Good morning from Rome.

The Italian government’s possible adoption of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communications system presents Europeans with new dilemmas a few weeks before Donald Trump's official inauguration. 

The issue has attracted attention in Brussels as it could undermine the bloc’s IRIS2 project, which aims to reduce dependence on non-European systems from 2025 to 2030.  

However, Trump’s reelection has reshuffled the cards and poses tough questions for Europeans regarding the transatlantic future.

Politicians who spoke to Euractiv in Rome and Brussels said that if Giorgia Meloni moves on with the deal, it would be a “strategic mistake”, especially economically.

But politically, it seems Meloni has other plans, aiming to play the “Atlanticist” card over the next few years. 

The Slovaks demand that Ukraine resume the transit of Russian gas westward, following the expiry of a previous deal on 31 December, or Bratislava be compensated. Hanging in the balance is support for Ukraine’s EU membership, one of Kyiv’s most sought-after prizes.

In EU agriculture, the sector is in wait-and-see mode as tariff threats have not yet triggered a rush to increase key exports to the US. 

Meanwhile, US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy’s recent call for cancer warnings on alcoholic beverages has once again brought attention to the EU's stalled progress on alcohol labelling and health warnings.

COPENHAGEN

Incoming US President Donald Trump has caused a stir after refusing to rule out military action to secure control of Greenland, with Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reminding him of their shared NATO membership. Read more.

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Cables and Russian ships put under AI-powered surveillance in Baltic Sea. Northern European countries have announced increased monitoring of undersea infrastructure and the Russian shadow fleet following an incident in the Baltic Sea. Read more.

BERN

EU countries are set to approve Switzerland joining a military mobility project aimed at ensuring the seamless movement of armies and defence equipment across Europe and to the US. Read more.

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BERLIN

German emissions drop amid warm weather and stagnant economy. Germany's carbon emissions dropped in 2024 thanks to the country's aggressive roll out of solar and wind power, as well as milder temperatures and an industrial slump. Read more.

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PARIS

Jean-Marie Le Pen, former leader of French far-right, dead at 96. Jean-Marie Le Pen, the far-right French politician who founded the Front National and led it for almost four decades, died on Tuesday at the age of 96. Read more.

French AI minister reaffirms commitment to fight foreign interference. As concerns over foreign interference rise across the European Union, France's Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies, Clara Chappaz, met with Viginum, the entity responsible for countering such threats. Read more.

MADRID

Spain's far-right and right-wing parties are snapping at the heels of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's ruling PSOE as they are gaining voters and winning back support lost in the July 2023 elections, a new poll shows. Read more.

Transnistria, a breakaway Moldovan province loyal to Russia, has been in the headlines this week amid an energy crisis triggered by a recent Ukrainian decision to suspend a Russian gas deal via its territory to the region. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Slovak government threatens Ukraine with withdrawal of EU membership support. Slovakia's increasingly Russia-friendly government has taken another swipe at Ukraine, this time in relation to Ukraine’s decision to halt Russian gas supplies, while also questioning Ukraine’s reliability in bilateral ties. Read more.

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WARSAW

Poland’s PiS appeals for help in state subsidy case. Members of the conservative PiS party (ECR) have called on Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domański (PO, EPP) to make the right decision on whether to grant the party much-needed state subsidies, despite a series of conflicting court rulings on the matter. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Czech police seek to prosecute far-right leader over inciting hatred. Prague police have asked parliament to lift the immunity of Tomio Okamura, leader of Freedom and Direct Democracy, so he can be prosecuted for inciting hatred or restricting rights and freedoms during last year's EU election campaign. Read more.

SOFIA

Strasbourg court rules against Bulgaria over unfair MEP trial. Bulgaria has violated the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial of MEP Elena Yoncheva (Renew Europe), the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg said in a ruling published on Tuesday. Read more.

• EU: High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas receives Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of Jordan Ayman Safadi;
• Commission Vice President Teresa Ribera and Energy and Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen meet with European Hydrogen Associations;
• Vice President Roxana Mînzatu holds meeting with European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) delegation.

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor-Braçe]