Leaders of the UK and the European Union meet amid Brexit deadlock, NATO defense ministers hold videoconference on operations and drills, and U.S. President Donald Trump holds first post-lockdown election rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
UK, EU start talks amid Brexit deadlock
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, president of the European Council Charles Michel and president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will meet on June 15 to revive stalled Brexit talks on future EU-UK relationship.
"Following a call with Boris Johnson, European Council president (Charles Michel) agreed to hold a High Level Conference in the afternoon of Monday June 15 with (Ursula) von der Leyen and (European Parliament head) David Sassoli by videoconference," Michel's spokesperson announced on Twitter.
Talks on a comprehensive future relationship deal between Britain and the 27-nation EU have hardly progressed since February. Time is running out since the 11-month transition period, after Britain left the EU on January 31, ends on December 31, 2020.
NATO defense ministers hold videoconference on operations, drills
NATO defense ministers will hold a scheduled videoconference on June 17-18, the alliance's press service said on Tuesday.
"Meetings of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) at the level of Defense Ministers will be held via secure teleconference on 17-18 June 2020," the press service said. "The meetings will be chaired by the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg."
The press service is yet to disclose the official agenda for the videoconference, however, diplomatic channels in Brussels told TASS that it is expected to focus on three topics - military operations and drills of the alliance amid the pandemic, consequences of the U.S. unilateral exit from the Open Skies Treaty and the alliance's military expenditure that is likely to contract again due to the pandemic's economic fallout.
Trump holds campaign rally
U.S. President Donald Trump Friday delayed his campaign rally that was scheduled for June 19, or Juneteenth, by a day. The upcoming rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, will be Trump's first since lockdowns were imposed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, the attendees are required to sign a non-liability agreement, agreeing not to sue the campaign if they contract the virus while attending the event.
Before Trump decided to reschedule the rally, both the original timing and the choice of location sparked outrage amid the national reckoning over race and justice in the United States.
June 19 is known as Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States in 1865 and is celebrated as African Americans' Independence Day.
Day by day:
Monday: EU-UK leaders meet in Brussels to assess progress in Brexit talks ahead of EU summit; EU foreign affairs ministers hold a video conference.
Tuesday: Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg holds NATO pre-defense ministerial online news conference; U.S. ban on Chinese airlines comes into force.
Wednesday: Russian Energy Minister Alexander Valentinovich Novak attends a conference on COVID-19 and the future of energy sector in Moscow; European Commission Vice President Dubravka Suica presents a report on the "Impact of Demographic Change;" NATO defense ministers meet virtually, with U.S. withdrawal from Open Skies Treaty at the top of the agenda; election to choose five new rotating members of UN Security Council starts; "Caesar Act" U.S. sanctions against Syria come into force.
Thursday: European Council meeting kicks off in Brussels (to June 19); U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at Copenhagen Democracy Summit (to June 19); Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visits Serbia; UN publishes annual report on world's refugees, displaced persons.
Friday: A quiet day in politics.
Saturday: Trump holds first post-lockdown election rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma；World Refugee Day, Sri Lanka's parliamentary election begins; Louisiana holds presidential primary contests; Iraqi defense minister visits Kuwait City.
Sunday: A quiet day in politics.
(With input from agencies)