On 19 October 2025, the world of culture was shocked by the news that art had been stolen from the Louvre. Four intruders infiltrated the Gallery of Apollo (Galerie d'Apollon) and in a matter of minutes took away eight precious royal and imperial jewels of the 19th century. Among the...
Rare earth elements are the underground levers of big politics
Rare earth elements, lanthanoids plus scandium and yttrium are among the so-called «critical materials», which today are essential for the production of powerful magnets, electric motors, wind generators, satellite systems, radars. In other words, the «green» and defense industries need these materials almost as much as they used to need...
Why migration remains Europe’s hottest topic
When the 2015-2016 Frontex and UNHCR routes to Europe saw a flood of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, and other countries, many expected that the situation would stabilize over time. However, a diametrically opposed phenomenon of European perceptions of migration soon emerged, generating not only political polarization, but also social tensions....
After the elections in the Czech Republic: а new axis of Prague-Budapest-Bratislava and challenges for the EU
The Czech Republic’s October elections have not only turned into an internal political upheaval, but their outcome already requires rethinking the immediate future of common European policy. The victory of the ANO party and the almost immediate signing of a coalition agreement with right-wing and euroskeptic partners opens the way...
The Northern Front of the Hybrid War: Russia’s influence in the Nordic countries
The usually calm and prosperous countries of Scandinavia today have become the object of hybrid activity on the part of Russia, feeling all the «peacefulness» of Russian foreign policy - from information campaigns to immediate threats to infrastructure and economic security. Publicly available data and expert reports show that the...
Europe’s new political balance consequences of the right turn
The results of recent elections in European countries showed significant electoral fluctuations. In Europe today, there is a systemic shift that changes the rules of the political game. The wave of votes for nationalist, populist, and openly radical parties has strengthened these parties' positions in national and European parliaments, giving...
Corruption can undermine Hungary’s defense industry
In the summer of 2025, the Hungarian government decided to sell «the largest pearls» from the state defense industry to a private company. Such a rather strange decision of official Budapest caused significant concern among political, business and military circles within the country. Thus, in June of this year, the...
How the Russian special services undermineinternational non-governmental organizations and missions
The Russian state machine is increasingly using intelligence agents, cover-ups in the form of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), media projects and «freelancers» networks to influence international structures and destroy the effectiveness of surveillance missions and human rights protection. It is not just a piecemeal operation - it is a tactical complex...
Anti-Russian sanctions as an important element of the European security
In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. It was an armed aggression against a sovereign state, and at the same time an alarming signal for the whole of Europe, as the Kremlin flagrantly violated international security principles, jeopardizing the stability of European countries and, indeed, the borders of the European Union....
«Dark gas stations». Why India’s procurement cuts Russian oil – a necessary condition for the effectiveness of sanctions
Energy has always been one of the key levers in matters of geopolitics. Since the first day of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, unprecedented sanctions have been imposed on Russia, forcing Moscow to redirect energy supplies from Europe to Asia in search of buyers. The key to this shift...