The European Union and United States signed an agreement Friday to coordinate on the supply of critical minerals needed for key industries including defence.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on a Strategic Partnership for Critical Minerals in the Treaty Room of the State Department in Washington.

Rubio stated ahead of the signing that the awareness and commitment to the European Union shows “the importance of supply chains and critical minerals to the success of our economies, and to our national security.”

Rubio highlighted that the over-concentration of these resources, and the fact that one or two places dominate them, is an unacceptable risk.

“We need diversity in our supply chains. Diversity in the places where they’re critical in the world,” Rubio added.

Šefčovič echoed the importance of the agreement, saying, “I believe that we will be even more strategic together. We will be delivering on our goals much faster than before. And we, of course, will be growing stronger together in this very important area.”

Countering China’s dominance

The pact marks a rare embrace by President Donald Trump’s administration of the role of the EU, which it often berates as it instead champions right-wing populists within Europe.

Flexing its muscle at times of tension, Beijing has restricted exports of critical minerals needed for products including semiconductors, electric vehicle batteries and weapons systems.

“We have to make sure that these supplies and these minerals are available for our futures and in ways that are not monopolised in one place or concentrated heavily in one place,” he said.

They will also look at coordinating any subsidies and stockpiles of critical minerals, coordinate joint standards to ease trade across the Western world, and together invest in research.

The Trump administration has previously called for a preferential trade zone among allies on critical minerals.

Washington has also unveiled critical minerals action plans with Mexico and Japan, alongside a supply framework with Australia and others.

‘Positive traction’ needed on US steel tariffs

The EU is also seeking more progress in easing the effects of US steel tariffs, Šefčovič said, adding that talks are “going in a positive direction.”

The bloc wants to align approaches with the United States towards third countries when it comes to steel trade, he added.

With US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, “we agreed to accelerate this work at a technical level,” Šefčovič told reporters.

But key issues remain in the transatlantic trade relationship.

Since Trump returned to the White House last year, European manufacturers have been hit by his sharp 50-percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports.

While Brussels and Washington clinched a deal last summer setting US tariffs at 15 percent for most EU goods, steel and aluminum products were not covered.

While Trump’s administration recently simplified how its import tariffs on steel are applied, Šefčovič said: “We still have some issues with the remaining products which are listed.”

“It would be very important to have positive traction on this,” he added.

Šefčovič stressed that the United States and European Union both face an issue of overcapacity in the market, recounting the EU’s recent decision to double tariffs on foreign steel to shield its industry from cheap Chinese exports.

“As a next step, we want to launch work with the US on steel ring-fencing, aligning our approaches towards third countries,” Šefčovič said.

This would help to build a “defensive mechanism against subsidised steel, against global overcapacities,” he added.

Additional sources • AP, AFP

On Saturday, Gazans in Deir al-Balah will go to the polls to elect new local leaders for the first time in 2o years, a move experts warn could allow Hamas room to maintain influence as it refuses to comply with ceasefire disarmament terms.

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer told Fox News Digital that “when you hold elections in the Palestinian Authority and the timing’s not right and the circumstances are still dicey, you get Hamas victories.”

Schanzer said the Bush administration’s 2006 decision to advocate for elections “led to Hamas winning, and it led to a standoff which led to a civil war.” 

“You’ve got to be really careful when it comes to holding elections with a territory like Gaza in particular, where Hamas has so much control, and where terrorist organizations are still considered to be legitimate players,” Schanzer added. 

EXPERTS URGE TRUMP TO BAN TERROR-LINKED UN AGENCY FROM HIS GAZA PEACE PLAN

Gazan journalists and media personnel continue to be posthumously identified as members of terrorist groups, highlighting the difficulty of distinguishing terror affiliates from civilians.

Four parties are contesting the election in Deir al-Balah. To be eligible, candidates were asked to accept the Palestine Liberation Organization and the terms of agreements it has previously made, including recognition of the State of Israel and endorsement of a two-state solution, according to reporting by the Center for Peace Communications.

However, many are concerned that one party, Deir al-Balah Unites Us, is affiliated with Hamas. Two of its candidates have been pictured with Hamas officials or police officers.

Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, posted on X that “holding elections in Gaza at this time is extremely reckless and irresponsible,” noting that “Gazans are being arrested, jailed, tortured, shot, and killed daily for social media posts and anything they say that’s perceived as being critical of Hamas. 

“These elections should be halted and prevented from proceeding, for they are meddling with the transition process that the Board of Peace, [National Council for the Administration of Gaza], and the international community have planned for Gaza, with Hamas’s disarmament and relinquishment of power being the first necessary step.”

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Disarmament of Hamas, a key demand within the second phase of President Donald Trump’s ceasefire agreement, has yet to be completed. Reports indicate that Hamas has increased its hold in Gaza as of March, continuing to tax locals, building education system and placing police throughout the territory it holds.

Schanzer said Hamas is unlikely to hand over its arms. If it were to do so, he said that they “will try to make distinctions between weapons,” possibly offering to give up heavy weapons like RPGs while maintaining a large arsenal of automatic weapons.

Hamas appears to have made a partial disarmament offer. The New York Times reported April 19 that two Hamas officials said they would hand over thousands of weapons from their police force and other security institutions. The officials “did not provide a clear answer” when asked if weapons from Hamas’ so-called military wing would be included.

HAMAS FACES ‘LEGITIMACY CRISIS’ AS DESPERATE GAZANS FLOCK TO US-BACKED AID CENTERS

Schanzer pushed back on claims that Hamas’ political and military wings operate separately. 

“That is a fiction. The idea that they are separate in any way or that there is a firewall between them is asinine.” He said that this is “a distinction that has been made up by the West in order to be able to have political relations with Hamas, or to justify elections. It’s a mistake to buy into that fiction.”

Schanzer said weakening Iran could be key to minimizing Hamas’ influence. 

“The psychological impact of their top patron being defeated on the battlefield, I can’t overstate how important that event could be,” he said. “It would be a gut punch to Hamas.”

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With Israel controlling about 53% of the Gaza Strip and Hamas the remaining 47%, Schanzer said, “We could continue to see the erosion of Hamas control” amid the “slow and steady process of Israel winning on the ground.” 

He said patience, though, is necessary, adding that “the enemies of the United States and Israel and the West have a very different timeline. They want to wait out everybody because they know that we’d like to move on.”

The Trump administration did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about whether a partial disarmament would satisfy its ceasefire terms or if it would take action to stall elections until there’s more stability in Gaza