Marine Le Pen, the French far-right leader, has tried and failed three times to become president. Now, even as her popularity rises, she may be barred from taking part in an election to lead France if she is found guilty of embezzlement on Monday. Such a verdict, far from certain, has been equated by Ms. … Read more
European leaders will convene in Paris on Thursday to shore up support for Ukraine, a “coalition of the willing” that wants to help the war-torn country fight back against Russia despite wavering American commitment, and safeguard an eventual peace. France and Britain have been spearheading those efforts, which led to a first meeting in Paris … Read more
European leaders have gotten the message from Washington about doing more for their own defense and for Ukraine, too. They are talking tough when it comes to supporting Ukraine and about protecting their own borders, and they are standing up to a demanding and even hostile Trump administration. But there is an inevitable gap between … Read more
With a staccato burst, a horn sounded in the control room of the H.M.S. Vanguard, sending the crew of the nuclear-armed Royal Navy submarine to battle stations. The voice of the commanding officer crackled over the intercom. “Set condition 1SQ,” he said, ordering its battery of ballistic missiles to be readied for launch. It was … Read more
President Trump’s overture to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to end the war in Ukraine has rattled leaders across Europe. Few have been more transformed than Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain, who was elected last summer on a standard-issue promise to revive his country’s economy and public services. Now, Mr. Starmer finds himself … Read more
A French citizen who spent over two years in detention in Iran on spying charges was released this week, the French government said on Thursday. President Emmanuel Macron of France had earlier denounced Iran’s detention of the man, Olivier Grondeau, 34, and two other French citizens as “disgraceful and arbitrary.” Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s foreign minister, … Read more
President Trump and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia are expected to speak on Tuesday as Washington pushes for a cease-fire in Ukraine. Mr. Trump said the topics would include power plants and “dividing up” Ukrainian assets. The call will be the first known conversation between the two leaders since Ukraine agreed to support a … Read more
In his first overseas trip as Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney went on a whirlwind tour of France and Britain on Monday to showcase Canada’s deep European bonds as President Trump threatens his country’s economy and sovereignty. Just three days after being sworn into office, Mr. Carney had lunch with President Emmanuel Macron of France … Read more
Five years after it left the European Union, Britain may have finally found a new role on the global stage — a gig that looks curiously like its old one. In the frantic few weeks since President Trump upended the trans-Atlantic alliance with his overtures to Russia and rift with Ukraine, Britain’s prime minister, Keir … Read more
Germany’s next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, set European pigeons flying in circles when he suggested last month that given rising mistrust in President Trump’s commitment to NATO, he wanted to talk to France and Britain about extending nuclear deterrence over Germany. Warning that a “profound change of American geopolitics” had put Poland, as well as Ukraine, … Read more