🇪🇺 foreign affairs ministers have just started their meeting here in Brussels to discuss possible new #RussiaSanctions.
Poland is calling for a "complete trade blockade" including energy. That remains a tall ask.
"Today will be a very long day," says EU foreign affairs chief @JosepBorrellF.
"Russia is really doing a lot of #WarCrimes. That's the word, I have to say that. What's happening in #Mariupol is a massive war crime - destroying everything."
"Europe cannot give an impression of fatigue," says #Lithuania FM Landsbergis entering #FAC. "We cannot get tired of imposing sanctions"
"There's a feeling in the room to sit down & take a breath. I think that's a bad message"
It's "unavoidable" that they talk about an #OilBan.
"We'd like to see the sanctions agreed so far further intensified and added to," says Irish FM Simon Coveney.
He also wants increase in European Peace Facility (arms to #Ukraine), and more cooperation on #UkraineRefugees "to ensure all European countries are contributing" (🇬🇧👀)
On sanctions, FM Coveney says energy should be included.
"Looking at the destruction in #Ukraine right now, it's very hard in my view to make the case that we shouldn't be moving into the energy sector, particularly oil and coal."
The idea for EU to ban the import of Russian oil, but not gas, seems to be gaining traction.
The EU gets 45% of its gas imports from Russia, but only 25% of its oil imports. Oil is also easier to replace with other suppliers.
But would Russia respond by turning off the gas tap?
Events over the weekend in #Mariupol seem to have galvanised momentum toward a 5th round of EU #RussiaSanctions this week including energy (oil & coal).
But given how sensitive this is, such a decision will likely have to wait for #EUCO summit of EU leaders & Biden Thursday.
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Breaking: The European Commission is opening an 'excessive deficit procedure' against France for the first time.
This should have happened long ago, but France's power in Brussels for years made the Commission look away.
How will this impact the 🇫🇷legislative election?
Procedure also started for 🇮🇹🇵🇱🇧🇪🇭🇺🇲🇹🇸🇰
Romania currently the only country already under the excessive deficit procedure. Commission announces it will stay there.
The rules are meant to prevent a repeat of the 💶debt crisis, making countries tighten fiscal policy or face fines.
🇫🇷 had the 2nd-highest deficit (5.5%) in🇪🇺 in 2023, after 🇮🇹
For years EU officials openly acknowledged that France was getting special treatment, with 🇪🇺President Juncker famously explaining why France wasn't being put under the procedure by saying: "Parce que c'est la France"
The problem with the first option is you need to take the metro between train stations in Paris to switch, whereas in Lyon it's the same station
But...
🇪🇸Renfe & 🇫🇷SNCF don't have a ticketing agreement, so there's no way to get the preferred option as a combined ticket.
It doesn't show up on either website (Renfe won't even let you choose Brussels as a destination). Even 3rd party sites like SNCB Intl & Trainline can't show it
Tonight is the first semi-final for #Eurovision2023 in 🇬🇧Liverpool.
It's happening on the 25th anniversary of the 1998 contest hosted in 🇬🇧Birmingham, a transformative year that marks the boundary between the 'old' and 'new' Eurovision.
In 1998 Dana International became the first trans (and 1st openly LGBT) person to win the ESC.
Following the '98 contest it was decided to make two major rule changes: countries no longer had to sing in their national language and they weren't required to use an orchestra.
Those changes transformed what had become a stale archaic-looking contest in '90s into the explosion of spectacle in 2000s - helped also by the entry of enthusiastic Eastern European countries unable to participate during Communism.
The bookies have 🇸🇪Sweden as the favourite to win, followed by 🇫🇮Finland and 🇫🇷France.
But Sweden's odds have gotten worse since rehearsals started.
The singer, #Loreen, already won for 🇸🇪 in 2012 with Euphoria, a global hit hitting number one on the charts in 21 countries.
Among fans, I keep hearing "I predict Sweden will win but I don't want it to win". People like the song but think a 🇸🇪win is too predictable. 🇸🇪has dominated the contest for 2 decades.
If 🇸🇪win again they'll match Ireland's record for most wins - 7.
As the 🇬🇧#Coronation takes place in London, here's some fun facts about monarchies around the world.
I find Americans have the mistaken impression that Europe has many monarchies. In fact, excluding microstates, there are just 8 - and only 3 have been there more than 200 years.
There are actually more monarchies in Asia than in Europe.
The world has 16 kings, and only one queen (🇩🇰). Then there are 4 princes, 3 sultans, 2 emirs, 1 pope and 1 emperor (🇯🇵).
There are 4 types of monarchies remaining in Europe:
🇬🇧British
🇸🇪🇩🇰🇳🇴Scandinavian
🇳🇱🇧🇪🇱🇺Low Countries
🇪🇸Iberian
🇻🇦🇱🇮🇦🇩🇲🇨Microstates
This map shows when other European monarchies ended (most give the year of national independence from a imperial monarchy)