European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called on Hungarian authorities to reverse the ban on Saturday’s Budapest Pride.

The EU is set to revisit its €68 billion Association Agreement with Israel after its External Action Service found indications that Israel breached core human rights obligations, particularly through Gaza-related measures, including humanitarian blockades, strikes on hospitals, and forced displacement.

In Brussels, the European Union and Canada sealed their first-ever security and defence partnership with a non‑American nation.

The EU has been focused on NATO’s defence spending, with members agreeing to up spending to 5% of GDP (except Spain). European leaders are preparing to deal with Donald Trump again at the NATO summit, after several EU members called for retaliatory tariffs on the USA.

The war in the Middle East and Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine have also made up a lot of this week’s European headlines. Kyiv has suffered another heavy bombing, and there have been reports that the EU is considering suspending its partnership with Israel over its genocide in Gaza.

The EU and Canada have strengthened their ties with a new partnership and talks of digital trade and deeper cooperation on AI. The EU-Canada summit comes just before NATO.

The continent (including the UK) has experienced a lovely heatwave last week, and whilst it may have ended for the UK, much of the rest of Europe is still basking in the sun – get out and see our incredible continent and all it has to offer, as the summer break begins for some – and is creeping close for the rest of us!

France and Germany have joined forces in calling for a measured yet assertive EU response to proposed U.S. tariffs on aircraft and aircraft parts, part of Washington’s broader 20% levies on EU imports.