EU Drafts Mutual-Defence Plan As U.S.–NATO Tensions Escalate; Trump Sends Envoys To Pakistan

European Union leaders have asked the European Commission to prepare a detailed blueprint for invoking Article 42.7 of the EU treaty — the bloc’s mutual defence clause — amid growing concern about how Washington might respond if an ally is attacked.

Cyprus president Nikos Christodoulides, who is hosting the summit, said leaders discussed the little-known provision after reports emerged that the United States had explored measures affecting Spain’s NATO membership. The debate follows remarks by President Donald Trump this month that he is “absolutely without question” considering withdrawing the United States from NATO — comments that have intensified anxiety across allied capitals.

Practical rehearsal and concerns

European Council president António Costa said leaders are “designing the handbook” for how to use the mutual-assistance clause. He pointed to a recent drone strike on a British base in Cyprus as a practical “test case,” noting that Greece, followed by France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, mobilised equipment and forces to help defend the island. Costa also said the Royal Navy faced criticism for having a limited number of warships available for deployment.

Diplomacy and wider developments

Separately, the White House confirmed that President Trump is dispatching Middle East envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to Pakistan to resume talks aimed at de-escalating the conflict with Iran; the envoys are reported to be scheduled to meet Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, in Islamabad.

In the United States, an appeals court on Friday blocked Mr Trump’s executive order that would have suspended access to asylum — a central element of his immigration strategy. The Department of Justice also announced it was dropping a criminal probe into Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, clearing the path for the administration’s nominee process to proceed.

Other developments cited by leaders and reporters include an executive order from the Trump administration to accelerate access to psychedelic medications for people with serious mental illnesses (experts say the order is likely to have symbolic more than legal effect); strong criticism from India after a social media post shared by Mr Trump described the country in disparaging terms; and growing concern about gambling addiction in the US.

Internal emails and briefings shared with news outlets indicate law enforcement and local officials across the US have raised concerns that immigration operations are interfering with routine police work. A family that had spent more than 10 months in immigration detention — the longest recorded family detention under Mr Trump’s second administration — was released after a judge’s order.

In the UK, police investigating links to the late Jeffrey Epstein are preparing to interview witnesses in royal and political circles in cases involving the former Prince Andrew and Peter Mandelson; officials say prosecutors may be reluctant to bring charges without access to original documents from US files.

Two California lawmakers introduced a bill to create a clearer legal route for lawsuits against tech platforms that fail to remove child sexual abuse material. Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice said it is taking steps to “strengthen the federal death penalty,” proposals that include reintroducing firing squads and re-adopting lethal injection protocols used during the previous Trump administration. The DOJ also intervened in litigation by Elon Musk’s xAI challenging a Colorado law aimed at regulating artificial intelligence systems.

As tensions rise between Washington and its allies, EU leaders are moving to ensure the bloc has a practical, legal and political framework ready should their mutual-defence clause ever need to be invoked.