+34
EU ministers are gathering in Druids Glen hotel next week for a candid discussion of foreign policy challenges
EU ministers to gather in Druids Glen hotel next week for candid discussion of foreign policy challenges Gymnich castle in Erftstadt, Germany, where the first informal meeting of European foreign ministers was held in 1974.
Photograph: Wolfgang Kuhn/United Archives via Getty ImagesGood morning, I’m Jack Power, Europe correspondent for The Irish Times, filling in today for Denis Staunton while he is away. When ministers meet to talk politics in Brussels, a senior diplomat is usually by their side. That’s how the officials like it.
They get nervous on the rare occasions whenStyled as a more informal, free-flowing chat twice a year, the idea is for foreign ministers to knock about their thoughts on the big questions of the day, without the pressure of having to negotiate any firm decisions involving messy compromises. Natalie Harp: The ultra-devoted Trump aide who fascinates and frustrates other people around himThe first Gymnich of foreign ministers took place in 1974 in Erftstadt, near Bonn, western Germany, at the instigation of then German foreign minister Walter Scheel.
The fallout from the 1970s oil crisis and the Vietnam War were on the agenda. The get-together was held in Gymnich castle, a 14th-century chateau with a moat that belonged to Rhineland nobility. At a certain point, Scheel ushered his fellow ministers – plus their spouses, who had been invited to attend a dinner – down to the cellars of the castle for a singsong. It falls to the government holding the rotating Council of the EU presidency to host.
Ireland is bringing all the union’s foreign ministers to Druids Glen hotel in Wicklow next week for it. UK foreign secretary Ed Miliband has been invited to join the discussion as well.thought he would be welcoming the visiting politicians to his constituency backyard, before he swapped the foreign affairs gig for the finance job. Foreign ministers who travelled to Copenhagen for a Gymnich last year left with a particularly unusual gift.
The Danish foreign ministry commissioned sets of gold pens crafted from recycled Ukrainian bullet casings. ’s far-right government in Budapest was snubbed in 2024. Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative on foreign affairs, arranged an informal meeting of ministers in Brussels instead. The move was a pointed protest over the way Orbán was abusing Hungary’s position during its turn at the EU presidency, to undermine the bloc’s common stance supporting Ukraine.
Ireland staged one of the first foreign policy brainstorming sessions during the Republic’s presidency in 1975, two years after joining what was then the European Economic Community. At the time Farmleigh estate was owned by the Guinness family , but Garret FitzGerald reportedly swung it so the government of the day had use of the Phoenix Park mansion for a Gymnich dinner.
The agenda in Wicklow next week will span the war in Ukraine, Iran and the blocked Strait of Hormuz, a debate about stalled EU action against Israel, plus a chat about how to improve Europe’s influence in world affairs. Economies are feeling the energy crisis pinch. Violent settlers are emboldened in the West Bank.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy needs more air defence missiles than Europe has to spare, or money to buy them, and there have been murmurings of US-backed peace negotiations resuming as well. Plenty to talk about.
Please let me know what you think and send me your comments, thoughts or suggestions for topics you would like to see covered toWalking past the decaying industrial plant, I swore I heard a Soviet ghostIran and Oman discuss temporary Strait of Hormuz corridor as impasse with US drags on
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
From an XC60 Diesel to What? A Guide for Moving to IrelandConsidering a move from the Netherlands to Ireland? Learn why your beloved XC60 diesel might not make the trip, and explore alternative SUV options that fit the Irish market, including the compact XC40 and the fuel-efficient RAV4.
Read more »
Why hurling needs to follow football by linking league to championshipIntroducing wild cards would help provide the hurling championship with the anchor weekend it is so badly missing.
Read more »
Troy Parrott's La Liga Debut: A Missed Opportunity or a Promising Start?Troy Parrott made his La Liga debut for Real Betis in a tense 0-0 draw against Valencia, coming off the bench in the 63rd minute. While he narrowly missed a golden scoring opportunity early in his appearance, his overall play showed promise and could signal a successful adaptation to the Spanish league.
Read more »
Status Yellow Rain Warning for South-East CountiesMet Éireann has issued a Status Yellow rain warning for Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, and Waterford, predicting spells of heavy rain and potential thunderstorms from 12pm on Thursday, August 27, until 3am on Friday.
Read more »
Patrick Freyne: Fortycoats, Anything Goes and 10 more great TV shows to stick your little ones in front ofWhy do children get the likes of RTÉ’s Bellie and Whizz at Big School to help them self-regulate, when adults just get the news?
Read more »