Bucharest abandons temporary nationalisation and opts for a fast-tracked two-stage divestment to safeguard energy security. Romania has abandoned the option of temporarily nationalising the Lukoil-Petrotel refinery, concluding that the state lacks the approximately €200 million in immediate liquidity required to restart operations under public control. After weeks of political and...
Peter Szijjártó celebrity minister and sybarite
On 10 November 2025, it was announced that Péter Szijjártó, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, had become president of Budapest football club Honvéd, which plays in the country's top division and is one of Hungary's most successful clubs. Honvéd has a number of wealthy sponsors, including Singapore-based Vulcan...
The new nuclear arms race and Europe. Who will keep the continent on the brink of a safe world?
Today it has become clear that the international containment system is going through a crisis, because of the massive modernization of Russian nuclear arsenals, in particular the recent tests by Russia of nuclear charge carriers «Sarmat», «Poseidon», «Beehive», a reversal of the treaty architecture and geopolitical upheavals have created preconditions...
Rising unemployment in Europe: who pays the bill and what to expect
The fall of 2025 brought an obvious shift in the European labor market. After years of falling unemployment, the current scale and speed of change has become a concern for analysts and policymakers. The three largest European economies, the UK, Germany and France are simultaneously showing similar signs of employment...
Stolen history. Who profits from the disappearance of art?
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...