Wider Conflict | US military involvement in the war between Iran and Israel would risk a wider conflict, EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas warned yesterday. After his abrupt exit from the G-7 summit, President Donald Trump met with his national security team in Washington for more than an hour yesterday, fueling fresh speculation that the US is on the verge of joining Israel’s attack on Iran. Heated Talks | An EU proposal to ban Russian gas imports by the end of 2027 is poised to face some pushback. Some member states fear it will raise energy prices and cost companies millions of euros in legal fees. While no longer the bloc’s biggest supplier, Russia still accounts for almost a fifth of European demand. Bond Pitch | Finance officials from across Europe are touting their bond markets as a haven from US volatility. Policymakers see an opportunity to attract more global investors and, in the process, dent the dollar’s decades-long dominance. Trade Ties | Expanding trade ties between Australia and the EU would be “symbolically important” in an environment of rising protectionism, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said today. The two sides also plan talks on a defense agreement. Climate Risk | The ECB sets a new chapter in its supervisory approach as it embeds climate risk into regular reviews of how well banks can absorb losses, we were told. It’s moving faster than other central banks in treating the fallout from climate change as a financial risk that has the potential to threaten bank solvency. |