PM: ‘This year there are more fire fighters than ever’
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a 45-day extension of the deadline for clearing surplus vegetation from plots of land, during his visit to the climate crisis and civil protection ministry on Thursday. With the fire season beginning on May 1, the prime minister was briefed on the preparation of the state mechanism to respond. Mitsotakis noted that the fire department’s forces were this year greater than ever, while the number of volunteers is also increasing. He also stressed the great importance of clearing land of undergrowth, noting that this had indisputably protected properties and assisted the fire brigade last year.
https://www.amna.gr/en/article/899053/PM-This-year-there-are-more-fire-fighters-than-ever
Armenian genocide marked
On the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Greek President Konstantinos Tasoulas honored the 1.5 million victims, calling remembrance a “sacred national duty.”
https://www.ekathimerini.com/politics/foreign-policy/1267836/armenian-genocide-marked
North Macedonia PM repeats claim of ‘unresolved Macedonian question’
North Macedonia Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski on Thursday repeated his claim that the “Macedonian question” remains unresolved, suggesting it will eventually be addressed by global powers.
Greek mafia leader shot dead outside Athens medical centre
A man believed to be a high-ranking member of the so-called Greek Mafia was shot dead in broad daylight outside a private medical center in the northern Athens suburb of Halandri on Thursday, police said.
ATHEX: Balanced day reveals fresh buying moves
The reactivation of purchase orders by foreign investors for the country’s four systemic banks, the Bank of Cyprus and selected blue chips such as Metlen (that has just posted increased revenues) on Thursday offset the pressures at the Greek stock market from some profit-taking efforts. As a result the benchmark recovered all the ground lost during the day and closed with marginal growth.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1267852/athex-balanced-day-reveals-fresh-buying-moves
KATHIMERINI: New death ambush for control of the crime world
TA NEA: Road map for fast trials
EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: Nothing changed regarding the wildfires policy
RIZOSPASTIS: Profiteering crushes the right to housing
KONTRA NEWS: Bloody war between gangs
DIMOKRATIA: The government is prohibiting construction activity throughout the country
NAFTEMPORIKI: More flexible working arrangements
DRIVING THE DAY: PAPAL REQUIEM FOR A DREAM
HOPES FOR A PULL-ASIDE AT THE PAPAL FAREWELL: Both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are hoping for a chance to talk to Trump on the margins of Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome on Saturday — though both Brussels and Kyiv acknowledge that nothing is currently on the books. As a Commission spokesperson put it, any opportunities “will be seized.”
Playbook advice: Hang out in front of the toilets. That’s how we pigeonhole pols who don’t want to talk to us.
But (deadly) seriously, folks … Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office Thursday, Trump repeated his suggestion that Kyiv will have to give up Crimea as part of a peace deal. Asked what concessions Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to make, Trump replied: “Stopping the war. Stopping taking the whole country — pretty big concession.”
Fact check: True. “You have no idea what pressure I’m putting on Russia,” Trump said. (He then insisted that he’s applying “a lot.”)
OSLO MOJO: This exchange with Trump took place during yet another de facto press conference during what would normally be just an Oval Office photo op with foreign leaders. In this case, Trump was joined by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (now finance minister in Oslo).
Oslo FOMO: Norway ain’t in the EU, though it is part of the European Economic Area. Støre’s success getting post-tariff face time is the envy of the Continent, and he likely has Stoltenberg to thank for it.
Trump’s (secretary) general: Stoltenberg attended Trump’s inauguration in January and is thought to be among Europe’s most effective interlocutors with this administration, Eli Stokols and Robbie Gramer report. “The president really likes and trusts him,” said one White House official, granted anonymity to discuss the president’s relationship with the man Trump called a “great general, frankly.” Read more from my stateside colleagues.
Giving away the Støre: “U.S. engagement is critical” to end the war, Støre told reporters, “and President Trump made that possible.”
Echoing that praise was Polish President Andrzej Duda, a staunch Ukraine backer. “It is only this American pressure that can really bring this war to an end and help forge a peace that will not be comfortable for either side,” he told Euronews. “Ukraine will also have to step down in some sense,” he added, without specifying how much.
TIMELINE TEA LEAVES
TRUMP’S ‘OWN DEADLINE’: “Vladimir, STOP!” said Trump on Truth Social Thursday, adding that he’s “not happy” with Moscow’s deadly attack on Kyiv earlier in the day. “Not necessary, and very bad timing.”
About that timing: Trump said he has his “own deadline” for reaching a deal — or walking away. Asked what he’ll do if Russia keeps escalating the violence, he replied: “I’d rather answer that question in a week.” And asked if abandoning negotiations would mean dropping aid and intelligence to Ukraine, Trump said: “You can also ask that question in two weeks.”
HOW KYIV SEES IT: “He rushes and pushes because he wants to get a deal [by] 100 days in office,” an official familiar with negotiations told POLITICO’s Veronika Melkozerova, reporting from Ukraine.
When exactly is that? That 100-day point is on April 29 or 30, depending on how you count.
False equivalence: “The problem is that Americans say something publicly and put pressure on Ukraine, but they don’t say directly what exactly they want,” the Ukrainian official said. The goal, this official said, might be to “transfer to Europe as much as they can. In any case, it is obvious that Putin is not convinced by this.”
Can’t live with EU, can’t live without US: At the same time, the official acknowledged, Ukrainians still need the U.S. — specifically, its hard power. “A lot depends on them at this stage, and it is still difficult to compensate for this from other sources,” the official said.
Appeal to the MAGA crowd: In the ongoing effort to win over Trump’s base, Zelenskyy sat for yet another interview with a major MAGA influence, The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro, fielding questions about auditing U.S. assistance, Kyiv’s military conscription, religious freedom and more. Watch the interview.
NORTH KOREAN MISSILE? The ballistic missile Russia used for its Thursday morning attack on a Kyiv residential building, which left 12 civilians dead, was made in North Korea, Zelenskyy said Thursday. More from the Kyiv Independent.
DEFENDING EUROPE
EU STRUGGLES TO KICK AMERICAN TROOP ADDICTION: After 75 years of dependence on U.S. troops, Europe faces withdrawal symptoms. As Washington considers cutting forces and ceding NATO command, analysts warn of weakened deterrence and costly gaps. A German report says it could take more than a decade for Europe to fill the void — if capitals can agree on a path forward. Laura Kayali and Lucia Mackenzie have more.
MEPS APPROVE EDIP: The European Parliament’s defense and industry committees voted in favor of the European Defence Industry Program (EDIP) on Thursday, despite a last-minute effort led by Polish MEPs to delay the decision due to their concerns that Central Europe’s defense industry would not benefit from the program. More details for Pro subscribers in Morning Defense.
TECH REG TANTRUMS
MAXIMAL HOSTILITY TO DMA FINES: As we reported, Meta says the EU’s Digital Markets Act fine goes too far, and the socialists in the European Parliament say it doesn’t go far enough. Now Thierry Breton, the ex-commissioner who oversaw the tech regs’ adoption, is also dunking on them.
He’s baaaaack: Breton, whose return to the Berlaymont was nixed by von der Leyen, popped up in Brussels just as the fines were announced and said he “regrets” that they’d been imposed. Why? Because it meant that the Commission had failed to get Meta and Apple to actually conform to the rules. “The objective of Europe is not to put fines,” he told The Capitol Forum’s Javier Espinoza. He added: “I hate fines, I’m a former CEO myself.”
Correction — The EPP likes it: The EU’s low-key approach to announcing the fines (the relevant commissioners weren’t even available for a press conference) is sitting well with the center-right political family in charge, the European People’s Party. Privately, key players explicitly invoke Breton’s reputation for showmanship (he famously confronted Elon Musk) as what they were trying to avoid by delivering a flat, procedural announcement.
HUA-WAY TOO FAR: The Commission backpedaled on its announced plans to ban all meetings with Huawei reps amid bribery allegations. Mathieu Pollet has more for Tech Pros.
SO MUCH FOR ‘NEVER AGAIN’
WHAT’S NEXT, YELLOW STARS? Trump administration texted college professors’ personal phones to ask if they’re Jewish, from The Intercept.
WHAT’S NEXT, PINK TRIANGLES? Hungary on EU watchlist over surveillance at Pride, report POLITICO’s Pieter Haeck and Csongor Körömi.
NOTED WITH INTEREST: Rod Dreher, an American conservative thinker living in Hungary, who has played a key role in bridging the MAGA and Orbán networks, writes that he’s now “troubled” by the “excesses” of the Trump administration, in the Free Press.
THE OTHER BRUSSELS
BELGIAN FM REAFFIRMS ICC COMMITMENT: Belgium Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot stressed his country’s unwavering support for the International Criminal Court on Thursday, Camille Gijs writes in to report, hinting that Belgium would enforce an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Why it matters: That contradicts remarks earlier this month by Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who expressed doubt that any European country would arrest Netanyahu.
‘Crystal clear’: “The position of Belgium is crystal clear regarding the support of the ICC: We are clearly in line, said Prévot, of the liberal Les Engagés party, at an event hosted by the Young Diplomats in Belgium on Thursday. “We intend to respect international law. It’s clearly our compass,” he added.
Actually, it’s not that clear: Earlier this month, De Wever, a Flemish nationalist, suggested Belgium would not detain Netanyahu if he were to set foot in the country — despite an active ICC warrant against the Israeli prime minister charging him with war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. “There’s also realpolitik,” De Wever said on Belgian TV in early April.
Divisions: Israel’s war in Gaza is a divisive topic for the five-party coalition government. Some parties, such as the Flemish socialists, are pushing to recognize Palestine as a state — following in the footsteps of French President Emmanuel Macron. De Wever is skeptical of the move.
ANOTHER BELGIAN POLITICAL HEADLINE: Protesters drench Belgium’s francophone liberal chief in beer
IN OTHER NEWS
YOU GET A DEAL, YOU GET A DEAL, EVERYBODY GETS A TRADE DEAL: As Trump escalates tariffs, the EU doubles down on global free trade, Jakob Weizman reports. Brussels is racing to seal deals with India, Mercosur, Australia and Southeast Asia, aiming to outpace the U.S. in global trade leadership.
MORE CONFUSION AHEAD OF ROMANIA’S RE-VOTE: Ten days out from the first round of the (new) Romanian presidential election, an appeals court from the city of Ploiești annulled the Romanian constitutional court decision that canceled last year’s election.
Head explodes: There’s confusion about whether that’s possible and what the consequences are — Romanian outlet Digi24 even reports that the judge could face a disciplinary procedure. The one certainty: more chaos.
Deep breaths: The election authority says this won’t affect the upcoming election, Romanian outlet Biziday reports.
EYES EMOJI: The Trump Organization’s online store is now selling “Trump 2028” merchandise, the latest indication — even if frivolous — that the president wants to run for a third term, my stateside colleague Andrew Howard reports.
IT ALL STARTED WITH KIDNEY STONES: In this week’s episode of the EU Confidential podcast, Playbook’s own Zoya Sheftalovich looks back on a decade of POLITICO. Plus, my interview with ex-MEP and Nigel Farage confidant Alex Phillips on whether Brexit delivered, and highlights from a Studio Europa Maastricht debate on what Europe and the U.K. have learned five years after the divorce was finalized. Listen and subscribe here.