TRUMP EYES PUTIN-ZELENSKYY MEETING: Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he hopes to soon meet with Vladimir Putin, before holding a trilateral with the Russian president and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy to push to end the war. “There’s a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon,” Trump said at a White House press conference.
Europe MIA: Trump briefed European leaders, including Germany’s Friedrich Merz, on Wednesday, but there was no indication any EU leaders will be invited to the summit (which could happen as early as next week). The European Commission did not confirm whether President Ursula von der Leyen had been included in Trump’s briefing.
GOOD MORNING. It’s Thursday. I’m Karl Mathiesen, a senior correspondent at POLITICO and seemingly the only person who actually likes Brussels in August. Where did you all go?
DRIVING THE DAY: RIBERA ON GAZA 
DO SOMETHING. BUT WHAT? Many European officials feel an acute sense of urgency to ease the suffering of Palestinians trapped in the hell of Gaza. Every day is critical, according to famine observers.
**A message from Mediterranea Saving Humans: Saving lives at sea is not a choice – it’s a moral duty. Mediterranea Saving Humans is active with land missions and sea operations in the Central Mediterranean, where too many are left to die. Join us. Support our mission.**
The EU is characteristically hogtied by internal division over how to act. But Teresa Ribera, the European Commission’s second-most senior official, has a plan for getting through the deadlock by encouraging countries to abstain rather than veto punishment for Israel.
Ribera amps up the pressure: Your Playbook author exchanged extensive WhatsApps with the Commission executive vice president, who has emerged as one of the fiercest critics of Israel from within the EU institutions. I asked her whether Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide, an assertion the Commission has scrupulously avoided thus far.
In one of Brussels’ strongest condemnations of Israel since the war began, Ribera said the starvation, displacement and killing in Gaza “looks very much” like genocide. “If it is not genocide, it looks very much like the definition used to express its meaning,” she said.
Meaning what exactly? “What we are seeing is a concrete population being targeted, killed and condemned to starve to death,” said Ribera, one of Europe’s most senior Socialist politicians. “A concrete population is confined, with no homes — being destroyed — no food, water or medicines — being forbidden to access — and subject to bombing and shooting even when they are trying to get humanitarian aid. Any humanity is absent, and no witness[es] are allowed.”
Israeli denial: Israeli authorities did not reply when asked to respond. But Israel has vehemently denied it is engaged in acts of genocide — which are defined by the intent to destroy a group of people. The government insists Hamas has used Gazans as human shields, while cruelly holding Israeli citizens hostage. More on this from Ribera here.
BREAKING THE IMPASSE: Israel’s closest EU allies, Germany — along with Italy and some other member countries — have so far stopped the bloc from taking further action. That includes blocking a minimal proposal to halt some research collaboration under the Horizon Europe program.
Off ramp for Berlin? Ribera, a career negotiator, has thoughts on how to break the deadlock. She suggested blocking countries register their dissent by abstaining. That might allow the majority of EU countries to move forward on further measures, like cutting off the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
Put Bibi in the corner, let everyone else out: “Consensus is not always about unanimity in enthusiasm. Sometimes, it means finding room to move forward while acknowledging the concerns of those who feel cornered. In a moment like this, with pressing humanitarian needs that demand an urgent response, we could demand moving beyond paralysis regarding key main goals: liberation of hostages and ceasefire, humanitarian assistance in adequate proportions and through the adequate channels and full transparency.”
“Constructive non-objection“: “Could we decide on the suspension of the association agreement and/or other measures to reach those goals through a constructive ‘non objection’ decision?”
It might be a hard sell. On Tuesday, a German government spokesman told reporters Berlin’s “unyielding stance” was bearing fruit, along with its constant contact with Israeli authorities. “Something has developed in a positive direction,” he said. Two weekends ago, 40 aid trucks or fewer were reaching Gaza. Since then, “250 trucks per day have been arriving in the Gaza Strip.”
Where did they get that number from? Not, it appears from the latest European External Action Service report on the humanitarian situation, which was anticipated on Wednesday but is now expected to be circulated this morning.
Checks out: The German spokesman said the improvement in the humanitarian situation “became clear” during a “very long and very good” phone call between Chancellor Merz and Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Tuesday evening.
Not buying it: Asked if she agreed with Germany that there was an improvement, Ribera said: “If we want to stop this horrible famine, we need to flood this territory with food and water, medical care, transparency and adequate caretakers and professional organizations supported by the U.N. I don’t have the impression that we have achieved that phase yet.”
Reality check: Ribera is a prominent Socialist working in a Commission dominated by the center right and led by a German president. Ergo, she’s not pulling the strings.
99 problems, College ain’t one: Yet Ribera walked back comments she made last week expressing frustration at the Commission’s lack of action. “I know all my colleagues back and share these values.” Rather, she said, “in foreign policy it is still the Council who has the major capacities.”
Recognition good, but not enough: A recent move by France, the U.K. and other EU countries to recognize the state of Palestine “is a good step forward, but it is not enough to build peace, stability and respect. It looks like a deep and long involvement of the international community will be required.”
On sanctioning Netanyahu: “What … has been said and done by the Israeli authorities go far beyond the international law limits. This means the international community and/or the other states that play according to the international law should use the means that could facilitate the return to compliance.”
On the price of waiting: “Every day we delay, people continue to suffer and die in unbearable conditions. The longer we wait, the harder it becomes to justify inaction. Not only morally, but politically. If the EU is seen as too divided or too slow to act in the face of such a visible humanitarian catastrophe, we risk lasting damage to our credibility and our role in the world … This kind of paralysis only feeds disillusionment and creates fertile ground for cynicism and populism. We need to show that Europe is not just a set of institutions, but a political and moral project with the courage to respond when human lives are at stake.”
CABINET REVOLT: Senior cabinet officials have joined almost 1,400 of their Commission colleagues signing an open letter, first reported by Playbook last week, to Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas demanding the EU act to deter Israel and raising the possibility of staff walk outs over Gaza. “Definitely we signed,” said one close adviser to a commissioner. “And we would do it ten thousand times.”
TARIFF DAY
IN THE DARK: Donald Trump’s latest tariffs on the EU kicked in at 6.01 a.m., with most goods now facing a 15 percent levy upon entry into the U.S. Trump marked the moment on Truth Social, posting: “BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TARIFFS ARE NOW FLOWING INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!” Brussels, however, is still waiting for clarity from Washington on key promises — especially on cars and strategic exemptions.
Most pressing: While Trump signed an executive order last week to implement the 15 percent “baseline” tariff agreed in late July, he hasn’t yet moved to cut auto and auto‑parts duties from 27.5 to 15 percent. Reuters reported on Wednesday that Trump’s executive order formalizing this was still a few days away.
Stay tuned: The U.S. president is also expected to publish the results of a separate investigation into pharmaceuticals this week, having previously threatened the industry with sky-high tariffs. Trump has — at least in theory — committed to capping tariffs on pharma from the EU at 15 percent.
Also incoming: Trump said Wednesday that he plans to impose 100 percent tariffs on imported semiconductors. He said companies that make semiconductors in the U.S. won’t face the levies, but it wasn’t clear if he meant he would exclude chips that those companies import from abroad. Write-up here.
Please sign here: Meanwhile, there’s still no sign of a high-level EU-U.S. joint statement, meant to formalize the transatlantic trade deal. A senior EU official insisted on Tuesday it was “90 to 95 percent ready,” but that the EU was waiting on the U.S.
What Brussels wants: EU officials are pushing for zero or low rates on aircraft and aircraft parts, medical devices, some chemicals and wine and spirits — some of which would be included in the joint statement. It would also give guarantees that the 15 percent tariff ceiling will apply to pharma and semiconductors — regardless of the result of ongoing Section 232 investigations.
Steel up in the air: The future of the EU’s exports of steel and aluminum is also unclear, with Brussels pushing for a regime that would allow certain amounts to enter into the U.S. without facing the 50 percent duty currently in place.
It ain’t over: And even after it gets the Trumpian nod, the document, which isn’t legally binding, is very much only the beginning, or in the official’s words, the “framework” of what’s set to be lengthy negotiations. Those will, for instance, include discussions around the EU’s implementation of its green and digital rules.
Move over, TACO. A new delicacy is trending: Empanada — Everyone Makes Promises And Never Actually Does Anything.
SPEAKING OF EMPANADA: The EU is chasing a trade deal with Indonesia, but what exactly does a “political agreement to advance the trade agreement” even signify? Can they get it done by September? My colleague Jakob Weizman grapples with those questions here.
IN OTHER NEWS
START AS YOU MEAN TO GO ON: Poland’s new populist President Karol Nawrocki was sworn in Wednesday and his war of words with Prime Minister Donald Tusk resumed immediately. Tusk called it “a sad and disappointing day.”
Deadlock incoming: In his remarks, Nawrocki promised to block Tusk’s agenda, including Poland’s accession to the euro and judicial reform. Wojciech Kość has more from Warsaw.
DG ATE MY HOMEWORK: The European Commission delayed its release of the EU’s new 2040 climate target for months, insisting that it wanted to secure political support for the goal. That went well. But the Commission didn’t use that extra time to make any assessment of the economic or climate impact of the most controversial part of its proposal: a plan to outsource some emissions cuts to poorer countries to ease the burden on EU industry. Read my report with Zia Weise.
NOW READ THIS: My colleague Giorgio Leali reports on the former Mayor of Rome Gianni Alemanno, a far-right hardliner who has — SHOCKED I SAY! — transformed into a bleeding heart campaigner for better prison conditions since getting banged up for graft.
A BOLSHEVIK FOR ALL SEASONS: Romania’s first democratic leader, Ion Iliescu — who died on Aug. 5 at the age of 95 — was among the last of the top communist apparatchiks left from the dissolution of the Soviet bloc. Our obituary.
ETHIOPIA REBUFFS RUSSIAN PLANE GAMBIT: Ethiopia rejected Moscow’s bid to avoid international aviation sanctions by leasing aircraft from Ethiopian Airlines, Tommaso Lecca reports.
SOME GOOD NEWS: Journalist Alec Luhn was found by Norwegian rescue services after going missing for almost a week in a national park. Police said he was in a “good condition.” Luhn, an award-winning reporter who corresponded for POLITICO from Moscow, will now be reunited with his wife Veronika Silchenko, who told Norwegian news outlet VG: “It’s hard to explain how I feel now.” Playbook wishes them both the best.
BRUSSELS CORNER
WEATHER: High of 25C, cloudy.
BOZAR ORGAN RENOVATION: When Brussels’ landmark Centre for Fine Arts, or Bozar, caught fire in 2021, its century‑old organ was badly damaged. It will now be completely rebuilt with its historic façade preserved. Restoration will start this month and is expected to finish by 2028, at a cost of €2 million.
AIRBNB CRACKDOWN: Tax authorities are issuing fines and demanding retroactive tax payments from hundreds of Airbnb hosts in Brussels, Le Soir reports. Between €1.5 million and €2 million could be recovered for 2022 alone. The crackdown was enabled by a 2016 ordinance requiring Airbnb to share host data with tax authorities.
BIRTHDAYS: MEP Jeannette Baljeu; former MEPs Nils Torvalds and Bart Staes; POLITICO’s Hans von der Burchard and Noah Keate; Salesforce’s Rachele Ciavarella; Matt Mazonkey from Airbus; Croatian politician Valter Drandić; European Commission’s Gianmarco Palermo.
THANKS TO: Jacopo Barigazzi, Antonia Zimmermann, Camille Gijs, Ben Munster, Elena Giordano and Veronika Melkozerova; Playbook editor Alex Spence, reporter Yurii Stasiuk and producer Catherine Bouris.
**A message from Mediterranea Saving Humans: Save first, talk later. This is the guiding principle behind civil sea rescue – a movement that has saved over 175,000 lives in the last 10 years. At the world’s deadliest border, the Central Mediterranean, more than 31,000 people have died or gone missing since 2014. Mediterranea Saving Humans is a civil society mission committed to search and rescue at sea. When states fail to act, people step in. We support sea and land operations, raise awareness, and build solidarity. Rescuing people on the move it’s a moral obligation. Join us in defending human dignity and the right to life. Support our mission.**
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