Europe invests in defence, but will the money build a European industry?
Europe’s defense spending on the rise amid geopolitical shifts European governments have initiated unprecedented defense spending measures in response to geopolitical pressures. The European Commission and the EU’s foreign policy chief have outlined a Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030, which aims for Europe to be prepared to deter threats and act…
Moldova appoints pro-EU economist as prime minister
Alexandru Munteanu has worked outside Moldova for 20 years including for the World Bank and has not previously held political office. The appointment of Alexandru Munteanu, a 61-year-old economist, follows a parliamentary election in September in which President Maia Sandu’s ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) resoundingly defeated a…
Latvia’s parliament votes to quit controversial Istanbul Convention on violence against women
Latvia’s parliament voted on Thursday to withdraw from the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention, an international treaty designed to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence, after a conservative partner in the ruling coalition defied the prime minister and president to force the move. Latvia had ratified the…
Croatia’s €2 billion military leap: tanks, drones, and Balkan tensions
Croatia is launching its most ambitious military overhaul in decades, with parliamentary approval for four major defence projects totaling €1.945 billion. Driven by heightened geopolitical tensions in the Balkans and Europe, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the initiative aims to create a faster, smarter, and more mobile armed forces…
Germany examines nationalising Rosneft arm after Trump sanctions
U.S. sanctions on Russian oil producer Rosneft have rekindled discussions in Germany about nationalising the company’s business there, including a refinery that Berlin depends on for most of its fuel, two sources familiar with the talks told Reuters. The situation highlights the complex web linking Germany with Russia, which supplied…