and a scandal linked to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, Starmer is expected to announce his resignation today, according to Labour Party sources. The move would trigger a leadership contest, with Labour MP Andy Burnham seen as a potential challenger.
The timing is awkward: the announcement comes on the eve of the tenth anniversary of the Brexit referendum, and just weeks before a planned EU-UK summit on 22 July aimed at resetting post-Brexit relations. Starmer’s departure could complicate London’s efforts to rebuild ties with Brussels, as his successor may not share his enthusiasm for rapprochement.
Moldova’s EU Path Advances
In Brussels, the second EU-Moldova summit is underway, hosted by European Council President António Costa and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, alongside Moldovan President Maia Sandu. The summit follows the formal opening of accession negotiations for Moldova and Ukraine last week, starting with the so-called “fundamentals cluster” covering rule of law and fundamental rights.
Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mihai Popșoi, told Euronews that aligning with EU standards is “very much in our interest” and serves Moldovan citizens first. “If it also helps us to join the European Union, it's great, but our commitment is to our citizens back home,” he said. The process has been slowed by Hungarian vetoes, but Moldova remains determined.
Poland-Ukraine Honors Dispute Escalates
Tensions between Warsaw and Kyiv have deepened after Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle. The move followed Zelenskyy’s decision to name a military unit after the controversial Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which fought alongside Nazi Germany during World War Two. Zelenskyy returned the medal, posting a photo of it being packaged, and said the award was “meant for the Ukrainian People.” Nawrocki insisted the decision was not anti-Ukrainian, but many in Ukraine saw it as a provocation. The dispute is part of a broader escalation in honors-related tensions between the two neighbors.
Meanwhile, Russian-occupied Crimea is facing a fuel crisis after Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure disrupted supply, leading to long queues at petrol stations.
