Author: Daily Sabah With Reuters

European Union leaders will commit on Thursday to do more to make the bloc more competitive with more military muscle in the face of U.S. tariffs and other economic challenges, and doubts over Washington’s future backing in defence. All leaders, except Hungary’s Viktor Orban, are also expected to re-affirm their financial and military support to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, whose video-link address will start the summit. The 26 EU leaders are expected to agree a text which commits to uphold Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and urges Russia to “show real political will to end the war”. The summit…

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged EU allies on Thursday to approve a package of at least 5 billion euro for artillery purchases and called on continued pressure on Russia. Addressing the EU summit by video, Zelenskiy also said it was “simply anti-European when one person blocks decisions that are important for the entire continent”, referring to Hungary’s PM Victor Orban’s opposition to EU statements in support Ukraine.

The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits increased slightly last week, suggesting the labor market remained stable in March, though the outlook is darkening amid rising trade tensions and deep cuts in government spending. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 223,000 for the week ended March 15, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 224,000 claims for the latest week. Claims have been bouncing in the middle of their 203,000-242,000 range for this year, with layoffs generally staying low and hiring cooling off. A separate program…

The next round of U.S.-Russia talks will take place on March 24 in the Saudi capital Riyadh and at an expert level, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Thursday. The Russian delegation will be led by Grigory Karasin, the head of the international affairs committee in Russia’s upper house of parliament, and Sergei Beseda, an adviser to the head of Russia’s FSB security service, Ushakov said in a statement.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday it was important Britain and its allies were able to react immediately should there be a peace deal struck between Russia and Ukraine. His comments, made during a visit to a nuclear submarine facility, come on the day military chiefs from dozens of countries meet in Britain to discuss planning for a possible peacekeeping force in Ukraine. “(Our) plans are focusing on keeping the sky safe, the sea safe and the border safe and secure in Ukraine, and working with the Ukrainians,” Starmer told reporters. “We’re working at pace because we don’t…

The United States and Israel will hold strategic talks on Iran’s nuclear program at the White House next week, Axios reported on Thursday, citing two Israeli officials and one U.S. official. Israeli strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer and national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi will be part of Israel’s delegation, according to Axios.

The United Nations said on Thursday that each day of renewed violence in Gaza makes the return of the remaining hostages held there a more distant objective. U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East Khaled Khiari said the return to hostilities threatens all civilians, including hostages, of whom 24 are thought still to be alive. “With every passing day, we move further away from the objective of returning the remaining hostages safely to their homes,” Khiari told a U.N. Security Council briefing. At least 91 more Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in airstrikes across Gaza on Thursday, in addition…

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Thursday called on the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) interim government of Syria to control extremist elements within its own ranks. Speaking in Damascus after the reopening of the German Embassy, Baerbock said she had told the HTS leadership “that it is now up to them to turn words into action, that it is now up to them to bring extremist groups within their ranks under control and to hold those responsible for crimes to account.”

EU leaders on Thursday said on Thursday that they deplore the breakdown of the ceasefire in Gaza and Hamas’ refusal to hand over remaining hostages. “The European Council deplores the breakdown of the ceasefire in Gaza, which has caused a large number of civilian casualties in recent air strikes. It deplores the refusal of Hamas to hand over the remaining hostages,” it said in a statement.

U.S. President Donald Trump will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in an attempt to convince his counterpart to accept a ceasefire in Russia’s war with Ukraine and move toward a more permanent end to the three-year conflict. The high-stakes call will serve as a test of Trump’s touted deal-making skills and of his prized relationship with the Russian leader, which has left traditional U.S. allies wary. “Many elements of a Final Agreement have been agreed to, but much remains,” Trump said in a social media post on Monday. “Each week brings 2,500 soldier deaths, from both sides,…