The European Perspective
Europe’s Fissures Exposed Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit
As President Trump prepares to meet Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, European unity is cracking under the pressure. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has bluntly declared that “Russia has won the war in Ukraine,” making him the only EU leader to refuse to endorse a joint statement affirming Kyiv’s right to decide its own future (Reuters, Ansa). This open break from consensus clashes with calls from leaders like UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is demanding “robust and credible security guarantees” for Ukraine before the talks (GOV.UK). With the White House terming the meeting “exploratory,” the divergence reveals deep anxiety that Europe’s security architecture could be renegotiated without its full participation, leaving the continent on the menu, not at the table.
Heat and Jellyfish Hobble French Nuclear Fleet
A summer heatwave is exposing the vulnerabilities of France’s critical nuclear infrastructure, which provides roughly 70% of the country’s electricity (FOX Weather). At the Gravelines plant, the nation’s largest, a “massive and unpredictable” swarm of jellyfish clogged seawater cooling intakes, forcing four of its six reactors offline this week (Bloomberg, EDF). This follows other heat-related production curbs across France, where high river temperatures are hampering the ability of plants to cool down without harming aquatic life. These events challenge the reliability of nuclear power in a warming climate, raising difficult questions for energy policy and the immense capital required to adapt the aging fleet.
Catch the next Gist for the continent’s moving pieces.
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