Hardline farmers walk away from talks
Farmers blocking highways across the country decided at the last minute not to attend a scheduled meeting Tuesday with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, citing government restrictions they said undermined the prospect of meaningful dialogue. Representatives of the farmers’ blockade coordination committee reached the decision during local assemblies held late Monday. They accused the government of abruptly imposing limits on the number of participants, a move they said demonstrated a lack of willingness to engage seriously with their demands.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1292159/hardline-farmers-walk-away-from-talks
Androulakis: ‘PASOK will not support the Mercosur agreement’
“PASOK will not support the Mercosur agreement,” the president of the main opposition party, Nikos Androulakis, stated on Monday during his visit to the Velvento Agricultural Cooperative, which concluded his four-day tour of Western Macedonia.
https://www.amna.gr/en/article/962220/Androulakis-PASOK-will-not-support-the-Mercosur-agreement
Greek energy minister discusses strategic projects in Saudi Arabia
Greek Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou met with Saudi officials on Monday to advance cooperation in energy, telecommunications, and raw minerals. Discussions focused on the East to Med data Corridor (EMC), renewable energy, and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
Russian secret service labels Ecumenical Patriarch ‘Constantinople Antichrist’ in scathing attack
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has launched a scathing attack on Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, calling him the “Constantinople Antichrist” and accusing him of attempting to “sow discord” in the Russian Orthodox world with support from the British secret service.
ATHEX: Index rises for a fourth straight day
The week started with a mixed session for the Greek stock market, as the majority of stocks and the mid-caps index headed lower, while the blue chips and the banks closed with more growth. Consequently, the benchmark posted minor gains to rise to yet another 16-year-high on Monday after its fourth consecutive session of advance. While some profit-taking is due, the upward trend remains clear at Athinon Avenue.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1292161/athex-index-rises-for-a-fourth-straight-day
KATHIMERINI: Hard-line farmers said “no” to meeting with the PM at the last moment
TA NEA: Farmer protests: How the meeting with the PM turned into a shipwreck
EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: Farmers-Mitsotakis meeting: Government Waterloo
RIZOSPASTIS: Farmers-stockbreeders-beekeepers-fishermen respond to government games with unity and solidarity
KONTRA NEWS: PR stunt by the government aims to divide farmers
DIMOKRATIA: Monstrous government lies regarding the height of farmers’ extremely low pensions
NAFTEMPORIKI: Monitoring of “high risk” transactions
DRIVING THE DAY
GETTING INTO THE ROOM: The unthinkable is now being thought in the European Union: Should the continent begin peace talks with a war criminal? As Donald Trump intensifies his efforts to end Moscow’s war, the bloc is faced with choosing between opening its own diplomatic channels with Russian President Vladimir Putin, or risk letting the U.S. dictate the terms of an eventual peace deal in Ukraine.
Two-pronged: According to diplomats and officials who spoke to Playbook, a recent push by French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to begin discussions with the Kremlin has gained traction both in Brussels and European capitals. The main goal of the push is to ensure the EU’s red lines aren’t crossed and signal to Washington the continent has leverage of its own.
What’s the strategy? “Macron has been advocating in the last days that, in view of the bilateral discussions between the Americans and the Russians, it is important to play at least a role in the discussion,” one French official told Zoya Sheftalovich. “Meloni very much supported that … they’re not naive about what can be reached through these discussions, but on the balance between not engaging and engaging, there’s a growing appreciation in some capitals.”
“There are some issues which cannot be discussed with [only] the U.S. when they have direct implications on our security as Europeans,” the official said. “But the message to Washington is as important as [the message] to Moscow.”
Not there yet: Asked about the proposals on Monday, European Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho insisted that there was still some way to go before discussions could take place. “Obviously, at some point, there will have to be talks with Putin … Unfortunately, we’re not seeing any signs by President Putin to be engaging … so we’re not there yet, but at some point we would hope indeed there will be such talks.”
Let’s be blunt: “We might soon be in a position where we need to talk to Putin,” said one European diplomat from a Northern European country, granted anonymity to speak frankly. “It’s important that it’s Europeans in that room making it clear to Russia: We will not let you win this war.” Another EU official said the Americans can push their solutions all they like, but “their plans will depend on Europeans,” who will need to be at the table one way or another.
The Mario scenario: Even with no agreement on how to engage with Moscow, the discussion has already moved on to who would be responsible for handling negotiations with a hostile state. Italian senator and government undersecretary Giovanbattista Fazzolari — an influential ally of Meloni whose Ukrainian wife is credited with having built support for Kyiv in the prime minister’s right-wing coalition — fired the starting gun on the appointments race over the weekend. Fazzolari argued former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi should take the job of EU special envoy for Ukraine.
There’s competition: Finnish President Alexander Stubb last year pitched the idea of a special envoy and put himself forward for the role. A senior official told Playbook that the creation of the role has already been broadly supported by the Council and senior EU leaders. The bloc’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, has consistently opposed the move and is holding her own discussions in Germany Tuesday. The talks in Berlin will “focus on the renewed diplomatic push for peace in Ukraine and how Europe can further strengthen its defense,” an EU diplomat told POLITICO.
Trump’s growing threats to take over Greenland have also united Europeans — with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz joining the growing chorus warning against the move, alongside Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. “It’s been positive to see countries that have been hesitant to criticize Trump joining forces on this,” said one diplomat. “The message is that this isn’t just about Greenland or Denmark, but about avoiding a return to the pre-WWII era where being able to militarily occupy a territory gives you rights over it” — a message that needs to be hammered home to Russia as well.
Delegation to Denmark: A bipartisan group of American lawmakers from both houses will travel to Denmark for talks on Friday, my U.S. colleagues report.
More to come: The European People’s Party (EPP), Socialists and Democrats (S&D), Renew Europe and Greens will blast Trump for his threats to annex Greenland after a meeting Wednesday. “The European Parliament unequivocally condemns the statements made by the Trump administration regarding Greenland which … are unacceptable and have no place in relations between democratic partners,” according to the statement seen by POLITICO. The leaders urge the EU executive and member governments “to define concrete and tangible support to Greenland and Denmark.”
Falling at the first hurdle: Brussels’ efforts to strengthen strategic autonomy are already bogged down in yet another clash between France and Germany, with the two countries failing to agree on whether Ukraine should be able to spend the EU’s €90 billion loan on American weapons. Gregorio Sorgi and Bjarke Smith-Meyer have the inside story.
TECH TROUBLE
TIME TO THROW THE BOOK AT MUSK? The EU needs to be far more assertive in how it applies its digital rules, including to digital platforms like Elon Musk’s X, former European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit told Max Griera and Nick Vinocur. He warned that Trump won’t respect Brussels if it shows weakness.
Risky business: Even if the U.S. administration reacts furiously to regulatory action by the EU, the European response should not be dictated by fear. “We should take some risk,” said Schmit, a social democrat from Luxembourg who was formerly in charge of jobs and skills. “And I think we should have a more assertive position, yes.”
Pornography pushback: “We should not be impressed” by sharp reactions from the White House when the EU says it will apply laws like the Digital Services Act (DSA) against X and other platforms, Schmit said. “We should react firmly … That’s how Europe can show that it is autonomous to take decisions based on our laws. And on things like pornography [on X], we should really be very tough.” Musk’s Grok AI tool is under fire for generating indecent images of women and children.
Breton solidarity: Schmit, who was the lead candidate for his party in European elections in 2024, also questioned the Commission’s response to the U.S. sanctioning former Digital Commissioner Thierry Breton. “This is the point where we should have showed more solidarity and say no, it’s not one, it’s all of us,” he added, referring to other former commissioners who were also responsible for the bloc’s digital regulations.
You’ve been warned: The EU’s tech chief Henna Virkkunen said late Monday that “X now has to fix its AI tool in the EU — and they have to do it quickly. If not, we will not hesitate to put the DSA [to] its full use to protect EU citizens.”
LEAVE X NOW: Meanwhile, EU institutions are coming under fire for continuing to rely on X to get their message out. “Elon Musk is an enemy of Europe. He despises our democracy, our rule of law, our values, and everything else that stands in the way of his greed,” said German S&D MEP Tiemo Wölken, whose party is a member of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s governing coalition. “For a long time, I was convinced it was better to engage in dialogue rather than leave the platform to become a far-right circus. But enough is enough.”
Time to walk: “Any organization remaining on X is directly supporting the network effects that keep people on it. When government organizations, politicians and other public figures leave, we take away Elon Musk’s power. This is why the European Commission, the Council and the Parliament should also stop using X,” Wölken said.
While the Commission no longer pays to promote content on the site, it has maintained a presence on Musk’s platform, even as the controversial billionaire likens the EU’s executive arm to Nazi Germany. One official defended the policy, saying it is still important to counter these narratives on forums where the public gets its information.
PARLIAMENTARY POLITICS
PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW — ACT FAST ON IRAN: European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has banned all Iranian officials and diplomats from the Parliament’s premises amid a ferocious regime crackdown against mass protests in Iran. This is “the least we can do,” Metsola told POLITICO’s Tim Ross via WhatsApp. “Our premises will not be used to aid the legitimization of a regime focused solely on self-preservation and using violence to remain in power.”
Pick up the pace: While the Commission is considering fresh sanctions against the Tehran regime in response to the attacks on protesters, Metsola is demanding a greater sense of urgency: “Europe needs to act — and fast. That is why the Parliament has been calling for new sanctions and decisive EU action,” she said. “We will support any future measures taken at EU level.”
Europe must not fail to act: “Political signals, support and solidarity are important — but we need to show that we are serious.” The EU must demonstrate it is watching and “acting.” “If we do not stand up and call out these injustices, we let [down] all these brave people in Iran, [who] are marching for justice. We cannot let this happen.”
Is it time for regime change? Metsola said it wasn’t for her to say. She has not been in touch with Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last shah, who is a leading voice encouraging the protests and who wants return to lead Iran’s transition to democracy. “Iranians deserve to decide their own future and who takes the reins of their country is not [for] me or anyone else to decide. We should support them in this effort,” Metsola said.
THE FAMILY THAT RAN IRAN: Although the brutality of Pahlavi’s father fueled the Iranian Revolution that toppled the monarchy in 1979, many Iranians now see him as the only alternative to the hardline regime. After a series of interviews, Tim Ross shines a light on the exiled royal’s plans.
FUMING FARMERS: The EU’s flagship trade deal with the South American Mercosur bloc still faces a tough test from critics in France, Poland and the European Parliament, even as von der Leyen prepares to sign it. A legal review and a vote on an accompanying resolution are coming to a head this week, my colleagues report.
ALL POLITICS IS PERSONAL: A poisonous rift between EPP chief Manfred Weber and top S&D lawmaker Iratxe García has seen the pair trade blows very publicly. The feud is making it harder for von der Leyen to keep her fragile governing alliance together, my colleague Max Griera writes in this definitive profile today.
EUROPE’S LEFT LAUNCH GAZA ACTION: The European Left Alliance — the EU-level party bringing together La France Insoumise, Spain’s Podemos and Nordic left parties — will announce at 1 p.m. a European Citizens’ Initiative calling on the Commission to present measures to support Palestine. If the initiative reaches 1 million signatures, the Commission will be required to set out what action it intends to take in response.
IN OTHER NEWS
BALLOT FOCUS: International monitoring missions are increasingly strapped for cash, with countries focusing on domestic priorities instead. But allowing election monitoring to become a casualty of the funding squeeze would be “a grave mistake,” the EU’s former top diplomat Josep Borrell writes for POLITICO.
A BAD WEEK FOR PUTIN: With Venezuela and Iran on the ropes, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine bogged down, Vladimir Putin’s plans to reshape the world with an illiberal alliance of strongmen is floundering. That’s according to the analysis of my colleague Eva Hartog, with Moscow’s war now lasting longer than the Soviet fight in World War II.