live U.S., Iran reach preliminary peace deal, Friday signing expected
U.S. and Iranian officials said they had agreed on a framework to end their war, halt the U.S. blockade of Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a pre...
More international support is needed to stabilise the Palestinian fiscal situation, the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica said on Thursday (20 November).
She added, that the bloc recognised the progress made by the Palestinian Authority on key reforms in "exceptional circumstances."
Suica made the comment at the Palestine Donor Group (PDG) meeting in Brussels.
During a news conference alongside the Palestinian Authority prime minister Mohammad Mustafa, she also said those reforms were a pre-requisite for a viable two-state solution and that work "remained to be done."
It was the first meeting that the EU convened of the PDG on Thursday. The group brings together ministers and senior officials from around 60 international and regional partners—including European Union member states, Arab countries, and major donors.
The group was established as part of the EU's €1.6 billion Multiannual Comprehensive Programme for Palestinian recovery and resilience, and aims to coordinate financial support and monitor the implementation of the Palestinian Authority's Reform Agenda, with a focus on fiscal stability, governance, and economic recovery in the West Bank and Gaza.
France: 'Peace cannot be capitulation'
Meanwhile, European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels earlier in the day did not comment in detail about the reported U.S. plan, but indicated they would not accept demands for Kyiv to make punishing concessions.
"Ukrainians want peace - a just peace that respects everyone's sovereignty, a durable peace that can't be called into question by future aggression," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
"But peace cannot be a capitulation."
U.S. in Kyiv with peace plan
Zelenskyy's office said Driscoll had presented him with the plan only on Thursday, and several sources told Reuters and other media outlets that the plan was the fruit of backchannel conversations between Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev, the special envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In a message on X on Wednesday, Rubio said the U.S. "will continue to develop a list of potential ideas for ending this war based on input from both sides of this conflict" and that peace will require concessions from both Kyiv and Moscow.
Zelenskyy, who met Driscoll alone and then met with the full U.S. delegation, agreed to move quickly towards agreement and the signing of a plan, said Colonel Dave Butler, U.S. army chief of public affairs.
The United States, he said, wanted to ensure that this is "a good plan for the Ukrainian people."
The acceleration in U.S. diplomacy comes at an awkward time for Kyiv, with its troops on the back foot on the battlefield and Zelenskyy's government undermined by a corruption scandal. Parliament fired two cabinet ministers on Wednesday.
Details of a reported draft memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran offer the clearest picture yet of how both sides plan to end months of conflict and move towards a longer-term settlement.
The U.S. and Iran say they have reached a deal to end their conflict, with an immediate ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade. Talks will continue over the next 60 days to finalise the agreement
U.S. President Donald Trump has said a peace agreement with Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday in a post on social media, despite Tehran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei saying no deal would be approved this weekend.
U.S. and Iranian officials said they had agreed on a framework to end their war, halt the U.S. blockade of Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a preliminary pact that sent oil prices falling but leaves the fate of Iran's nuclear program to further negotiations.
Switzerland on Sunday rejected a referendum proposal to cap its population at 10 million, a projection showed, as voters prioritised economic stability and the country's ties with the European Union over immigration concerns.
Spain has received around 900,000 applications from undocumented migrants seeking legal status under a government regularisation programme. The influx has far exceeded initial expectations, the Migration Ministry said on Monday.
A Ukrainian man has been found guilty of carrying out a series of arson attacks on properties linked to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after being recruited by a mystery figure known only as "EL Money".
British lawmakers look set to revisit assisted dying in the new parliamentary session after Labour MP Lauren Edwards said she would reintroduce legislation that failed to complete its passage through Parliament earlier this year.
Israel expects to secure new contracts for its air and missile defence systems from European countries within weeks, as governments across the continent continue to strengthen their militaries amid security concerns linked to Russia's war in Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 100% tariffs on French wine and champagne unless France removes its digital services tax on major American technology companies.
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