PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, March 17: Donald Trump has called on US allies to help the US secure the Strait of Hormuz as the energy crisis intensifies. But after those allies refused to help, Trump promptly threatened NATO. In the midst of the EU's energy crisis, Belgium's prime minister has suggested "normalising" relations with Russia, which sparked outrage in the Belgian press. Plus: Britain scrambles to control a meningitis outbreak and a new letter reveals just how poor Claude Monet was in the early part of his career.
France, the UK, Germany, Japan and other US allies have refused to respond to Donald Trump's calls to secure the Strait of Hormuz. They say they will not be dragged into the war against Iran, at the risk of provoking the ire of the US president. The Financial Times headlines on allies' refusal to "send warships" and quotes the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz as saying that NATO is a "defense alliance", not an intervention one. The paper also evokes Trump's "coalition of the unwilling." In the Italian press, Il Fatto Quotidiano accuses Trump of pyromania – seeking help to extinguish the fire that he himself started. Trump responded by blackmail and threatened a "very bad future for the NATO alliance". The Independent's opinion writer Sean Grady wryly notes that Trump has gone from his cry-baby phase, where he would throw a tantrum if he didn't get his way, to his "surly teenager" phase.
In the wake of soaring energy prices due to the US war on Iran, Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever has faced backlash for suggesting that Europe should normalise relations with Russia to help secure cheaper energy options. Politico reports that he made those comments at the weekend to L'Echo newspaper. De Wever called the suggestion "common sense" and added that in private, EU leaders agreed with him. Politico says that the PM's high support in his native Dutch-speaking Flanders region but also French-speaking Wallonia could explain his willingness to push a politically sensitive argument. French magazine Courrier International has compiled reactions from the Belgian press, who have been quick to condemn his comments. De Standaard explains that de Wever's five-party coalition already caused controversy on the question of recognising the Palestinian state six months ago. It lamented that "Belgian diplomacy looks more and more like a Mexican army" – a French phrase referring to a group of barely organised people. An opinion writer says de Wever is seeking a seat at the peace table at the worst time, noting that extending an olive branch to Russia at the moment when energy prices are rising makes Europe look like beggars.
In the UK, a meningitis health crisis has already killed two people and there's panic on the front pages. The Daily Mirror evokes "terror on campus" as unprecedented measures are being taken in Kent to contain the meningococcal infection before the Easter break. The outbreak is believed to have spread at a nightclub two weeks ago. A college student and a high school student named Juliette have both died. The Daily Star relays Juliette's father's devastation, while her picture is splashed across other newspapers. Meningitis, commonly treated with antibiotics, is an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord – but can be deadly if untreated. There's also criticism after British health authorities waited for the weekend before informing the public about the outbreak, leading possibly to a larger spread of the disease. The Guardian describes Covid-era like scenes of panic at the University of Kent as students queue for antibiotics.
Finally, a new letter going up for auction details just how poor famed French impressionist artist Claude Monet was. During his early career, Monet faced severe poverty. He was forced to secure a loan of 1,000 francs from Gustave Manet, the brother of fellow artist Edouard Manet in 1875. The Daily Telegraph recounts that Manet drove a hard bargain and insisted on receiving the proceeds of 35 of Monet's paintings in payment – the current-day value is over €1 billion! A letter signed by Monet in 1875 details his trials and tribulations: his sick wife and a cruel landlord threatening eviction. That letter is on sale now for around €100,000. The deal with Manet included Monet's painting "La Japonaise", depicting his wife Camille in a kimono. It's now on display at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and is valued at around €100 million. The letter is proof that Monet was the original poor, starving artist.
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