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US and Israel strike Iran; EU leaders urge restraint

Saturday, 28 February 2026AI summary
US and Israel strike Iran; EU leaders urge restraint
Photo: ECO

The United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on sites in Iran, with officials saying they targeted locations where senior figures were gathered and Iran reporting civilian casualties that remain independently unconfirmed. European leaders reacted with concern: European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen issued a joint call for “maximum restraint,” while France pressed for an urgent UN Security Council meeting. The strikes and diplomatic responses have already unsettled markets and raised travel‑security questions across the region. Those with travel plans or business tied to the Middle East should monitor government travel advice and airline notices.

Context & Explainers

Who is António Costa?
  • President of the European Council (since Dec 2024)
  • Former Prime Minister of Portugal (November 2015 – April 2024)
  • Party: Socialist Party (PS) Partido Socialista
  • He is of Portuguese and Indian (Goan) descent

António Luís Santos da Costa (born July 17, 1961, in Lisbon) is a Portuguese lawyer and Socialist politician who served as Prime Minister of Portugal from 2015-2024 and currently serves as President of the European Council since December 1, 2024. After leading the Lisbon Municipal Assembly and practicing law, he was elected MEP (2004-2005) and entered parliament in 2002. He led the Socialist Party from 2014-2024, building unprecedented parliamentary coalitions with the Communist Party and Left Bloc (2015-2019) before winning an absolute majority in 2022. He resigned as PM in November 2023 following a corruption investigation, though subsequently cleared. The 27 EU member states elected him Council President in June 2024, making him the fourth full-time President and the first southern European socialist in that role. ​

Political Philosophy:

Costa represents moderate European social democracy, combining orthodox fiscal responsibility with progressive social investment. He prioritizes European integration, consensus-building, and pragmatic compromise over ideological confrontation. As Council President, he champions mediation between member states, improved EU inter-institutional relations, shorter decision-making processes, and regular visits to every EU capital to reconnect citizens with European institutions. His approach emphasizes "creative bridges" reconciling divergent interests while maintaining firmness on European values, particularly regarding Ukraine.

Who is Ursula von der Leyen?

Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen (born October 8, 1958, in Brussels, Belgium) is a German physician and politician serving as President of the European Commission since December 1, 2019, becoming the first woman to hold this office. She previously served as Germany's Minister of Defense (2013-2019) and held cabinet positions in family, labour, and social affairs under Chancellor Angela Merkel. Re-elected in July 2024 with 401 votes for a second term until 2029, Forbes named her the world's most powerful woman in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. ​ Relationship with Portugal:

Von der Leyen approved Portugal's Recovery and Resilience Plan in June 2021—the first among 27 EU member states—worth €16.6 billion to "profoundly transform the economy". In a 2025 tribute to Portugal's 40 years in the EU, she declared "Your Fado, your destiny, is right here at the heart of Europe," praising Portugal's renewable energy leadership, infrastructure transformation, and ocean protection. She highlighted Portugal's potential in lithium processing and AI startups while advocating for removing obstacles to economic growth. She also promoted energy interconnections like the Bay of Biscay project linking France-Spain, addressing Iberian energy isolation.

Sources (4)

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