Morning opening: Ready for the decision
Jakub Krupa
US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin will communicate on the cellphone right this moment discussing the subsequent step in Trump’s plans for bringing a few ceasefire in Ukraine.
On Sunday, Trump stated that negotiators had already talked about “dividing up sure belongings”, together with energy stations. The authorized standing of Russia-occupied territories can also be believed to be on the desk.
A lot to Europe’s frustration, it as soon as once more finds itself not on the desk and having to depend on readouts from Washington or Moscow containing solely what they select to reveal.
Ukrainian overseas minister Andrii Sybiha sought to strike an upbeat tone this morning, telling reporters in India that “with management of president Trump, we might obtain long-lasting, simply peace.” However he additionally repeated a few of Kyiv’s pink strains, together with its refusal to recognise any of the occupied territories as Russian.
For now, Europe continues its work on a safety association that might help a ceasefire or a peace deal, if one is agreed. On Thursday and Friday, European leaders will meet once more for the European Council in Brussels, and armed forces chiefs will proceed their coordinations in London.
However right this moment’s Trump-Putin cellphone name will outline the way forward for the talks.
We are going to deliver you all of the updates all through the day.
It’s Tuesday, 18 March 2025, and that is Europe dwell. It’s Jakub Krupa right here.
Good morning.
Key occasions
Germany set to vote on Merz’s plans to unlock report stage of state borrowing
Kate Connolly
Berlin correspondent
Germany’s probably subsequent chancellor is to face a key vote on plans to unlock a report stage of state borrowing, which he argues is important to spice up the nation’s navy spending and inject progress into its ailing economic system.
Friedrich Merz intends to launch a €500bn infrastructure fund and calm down debt guidelines – at present protected by the structure – through the outgoing parliament, the place events in favour of the proposals – his conservatives, the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens – have the required two-thirds majority.
Merz wants the help of virtually all of the MPs who’ve signalled their willingness to again the scheme as he additionally reckons with some dissenters, together with a former CDU common secretary who Merz sacked in 2023.
Monetary markets have adopted the developments carefully, reacting positively to the information final week that Merz had secured the Greens’ help. Consultants have stated the fiscal injection has the facility to elevate Germany’s financial fortunes after two years of destructive progress, however some have warned that they have to be accompanied by sturdy reform proposals.
Jakub Krupa
Elsewhere, we will even be monitoring the scenario in Germany right this moment, the place the Bundestag will vote on a historic package deal of spending reforms proposed by chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz.
The sitting begins very quickly, at 10am (9am GMT), with votes anticipated round 2pm (1pm GMT).
So let’s hear from our Berlin correspondent on the importance of the vote…
Morning opening: Ready for the decision
Jakub Krupa
US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin will communicate on the cellphone right this moment discussing the subsequent step in Trump’s plans for bringing a few ceasefire in Ukraine.
On Sunday, Trump stated that negotiators had already talked about “dividing up sure belongings”, together with energy stations. The authorized standing of Russia-occupied territories can also be believed to be on the desk.
A lot to Europe’s frustration, it as soon as once more finds itself not on the desk and having to depend on readouts from Washington or Moscow containing solely what they select to reveal.
Ukrainian overseas minister Andrii Sybiha sought to strike an upbeat tone this morning, telling reporters in India that “with management of president Trump, we might obtain long-lasting, simply peace.” However he additionally repeated a few of Kyiv’s pink strains, together with its refusal to recognise any of the occupied territories as Russian.
For now, Europe continues its work on a safety association that might help a ceasefire or a peace deal, if one is agreed. On Thursday and Friday, European leaders will meet once more for the European Council in Brussels, and armed forces chiefs will proceed their coordinations in London.
However right this moment’s Trump-Putin cellphone name will outline the way forward for the talks.
We are going to deliver you all of the updates all through the day.
It’s Tuesday, 18 March 2025, and that is Europe dwell. It’s Jakub Krupa right here.
Good morning.
Supply hyperlink
