At the start of July, Poland announced that it would be implementing temporary controls along its borders with Germany and Lithuania, threatening the viability of the increasingly fragile Schengen zone. The move follows recent efforts by the government of Donald Tusk to tighten migration laws, including affording authorities the power...
China deployes former dissidents as spies to infiltrate overseas activist groups
Jian took notes as Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, speaker for the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, met with pro-democracy activists in 2017 in Dharamshala, India, and discussed China’s repressive policies against the Tibetan minority. A naturalized German, Guo, then 36, wearing glasses and a traditional white khata scarf, his hair in a buzz cut,...
The France-Turkey relationship
Since the start of 2024, France and Turkey, two NATO allies with a long history of both partnership and rivalry have found themselves navigating a complex web of tensions and pragmatic cooperation. Their relationship, shaped by divergent interests in Libya, disputes over visas, evolving trade dynamics, and recurring religious controversies,...
Canada-EU Security and Defence Partnership
In June 2025, Canada and the European Union formalized the Security and Defence Partnership (SDF), a pact that binds Canada more closely to Europe’s rapidly evolving defense architecture. The agreement represents a concrete response to changing security dynamics, namely the belief that the United States can no longer be counted...
Russia’s Shadow Fleet: A Masterclass in Sanctions Evasion
In the wake of Western sanctions surrounding the Ukraine war, Russia developed a network of clandestine oil tankers to ensure the continuity of its energy exports – the so-called “shadow fleet.” This system of tanker ships, through various deceptive practices, has been successful in evading international monitoring and restrictions. The...
Why France Is Withdrawing Military Forces from Senegal
France’s decision to withdraw its military forces from Senegal in 2024–2025 marks a major shift in its Africa strategy. This move is driven by a combination of regional, political, and strategic factors, reflecting the erosion of French influence in West Africa. 1. Regional Anti-French Sentiment Growing public hostility toward French military presence in former colonies like...
Strategic Risks of Budapest’s Covert Ties with Russia
Hungary under Viktor Orbán has become a geopolitical pivot point where Russian oil money, Chinese strategic investments, and American capital intersect. This convergence presents serious risks to both the European Union and NATO. Orbán’s deepening entanglements with Moscow—masked as business ventures—are not only eroding EU unity but also offering Russia a...
The Budapest Loophole: Viktor Orbán’s Corrupt Empire and Russia’s Backdoor into Europe
Orbán is no longer just a problematic EU member—he has emerged as a direct agent of the Kremlin, wielding bribery and institutions to destabilize the bloc from within. His strategic alignment with Moscow undermines EU solidarity, sanctions policy, and financial security—and demands urgent European scrutiny. In recent years, Hungarian Prime...
Investigating Europe’s water pollution crisis: Blame it on industrial farming
Despite comprehensive regulations, around 60 percent of Europe's surface water and a quarter of its groundwater do not meet "good" standards. Agriculture bears most of the responsibility. First part of an in-depth investigation on our most precious resource. From the beaches in Brittany, France, to the groundwater of Aragon, Spain;...
Closing NATO’s Indo-Pacific Gap
European allies should strengthen NATO’s Indo-Pacific ties as Washington wavers. The much-anticipated NATO summit in The Hague in late June accomplished its core objectives: securing a 5 percent defense pledge, managing U.S. President Donald Trump, and reaffirming a commitment to collective security. But the summit also drew criticism for sidestepping...