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Revealed: Borrell's peace roadmap for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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Revealed: Borrell's peace roadmap for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Euronews had early access to the 10-point roadmap that Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, has prepared to pave the way for a “credible, comprehensive solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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The document, which has not yet been made public and is set to be discussed by the bloc’s foreign ministers during a meeting on Monday, outlines a series of procedural steps that Borrell believes could eventually bring peace to the Gaza Strip, establish an independent Palestinian state, normalise relations between Israel and the Arab world, and guarantee long-term security in the region.

Its centrepiece is a “Preparatory Peace Conference” involving “key actors” such as the EU, the US, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Arab League and the United Nations. The participants would be in constant touch with Israeli and Palestinian officials, referred to as “the conflict parties,” but the two would not initially “be compelled to sit with each other.”

The Gaza Strip and the West Bank would be represented by the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), rather than Hamas, which has ruled the strip since its 2007 takeover and is designated a terrorist organisation by the EU and the US.

The Conference would have one year to design the framework for a peace plan, taking into account the feedback from all involved parties, UN resolutions, European Council conclusions and previous mediation efforts. Once ready, the plan would be presented to the “conflict parties” and be used as the main basis for the final negotiations.

“In view of the current situation and despite the evident difficulties and uncertainties, the time to prepare for (a) comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian peace is now,” the paper, as seen by Euronews, says in its introduction.

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The revelation comes a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a blistering rejection of the two-state solution and vowed to continue the military offensive in Gaza until the destruction of Hamas and the release of all hostages.

“We will not settle for anything short of an absolute victory,” Netanyahu said. 

Netanyahu’s remarks cast a shadow over Borrell’s proposal and the upcoming meeting of EU foreign ministers, where the Israel-Hamas war will be top of the agenda. Despite repeated pleas from Western allies, Israel has not made any overture that indicates it is ready to cease hostilities and give diplomacy a serious chance.

The offensive, launched in reaction to the 7 October attacks by Hamas, has killed more than 24,000 Palestinians, including over 10,000 children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. The war has also caused widespread devastation and a severe humanitarian crisis in the densely-populated enclave.

“At this point in time, Israeli officials don’t talk about the two-state solution. They only talk about the war. They only talk about the military objective of destroying Hamas,” a senior EU official said on Friday, reflecting the thinking in Brussels.

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“We have to deal with that. It’s our responsibility, our duty, to look beyond that.”

Borrell’s scheme attempts to put that duty on paper.

Although the roadmap does not pre-judge the substance of a potential peace plan, it does provide a coherent timeline to organise a potential peace process. Its goal is not just ending the present war but addressing root causes that have fuelled the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for the past seven decades.

However, it is far from certain that the 27 member states will embrace the blueprint, as capitals remain divided over how to tackle, or even speak about, the conflict.

Roadmap for peace

In the document seen by Euronews, the 10 points are envisioned as such:

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  1. The process should lead to an independent Palestinian State “living side by side” with Israel and “full normalization” of relations between Israel and the Arab world.
  2. International actors should help the two parties prepare the groundwork for peace and help build a “revitalized political alternative” to Hamas.
  3. International actors should “at the earliest” hold a Preparatory Peace Conference to settle the ongoing war and, especially, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
  4. The Conference should bring together foreign ministers and directors of international organisations to discuss the peace process while they “near-simultaneously” hold separate meetings with the conflict parties.
  5. The Conference should set up working groups and design the “initial framework” for a peace plan within one year.
  6. The plan should touch upon “as practically as possible” the central elements for a comprehensive peace, building upon previous UN resolutions and mediation efforts.
  7. The plan should provide “robust security assurances” for Israel and the future Palestinian state, “conditional upon full mutual diplomatic recognition and integration of both Israel and Palestinian in the region.”
  8. The Conference should consult the conflict parties “at every step and at any time” while the peace plan is being crafted. Crucially, if either side decides to pull out, the work should continue nevertheless.
  9. Once ready, the plan should be presented to Israelis and Palestinians. “It will be for them to negotiate the final text,” the document says.
  10. In parallel to the process, the participants in the Conference should strive to mitigate the ongoing humanitarian crisis, secure the release of Israeli hostages, prevent regional escalation, strengthen the Palestinian Authority’s democratic legitimacy and support the reconstruction of Gaza, among other goals.

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Harry Styles announces first album in 4 years, ‘Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally’

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Harry Styles announces first album in 4 years, ‘Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally’

NEW YORK (AP) — In this world, it’s just him: Harry Styles has announced that his long-awaited, fourth studio album will arrive this spring.

Titled “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally” and out March 6, the album is Styles’ first full-length project in four years. It follows the 2022, critically acclaimed synth pop record “Harry’s House,” which earned the former One Direction star the top prize of album of the year at the 2023 Grammy Awards.

In a review, The Associated Press celebrated “Harry’s House” for showcasing “a breadth of style that matches the album’s emotional range.”

On Instagram, Styles’ shared the cover artwork for “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally,” which features the 31-year-old artist in a T-shirt and jeans at night, standing underneath a shimmering disco ball hung outside.

According to a press release, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally” will contain 12 tracks and is executive produced by Kid Harpoon. The British songwriter and producer has been a close collaborator of Styles’ since the beginning of his solo career, working on all of his albums since the singer’s 2017 self-titled debut.

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“Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally” is now available for preorder.

It is also Styles’ first project since his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne died in 2024 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.

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Troops from Europe deploy to Greenland in rapid 2-day mission as Trump eyes US takeover

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Troops from Europe deploy to Greenland in rapid 2-day mission as Trump eyes US takeover

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Troops from several European countries deployed to Greenland and are on the ground there Thursday for a quick two-day mission to bolster the territory’s defenses. 

France, Germany, Sweden and Norway are participating in the exercise, Fox News has learned. Leaders say the mission is meant to demonstrate they can deploy military assets “quickly.” 

The development comes as the Trump administration is pushing to acquire the Danish territory. Germany deployed a reconnaissance team of 13 personnel, France sent 15 mountain specialists and Sweden, Norway and Britain sent three, two and one officers, respectively, according to Reuters. 

“The geopolitical tensions have spread to the Arctic. The Government of Greenland, and the Danish Ministry of Defense have therefore decided to continue the Danish Armed Forces’ increased exercise activity in Greenland, in close cooperation with NATO allies,” the Danish Ministry of Defense said in a statement Wednesday. 

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“From today, there will be an expanded military presence in and around Greenland — in close cooperation with NATO allies. The purpose is to train the ability to operate under the unique Arctic conditions and to strengthen the alliance’s footprint in the Arctic, benefiting both European and transatlantic security,” it added.

DENMARK IN TRUMP’S CROSSHAIRS AS US MAKES AMBITIOUS APPEAL TO GREENLAND

An Airbus A400M transport aircraft of the German Air Force taxis over the grounds at Wunstorf Air Base in the Hanover region, Germany, on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, as troops from NATO countries, including France and Germany, are arriving in Greenland to boost security. (Moritz Frankenberg/dpa via AP)

REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS SAY NO TO US MILITARY STRIKE AGAINST IRAN AS TRUMP MULLS ACTION: POLL

“As part of the increased presence in the Arctic and North Atlantic, the Danish Armed Forces are, from today, deploying capabilities and units related to the exercise activities. In the period ahead, this will result in an increased military presence in and around Greenland, comprising aircraft, vessels and soldiers, including from NATO allies,” the Danish Ministry of Defense also said. 

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It said the exercise activities in 2026 “could include guarding critical infrastructure, providing assistance to local authorities in Greenland, including the police, receiving allied troops, deploying fighter aircraft in and around Greenland, and conducting naval operations.” 

People walk in downtown of Nuuk, Greenland, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. On the right is President Donald Trump. (Evgeniy Maloletka/Evan Vucci/AP)

“Some officers from the Swedish Armed Forces are arriving in Greenland today,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote on X on Wednesday. “They are part of a group from several allied countries. Together they will prepare upcoming steps within the framework of the Danish exercise Operation Arctic Endurance. It is at the request of Denmark that Sweden is sending personnel from the Armed Forces.” 

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Reuters on Thursday that, “The American ambition to take over Greenland is intact.”

“That is of course serious, and therefore we continue our efforts to prevent this scenario becoming a reality,” he added. 

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A fisherman carries a bucket onto his boat in the harbor of Nuuk, Greenland, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP)

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Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance at the White House on Wednesday. 

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EU will keep Arctic ties with US amid Greenland tension: von der Leyen

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EU will keep Arctic ties with US amid Greenland tension: von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said the European Union will continue to work closely with the United States to strengthen security in the Arctic even as US President Donald Trump persists with his threats to seize Greenland from Denmark.

“The European Union has a very good reputation in Greenland, and we are counting very much on the excellent cooperation that we have,” von der Leyen said on Thursday on an official visit to Limassol, Cyprus.

“We will thus continue our work on Arctic security with our allies (and) our partners, including the United States,” she added.

Trump has framed his expansionist agenda as a national security goal.

On Wednesday, the American president said that NATO would become “more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the United States”. Otherwise, he said, Russia and China would stand to benefit in the strategic region.

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“Anything less than that is unacceptable,” he wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.

His remarks coincided with a meeting in Washington between the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland, US Secretary Marco Rubio, and US Vice President JD Vance.

The Danish minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen,said the tone had been frank and constructive, but conceded there remained a “fundamental disagreement” between the two sides.

“We didn’t manage to change the American position,” he said at the end of the meeting. “It’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland.”

Rasmussen added that Denmark and the US had agreed to set up a high-level “working group” to find a “common way forward” on the matter of Greenland. He also countered Trump’s claims that Chinese warships had gained ground around the island.

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At the same time, several European countries began to publicly announce their intention to send military officers as part of a reconnaissance mission to the mineral-rich territory, a stark reflection of the sky-high tensions fuelled by Trump’s vision.

France, Germany, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands are among those that have committed to joining the mission at Copenhagen’s request.

Speaking as she marked the start of the Cypriot presidency of the EU Council, von der Leyen promised to “double down” on investments and cooperation in Greenland.

“What is clear is that Greenland can count on us politically, economically, and financially,” she said at a press conference, standing next to the Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.

“When it comes to its security, the discussions on Arctic security are, first and foremost, a core issue of NATO. But I also want to emphasise that the Arctic and Arctic security, both topics, are core topics for the European Union and matter enormously for us.”

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Mutual assistance

Separately, the European Commission confirmed that Denmark would be able to invoke the EU’s mutual assistance clause in the event of an armed attack against Greenland, even though the semi-autonomous island is not part of the bloc.

The Commission had recently avoided clarifying the legal application.

“Greenland is part of the territory of the Kingdom of Denmark and therefore in principle covered by the mutual solidarity clause in Article 42.7 TEU,” a Commission spokesperson told Euronews in a statement.

“However, currently the question doesn’t ask itself,” the spokesperson added, referring to the fact that Trump’s threats have not yet been translated into action.

The mutual assistance clause is enshrined in Article 42.7 of the EU treaties, which says that if a country is “the victim of armed aggression on its territory”, the other member states will have an “obligation of aid and assistance by all the means in their power” in accordance with the right of collective self-defence recognised by the UN Charter.

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The article does not spell out what measures qualify as “aid and assistance” in practice.

According to an explanatory memo from the Commission, member states should have ample margin to decide their support, which could be of a diplomatic, technical, medical or civilian nature. Military assistance is also envisioned.

Activating the article requires an attack “from abroad” carried out by state or non-state actors, the memo says. The decision to activate rests solely on the member state under assault. Once triggered, the duty to assist becomes “legally binding”.

Since its introduction in 2007, Article 42.7 has been invoked only once, when France fell victim to the terrorist attacks of November 2015 and asked other member states to contribute manpower to its Opération Sentinelle.

Notably, Article 42.7 establishes a direct connection with NATO’s Article 5, which is the bedrock of the transatlantic alliance’s collective defence. Most EU countries are members of NATO, creating an overlap of commitments and obligations.

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Unlike the EU provision, which is broadly worded, NATO’s Article 5 is more explicit, compelling allies to take necessary action “including the use of armed force” to “restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area”.

However, given that both the US and Denmark are members of NATO, there is no precedent to determine how Article 5 would apply in a scenario where the American military violated Danish sovereignty and seized Greenland by force.

Such a dilemma emerged in 2020 when Turkey and Greece were involved in a standoff over Ankara’s contested gas exploration in waters claimed by Athens. In response, Greece put its army on alert, bringing two NATO members to the brink of war.

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