The European Parliament, as one of the key institutions of the European Union in matters of imposing sanctions against Russia, supporting Ukraine and the EU's overall foreign policy, is a particularly important target for influence by the Kremlin. In its resolutions, the European Parliament has repeatedly expressed concern that Russia...
Germany’s far-right AfD party accused of gathering information for Russian intelligence
A major political scandal has erupted in Germany surrounding the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Political opponents accuse the party's MPs of using parliamentary inquiries to gather confidential information that could be useful to Russian intelligence. The focus is on Thuringia state parliament MP Ringo Mühlmann, who has shown...
Starmer vs Abramovich: the final battle for £2.5 billion in humanitarian aid for victims of the war in Ukraine
In December 2025, the British government put an end to a story that began in the spring of 2022. British Prime Minister Keit Starmer announced that Abramovich had been given 90 days to voluntarily transfer £2.5 billion from the sale of Chelsea to humanitarian aid for Ukraine, after which the...
Core 5 Without Europe: Implications of the US Strategic Pivot
The idea of forming a new geopolitical format, tentatively called Core 5, at first glance appears to be a pragmatic response by the US to the changing world order. This bloc is expected to consist of five key powers: the US, China, Russia, India, and Japan. However, upon closer examination,...
Russia’s information war and Britain’s new anti-Russian sanctions
The British government's decision to impose sanctions on a number of Russian entities accused by London of participating in information warfare signals a new level of Western response to hybrid threats. In particular, restrictions were imposed on the Russian Telegram channel Rybar and its co-owner Mikhail Zvinchuk, the Foundation for...
The new battle for the Atlantic: why Britain needs an “Atlantic bastion”
On December 8, 2025, the UK Ministry of Defense officially unveiled its new submarine defense program, Atlantic Bastion. The program is a direct response to increased Russian submarine and espionage activity. According to the statement, the project aims to “make Britain more secure from Russian submarine threats in the North...
How Putin’s European “friends” promote Russia’s interests in the EU
Promoting its interests has always been one of the Kremlin's foreign policy priorities. One way of achieving this goal has been to win over former European politicians and influential experts. As a rule, they act as a link and a form of “soft power” that helps promote Moscow's interests in...
The European Union recognizes Russia as a country with a high risk of money laundering and terrorist financing
After imposing 19 rounds of sanctions, the European Commission is preparing to include the Russian Federation in the list of countries with a high risk of money laundering and terrorist financing. This status will mean that all financial transactions related to Russia will be subject to enhanced monitoring procedures: banks...
Bulgaria’s crisis of power, budget and corruption. What next?
At the end of 2025, Bulgaria is experiencing one of the biggest political crises in recent years. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Sofia and other cities to protest against the draft state budget for 2026, which was drawn up in euros for the first time...
The hidden cost of fiscal reform: what awaits Britain
At the end of November 2025, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves presented a budget that is positioned as an attempt to combine “restoring public finances” with “investing in social justice.” The budget is seen as one of the most ambitious and controversial documents of recent times, combining a...