On 24 April, the Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maros Šefčovič, and the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, signed a memorandum of understanding in Washington formalising a strategic partnership on critical minerals. It aims to strengthen cooperation across the entire value chain, from production to extraction, processing and refining, recycling and recovery. At the same time, they presented an action plan for the resilience of the critical minerals supply chain.

Until 13 September, the Salzburg Museum of Modern Art is hosting a retrospective showcasing French artist Charlotte Perriand, a leading figure of 20th-century modernism. Entitled Living Modernism: Design, Photography, Architecture, this exhibition, organised in cooperation with the museums of Krefeld and the Joan Miró Foundation, traces the entirety of her work, from architecture to furniture and photography.

On 24 April, the Cypriot President, Nikos Christodoulides, the President of the Italian Council, Giorgia Meloni, the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and his Maltese counterpart, Robert Abela, met in Cyprus, on the sidelines of the European Council, to coordinate their joint response to migration challenges linked to the destabilisation of the Middle East. In a joint statement, the four Mediterranean states called for tighter controls at the EU's external borders, increased action against people-smuggling networks, and enhanced cooperation with countries of origin and transit.

From 23 to 24 April in Paris, as part of the French G7 Presidency, environment ministers met for a new round of discussions on multilateral action in the environmental field. Several working sessions were devoted to France's priorities: biodiversity financing, the security challenges posed by combating desertification, ocean conservation, resilience to natural disasters and the conservation of water resources. However, climate issues and fossil fuels were not addressed during the summit, as they were too contentious for the United States.

On 20 April, the Coalition of 7 countries (C7), an entity established in 2021 by the European Union to strengthen its action against organised crime, met in Paris. It comprises Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany, Sweden and France. The aim of this annual meeting is to identify common approaches to combating organised crime and drug trafficking. This sixth meeting focused in particular on strengthening public-private partnerships to combat port infiltration and on cooperation with digital sector stakeholders.

On 23 and 24 April, the 27 leaders of the European Union met in Cyprus. In a joint statement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, they reaffirmed the need to maintain a coordinated and sustained response to Russian aggression. Member states approved a €90 billion financial support package for Ukraine and endorsed the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, targeting the energy, defence, trade and financial services sectors, including assets linked to cryptocurrencies. Finally, European leaders welcomed the recent ceasefire in the Middle East and discussed the prospects for diplomatic de-escalation with their Gulf partners. They also indicated that a coalition of more than 50 countries was preparing a defensive mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

On 24 April, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, together with the Presidents of the European Parliament and the European Commission, signed the roadmap entitled 'One Europe, One Market'. This document sets out the specific actions and objectives to be implemented by the end of 2027 in order to strengthen Europe's competitiveness. This agreement gives concrete form to the five objectives presented by the Council in March 2026, namely: simplifying regulation, strengthening the integration of the single market, promoting dynamic trade, reducing energy prices and decarbonising the economy, and fostering digital transformation and that linked to artificial intelligence.

From 23 to 25 April, the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, visited Cyprus and then Greece. In Cyprus, he held talks with President Nikos Christodoulides on strengthening the bilateral partnership, stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and regional crises in the Middle East. In Greece, the Head of State met with the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to renew the defence and security partnership signed in 2021, and to extend it to new strategic sectors such as energy, the economy, and research and innovation, thereby confirming the high level of alignment between Paris and Athens.

On 23 and 24 April, European Union leaders met in Cyprus for a summit on security and defence. Against the current geopolitical backdrop, they discussed Article 42.7 TEU, which provides for a mutual defence clause in the event of an armed attack against a Member State. These discussions sparked a debate on the actual scope of this commitment and how it is implemented. Several stakeholders raised the prospect of a European defence treaty, aimed at strengthening and formalising the continent's collective defence. This development thus highlights the need for Member States to adapt the model of European integration in the face of contemporary challenges, with collective defence emerging as a central issue for ensuring peace in Europe. This article was published by Ouest France.

On 21 and 22 April, the 17th Petersberg Climate Dialogue, chaired by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, brought together more than 30 delegations as well as representatives from the European Union and the United Nations to prepare for upcoming environmental deadlines. At the end of the summit, participants reiterated their commitment to accelerating the phase-out of fossil fuels in favour of renewable energy and to upholding the 1.5°C target. Discussions also focused on raising climate ambitions for 2030, increasing funding for vulnerable countries and mobilising more private capital for the energy transition. This meeting marked a decisive step ahead of COP31, scheduled for November in Antalya, Turkey.

On 22 April, France and the United Kingdom renewed the Sandhurst Treaty for a further three years. This agreement, concluded in 2018 and already renewed once in 2023, governs Franco-British cooperation in the fight against illegal immigration by seeking to prevent migrants from making illegal crossings of the English Channel.

On 26 April, Ukraine hosted a conference to mark the 40th anniversary of the tragic accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. A joint statement reconfirms the shared commitment to nuclear safety, environmental protection and international cooperation. This commemoration also has a strategic dimension: to make Chernobyl a symbol of today's requirements for safety, transparency and international cooperation in the nuclear field, including in the context of the current war in Ukraine.