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Rubio's Plane Returns after Mechanical Issue, Unclear if he Can Make Zelenskiy Meeting

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio disembarks a plane as he returns to Joint Base Andrews after the plane experienced a mechanical issue while flying him to the Munich Security Conference and turned around, in Maryland, US, February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio disembarks a plane as he returns to Joint Base Andrews after the plane experienced a mechanical issue while flying him to the Munich Security Conference and turned around, in Maryland, US, February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool
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Rubio's Plane Returns after Mechanical Issue, Unclear if he Can Make Zelenskiy Meeting

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio disembarks a plane as he returns to Joint Base Andrews after the plane experienced a mechanical issue while flying him to the Munich Security Conference and turned around, in Maryland, US, February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio disembarks a plane as he returns to Joint Base Andrews after the plane experienced a mechanical issue while flying him to the Munich Security Conference and turned around, in Maryland, US, February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool

A US Air Force plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Munich was forced to return to Washington on Thursday after experiencing a mechanical problem, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.

"The Secretary intends to continue his travel to Germany and the Middle East on a separate aircraft," Reuters quoted Bruce as saying in a statement.

It was not immediately clear whether Rubio would be able to make it to a meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, planned for Friday morning on the sidelines of the annual Munich Security Conference.

The mechanical issue in the C-32 plane, a converted Boeing 757, related to a crack in the cockpit windshield, a US official said, forcing the plane to turn around about 90 minutes after taking off.

Rubio’s plane landed safely at Joint Base Andrews just outside the capital around 10 p.m. It had taken off around 7 p.m.

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EU Commission Discusses Curbs on Israel Research Funding amid Gaza Pressure

Palestinians inspect the site struck by an Israeli bombardment in Muwasi, Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians inspect the site struck by an Israeli bombardment in Muwasi, Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP)
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EU Commission Discusses Curbs on Israel Research Funding amid Gaza Pressure

Palestinians inspect the site struck by an Israeli bombardment in Muwasi, Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians inspect the site struck by an Israeli bombardment in Muwasi, Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP)

European Commissioners will on Monday discuss a proposal to partially suspend Israel's access to the EU's Horizon research funding program following calls from EU governments to increase pressure on Israel over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Multiple EU countries said last week that Israel was not living up to its commitments under an agreement with the European Union on increasing aid supplies to Gaza and asked the Commission to put concrete options on the table.

The proposal was mentioned in a published agenda of Monday's meeting of the College of Commissioners, the top decision-making body of the European Union's executive. But the Commission has not explained it in detail.

EU and Israeli officials had no immediate comment on the proposal.

Israel has been participating in the EU's research programs since 1996, taking part in thousands of joint research projects over the past decades.

Earlier this month, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Israel had agreed to expand humanitarian access to Gaza, including increasing the number of aid trucks, crossing points and routes to distribution hubs.

But in a tense meeting of European ambassadors in Brussels last week, countries including France, the Netherlands and Spain said not enough was being done, according to diplomats.

Earlier this month, EU officials presented a list of options that the bloc could pursue to put pressure on Israel, but the bloc has so far refrained from pursuing any of them.

Israel on Sunday announced a halt in military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza and new aid corridors, while Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have airdropped supplies into the enclave.

But officials and aid groups remain concerned and say much more needs to be done to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.