Today's essential intelligence covering international developments and European affairs. Tariff Poker in the Pacific
Putrajaya is scrambling to cap the Trump-threatened blanket tariff at ≈20 % instead of the mooted 35 – 40 % (Bloomberg, FT). Paris doubles down in Kyiv
France’s new foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot arrived unannounced in Kyiv, pledging an extra €650 m in military aid and €200 m for energy grid repairs (ZDF).