Iceland to carry referendum on opening EU accession talks in ‘subsequent few months,’ PM says
Jakub Krupa
Iceland is to carry a referendum on opening accession talks to affix the European Union in “the subsequent few months,” the nation’s prime minister Kristrún Frostadóttir mentioned at a press convention in Warsaw.
Talking alongside the Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, she mentioned that the federal government “has not determined lastly on the date” but, however it’s going to be “within the coming months.”
“We’re going ahead now within the subsequent few months – presumably, as we haven’t determined lastly on the date, however within the coming months … – to have a referendum on opening up the accession negotiations for Iceland for presumably becoming a member of the EU,” she mentioned.
She added that in her bilateral talks with Tusk, the pair “talked extensively concerning the significance of understanding that that is about opening a chance” and integrating Iceland extra with the EU, whereas preserving “the respect for Icelandic id inside Europe.”
She mentioned it will be necessary for Iceland to see that its distinct Arctic id is “considered,” in addition to its personal “lifestyle or the best way we use our assets.”
Tusk mentioned he can be “more than pleased” to see Iceland be part of the bloc, drawing on Poland’s expertise as a “success story” within the European integration.
He additionally agreed with Frostadóttir on the significance of creating positive the EU “present respect” to all nations and “deal with larger and smaller nations equally.”
“I might be more than pleased if Iceland [joined] a part of our neighborhood, even when [the EU] wanted to vary slightly bit for that, be extra versatile, and I might be able to work with Kristrún on this [as] it’s in our widespread curiosity,” he mentioned.
Tusk additionally drew on his private expertise of Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, pointing to the shifting attitudes within the British society ten years on from the Brexit referendum because the proof of belated appreciation of the worth of the EU membership.
“Possibly the most effective proof that it is sensible to debate integration is the scenario within the UK. Should you ask individuals … about Brexit … the most recent polls are completely clear that 65% of the Brits would vote for the EU in the present day; greater than 80% of younger individuals within the UK are in favour of a doable membership of the EU. [So,] when you’ve got this very expertise of Brexit, possibly you realize a lot better than others that the membership of the EU is one thing actually precious,” he mentioned.
Responding, Frostadóttir diplomatically mentioned that her authorities would “take heed to regardless of the Icelandic inhabitants desires to do,” however thanked him for his feedback acknowledging Iceland’s personal id.
Some 30,000 Poles stay in Iceland, making them by far the biggest international born neighborhood within the nation, with Frostadóttir considerably touchingly paying tribute to their contribution and singling out her daughter’s “favorite instructor within the kindergarten” named Małgorzata.
As a present, Frostadóttir was additionally given a Polish chocolate wafer bar Prince Polo, which could be very fashionable in Iceland – and apparently is her dad’s favorite candy snack.
Key occasions
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Closing summary
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Iceland to hold referendum on opening EU accession talks in ‘next few months,’ PM says
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Germany ‘appalled by Hungary’s behaviour’
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First Ukrainian drone plant in UK begins operations
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Former Polish intelligence chiefs face charges over Pegasus spyware
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Orbán doubles down on attacks on Ukraine, EU, Hungarian opposition ahead of key elections
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Switzerland and EU to finalise package of deals next week
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EU exporters could face months of uncertainty on trade with US
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Ukraine officials showed evidence of Russian damage to Druzhba pipeline, Poland’s Sikorski says
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Repair works on Druzhba pipeline ongoing but in ‘very difficult circumstances’ amid Russian attacks, Ukraine tells EU
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Orbán alleges Ukraine could seek to disrupt Hungary’s energy system
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Repairing Druzhba pipeline ‘not that fast,’ Zelenskyy says
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76th Italian song festival Sanremo gets under way
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Germany’s Merz looks for opportunities with China, despite differences
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Macron names new Louvre head to get it out of crisis after last year’s jewel heist
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EU-UK post-Brexit reset needs to be ‘decisively accelerated,’ senior MEP says
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Ukraine-US talks in Geneva on Thursday part of preparation for trilateral meeting with Russia, Zelenskyy says
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‘Working very hard’ on Ukraine and pointed praise for Nato’s defence spending ramp up in Trump’s speech
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Ukrainian negotiators to meet with US representatives on Thursday, Zelenskyy says
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Morning opening
Closing abstract
Jakub Krupa
… and on that word, it’s a wrap for in the present day!
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Iceland is to carry a referendum on opening accession talks to affix the European Union in “the subsequent few months,” the nation’s prime minister Kristrún Frostadóttir mentioned (17:18).
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Her feedback seem to recommend the federal government will deliver ahead plans to organise the vote, beforehand rumoured to be deliberate for early 2027 (17:37).
In different information,
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Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán appeared to escalate his rhetoric in direction of Ukraine (14:32) as he made unsubstantiated claims alleging that Ukraine might be seeking to disrupt its vitality grid, and ordered troopers to guard key vitality amenities (12:54), simply weeks earlier than a carefully contested parliamentary election in Hungary.
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The 2 nations stay at odds over their views on what is obstructing using the Druzhba oil pipeline, which continues to be affected by latest Russian strikes (12:54, 13:06, 13:12).
Individually,
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German chancellor Friedrich Merz for deepening ties with China, whereas pushing for fairer commerce guidelines between the 2 nations and looking for Chinese language assistance on Ukraine as he continues his go to to the nation (9:51, 11:56).
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Switzerland and the European Union will subsequent week signal a bundle of agreements geared toward simplifying and harmonising their ties, Berne and Brussels mentioned (13:50).
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The 76th Sanremo Italian track pageant bought underneath method final evening on the iconic Ariston Theatre (12:37).
And that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, for in the present day.
You probably have any ideas, feedback or options, e-mail me at [email protected].
I’m additionally on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
The Icelandic referendum had beforehand been tipped for early 2027, so in the present day’s feedback from Frostadóttir seem to verify some media reporting that the federal government will attempt to deliver it ahead.
The formal proposal – anticipated to be drafted early spring, based on native media – must be accepted by the parliament first, after which there’s a nine-month window for organising the precise vote.
The Icelandic Nationwide Broadcasting Service said in January that two opinion polls appeared to point a slender choice for becoming a member of the bloc, however with the margins so skinny that it might go both method.
“Two opinion ballot surveys in 2025 steered slim majorities for many who favour EU membership. In a single by Prósent, 45% of respondents mentioned they supported Iceland’s accession to the European Union, whereas 35% mentioned they didn’t. A Gallup survey from the identical 12 months steered comparable outcomes, with 44% of respondents saying they favoured Iceland becoming a member of the European Union, and 36% saying they had been opposed.”
Iceland to carry referendum on opening EU accession talks in ‘subsequent few months,’ PM says
Jakub Krupa
Iceland is to carry a referendum on opening accession talks to affix the European Union in “the subsequent few months,” the nation’s prime minister Kristrún Frostadóttir mentioned at a press convention in Warsaw.
Talking alongside the Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, she mentioned that the federal government “has not determined lastly on the date” but, however it’s going to be “within the coming months.”
“We’re going ahead now within the subsequent few months – presumably, as we haven’t determined lastly on the date, however within the coming months … – to have a referendum on opening up the accession negotiations for Iceland for presumably becoming a member of the EU,” she mentioned.
She added that in her bilateral talks with Tusk, the pair “talked extensively concerning the significance of understanding that that is about opening a chance” and integrating Iceland extra with the EU, whereas preserving “the respect for Icelandic id inside Europe.”
She mentioned it will be necessary for Iceland to see that its distinct Arctic id is “considered,” in addition to its personal “lifestyle or the best way we use our assets.”
Tusk mentioned he can be “more than pleased” to see Iceland be part of the bloc, drawing on Poland’s expertise as a “success story” within the European integration.
He additionally agreed with Frostadóttir on the significance of creating positive the EU “present respect” to all nations and “deal with larger and smaller nations equally.”
“I might be more than pleased if Iceland [joined] a part of our neighborhood, even when [the EU] wanted to vary slightly bit for that, be extra versatile, and I might be able to work with Kristrún on this [as] it’s in our widespread curiosity,” he mentioned.
Tusk additionally drew on his private expertise of Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, pointing to the shifting attitudes within the British society ten years on from the Brexit referendum because the proof of belated appreciation of the worth of the EU membership.
“Possibly the most effective proof that it is sensible to debate integration is the scenario within the UK. Should you ask individuals … about Brexit … the most recent polls are completely clear that 65% of the Brits would vote for the EU in the present day; greater than 80% of younger individuals within the UK are in favour of a doable membership of the EU. [So,] when you’ve got this very expertise of Brexit, possibly you realize a lot better than others that the membership of the EU is one thing actually precious,” he mentioned.
Responding, Frostadóttir diplomatically mentioned that her authorities would “take heed to regardless of the Icelandic inhabitants desires to do,” however thanked him for his feedback acknowledging Iceland’s personal id.
Some 30,000 Poles stay in Iceland, making them by far the biggest international born neighborhood within the nation, with Frostadóttir considerably touchingly paying tribute to their contribution and singling out her daughter’s “favorite instructor within the kindergarten” named Małgorzata.
As a present, Frostadóttir was additionally given a Polish chocolate wafer bar Prince Polo, which could be very fashionable in Iceland – and apparently is her dad’s favorite candy snack.
Germany ‘appalled by Hungary’s behaviour’
Hungary’s Viktor Orbán isn’t any stranger to criticism and the international ministers of Germany and Belgium have been laying it on thick.
“All I can say is that I stay appalled by Hungary’s behaviour,” mentioned Germany’s Johann Wadephul, after Orbán blocked a significant EU mortgage to Ukraine. He added that Hungary’s determination to veto the most recent spherical of EU sanctions towards Russia “betrays its personal wrestle for freedom”.
Belgian international minister Maxime Prevot additionally warned that “Hungary should perceive” that for different EU nations “the persistence is carrying skinny in a short time”.
First Ukrainian drone plant in UK begins operations
Some information nearer to residence – the primary Ukrainian drone manufacturing plant within the UK has begun its operations in the present day.
Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK and former commander of the Ukrainian armed forces, made the announcement on social media, saying launching manufacturing within the UK “has a deep strategic logic”.
He mentioned:
This isn’t a shift within the centre of gravity from Ukraine. That is an enlargement of our joint capabilities and the creation of a second resilience contour that ensures the continuity of manufacturing.
We’re leaving the engineering experience centre in Ukraine and integrating manufacturing into the British defence area. We’re creating a brand new high quality of partnership, the place allies not solely help one another, but additionally kind a typical industrial safety base.
The drones manufactured by Ukrainian firm Ukrspecsystems “have lengthy confirmed their effectiveness in hi-tech warfare”, Zaluzhnyi added.
He doesn’t say the place the plant relies, however Ukrspecsystems mentioned in September that it will set up a manufacturing and coaching hub in Suffolk.
Each Ukraine and Russia have utilised drones on an unprecedented scale within the now four-year war, filling a spot left by a scarcity of artillery and precision weapons.
Former Polish intelligence chiefs face prices over Pegasus spy ware
Former chiefs of Poland’s civil and army intelligence providers face prices of misconduct in public workplace as a part of a wider investigation into the earlier authorities’s use of the controversial spy ware Pegasus.
Pegasus is a strong software designed by Israeli firm NSO Group. It’s able to taking management of a goal’s cell phone, accessing knowledge from safe messaging apps and even turning the gadget right into a recorder.
The 2 males, who led Poland’s Inner Safety Company and Navy Counterintelligence Service, had been charged on Wednesday, Poland’s prosecutor basic said in a statement.
The prosecutors allege, amongst others, that they allowed for the spy ware’s deployment regardless of not securing the high-level clearances required for intelligence operations. They might resist three years in jail, the assertion mentioned.
For extra on the home political controversies about using Pegasus, see Shaun Walker’s story from 2024:
Orbán doubles down on assaults on Ukraine, EU, Hungarian opposition forward of key elections
In the meantime, Hungary’s Viktor Orbán has doubled down on his rhethoric towards Ukraine and the EU, claiming in a highly-confrontational social media post that “the Brusselian leaders” – his derisive time period for high EU officers – “reached an settlement with president Zelenskyy to proceed the struggle.”
“That is unhealthy information for Europe. A struggle is being extended that clearly has no answer on the battlefield, but causes immense destruction,” he mentioned, stressing the excessive demise toll of the battle.
“That is what Brussels is supporting,” he claimed.
The professional-Russian chief, believed to be vulnerable to shedding energy after 16 years within the upcoming parliamentary election, claimed that Ukraine and Europe had been shedding the struggle, and unnecessarily frightening Russia right into a nuclear confrontation – basically repeating a few of the most up-to-date Kremlin traces (Europe Live, Tuesday).
He additional made additional allegations – with none proof – that throughout the latest Munich Safety Convention the chief of the Hungarian opposition Tisza celebration, Péter Magyar, concluded “a secret deal” with the EU, “underneath German patronage” and provided his help for the struggle.
“Hungary should keep out of this. The Hungarian authorities should safeguard the nation’s safety,” he mentioned.
His feedback should be seen by way of the lens of the upcoming election in April, with polls suggesting Orbán is trailing behind Magyar’s Tisza by 10 proportion factors, as he’s looking for to ramp up his anti-Ukrainian rhetoric in a bid to make electoral features.
Switzerland and EU to finalise bundle of offers subsequent week
In the meantime, Switzerland and the European Union will subsequent week signal a bundle of agreements geared toward simplifying and harmonising their ties, Berne and Brussels mentioned, as reported by AFP.
The Swiss authorities said in a statement that it had been knowledgeable Wednesday that Swiss president Man Parmelin and European Fee chief Ursula von der Leyen “would signal the Switzerland-EU bundle of agreements (Bilaterals III) in Brussels on Monday.”
EU-Swiss ties are at present ruled by a patchwork of agreements, and the 2 have for years been striving to nail down a broader cooperation settlement. Switzerland instantly walked away from greater than a decade of negotiations in Might 2021, however the two sides picked up talks once more three years later, AFP defined.
“Switzerland and the EU will now signal the remaining agreements and protocols on 2 March, along with a joint declaration establishing a high-level dialogue,” Berne mentioned.
The deal will still have to be voted on by the parliament and accepted in a referendum, although.
EU exporters might face months of uncertainty on commerce with US
Lisa O’Carroll
in Brussels
Exporters from the EU could face months of uncertainty promoting merchandise to the US with some producers now dealing with greater tariffs than they did underneath the deal sealed final August with Donald Trump.
European commerce commissioner Maroš Šefčovič mentioned on Tuesday the EU mentioned it was dealing with “transitional interval” of some months in relations with the US with commitments from commerce consultant Jamieson Greer and commerce secretary Howard Lutnick that they stood by final 12 months’s settlement.
Šefčovič yesterday mentioned the transition interval might final 150 days, as much as 24 July, when Trump’s newest 10% tariffs apply.
The EU’s commerce spokesperson Olof Gill mentioned in the present day that Brussels was ready to listen to how that will transition would play out after the settlement involving tariffs of 15% on most exports was shot down by the US supreme courtroom.
“If the US has given dedication that it’s going to honour its agreements, that it’s going to honour the 15%, we’re ready for them to elucidate in peer operational element how that can work.
As regards the authorized foundation [of the current and future deal], that’s what the Individuals have to elucidate to us. So we now have this transitional section … We’re partaking with the US to make sure that in that transitional section the commitments made by the US or the joint statements are honoured.
We are going to proceed on our commitments, and within the meantime, there’s this deadline inside which the US has to elucidate what comes subsequent.”
The EU additionally confirmed that some items that had been tariffed at greater than 5% earlier than the deal would now face tariffs of greater than 15%.
Ukraine officers confirmed proof of Russian injury to Druzhba pipeline, Poland’s Sikorski says
For what it’s price, Poland’s international minister Radosław Sikorski said that in his go to to Kyiv on Tuesday, “the pinnacle of Ukraine’s Naftohaz confirmed me footage of Russian injury to the Brody pumping station on the Druzhba oil pipeline,” siding with the Ukrainian rationalization of the scenario.
Restore works on Druzhba pipeline ongoing however in ‘very troublesome circumstances’ amid Russian assaults, Ukraine tells EU
Lisa O’Carroll
In the meantime, the European Fee mentioned it was informed by Ukraine that its efforts to restore the Druzhba oil pipeline connecting Siberian oilfields with central Europe had been being hampered by heavy bombardment from Russia.
The fee’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, requested Ukraine to “speed up” the works throughout her go to to Kyiv earlier this week.
However Ukraine informed the European Fee that “emergency preparatory work is ongoing, however in very troublesome circumstances,” an EU spokesperson mentioned.
“We perceive the perspective of President Zelenskyy, who says that the Ukrainian persons are always repairing what Russia is systematically destroying, and a few residents are even shedding their lives, [while] repairing vital vitality infrastructure,” she mentioned.
“We condemn within the strongest phrases Russian assaults on Ukraine’s vitality infrastructure,” she added.
Orbán alleges Ukraine might search to disrupt Hungary’s vitality system
And in the previous couple of minutes, Hungary’s Viktor Orbán has escalated this conflict with Ukraine even further, claiming that Kyiv might be seeking to “disrupt” the operation of Hungary’s vitality system.
He provided no proof to help the declare, however mentioned that Hungary would deploy troopers and gear to guard key vitality amenities.
The transfer comes as Orbán seeks to make his fiercly anti-Ukrainian stance one of many key factors forward of the important thing parliamentary election in April, which might see him ousted after 16 years in energy.
