Cuba wants to end what it calls an “energy siege” and the United States wants the adoption of far-reaching reforms. Havana maintains that there is no ultimatum, but U.S. officials assure that Washington gave a two-week deadline to release relevant political prisoners as a sign of goodwill. The two countries, separated by less than one hundred kilometers of sea and ideological enemies, speak different languages and seem far from any agreement, but they are dialoguing.

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s trip to Islamabad (Pakistan) for his second round of dialogue with Iran has been suspended, though not canceled, as the two-week ceasefire between the two warring countries is about to expire. President Donald Trump lied on Monday when announcing that Vance was already flying and would arrive in the early hours. The White House later said that the expectation was for him to depart this morning, but he remains in Washington and, according to U.S. media reports, will stay in the capital until Trump sees honest negotiating will from Tehran.

The European Union resists breaking with Israel and has again ruled out suspending the Association Agreement. Not even partially. The issue, which had been formally requested by the Spanish Government, was the focus of Tuesday’s meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg, but the Council refused to make any decision on the matter due to the persistent division among the Twenty-Seven on an issue that remains too delicate for some capitals.