European Union sanctions against Russia's largest oil refinery, operated by Rosneft in India, have led to tankers beginning to refuse the transport of oil products banned from being supplied to the EU. According to reports, the first tanker has already declined to carry such cargo, signaling the growing impact of...
Germany plans to build Europe’s strongest Army by attracting volunteers
Germany is aiming to create the most powerful army in Europe by annually increasing the number of trained reservists through a volunteer-based system. The FT reports that by the end of August, the German government will be presented with a draft law supporting this initiative. The proposed legislation includes a...
UK does not need to hold inquiry into Russian disinformation, ECHR rules
Strasbourg court rejects attempt to force government to investigate impact of Kremlin interference on elections. An attempt by three former MPs to force the UK government to hold an inquiry into the impact of Russian disinformation on the Brexit vote and other recent elections has failed at the European court...
The House approves $832 billion Defense funding bill
The House early approved legislation early Friday allocating roughly $832 billion in funding for defense programs for fiscal 2026, just weeks after Republicans approved a separate $150 billion plan to advance President Trump’s defense priorities. The GOP-led chamber approved the bill 221-209, mostly along party lines; five Democrats voted in...
Europe is building a new security architecture without the U.S.
Two major developments signal Europe’s shift toward strategic autonomy: a landmark Franco-British nuclear cooperation deal and the creation of a multinational headquarters for a 32-country coalition backing Ukraine. Both steps show Europe moving away from dependence on U.S. leadership and building its own defense structures. The first breakthrough came when...
China deploys former dissidents as spies to infiltrate overseas activist groups, as authorities struggle to maintain control
Alleged Chinese Spy in Germany Raised Suspicions Among Tibetan and Pro-Democracy Activists In 2017, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, speaker of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, met with pro-democracy activists in Dharamshala, India, to discuss China’s repressive policies against Tibetans. Among those present was a German citizen of Chinese origin, Guo, then 36, who...
The Energy Weapon
Moscow has used its control over Europe’s energy supplies as a tool of political leverage. The familiar image is crude but effective: if a government dares to defy Russian foreign policy, the gas is turned off in the dead of winter, as happened in Ukraine. Yet this picture is misleading....
Risk of growing corruption within the EU
A report from researchers at the University of Gothenburg, among other places, identifies six high-risk areas where corruption threatens to have far-reaching and system-threatening consequences within the EU. One of these areas is the public procurement sector, which accounts for 14 percent of the EU’s GDP. According to the European...
Russia’s energy leverage in Europe: interdependence, control, and Influence
Russia’s Energy Leverage in Europe: Interdependence, Control, and Influence Russia and Europe remain deeply intertwined in the energy sphere. In 2016, Russia supplied over 70 percent of natural gas and one-third of crude oil consumed by OECD countries, accounting for roughly 75 percent of Russia’s gas exports and 60 percent...
Eight detained in Slovakia over suspected € 7.4 million military aid fraud to Ukraine
European prosecutors suspect rigged tenders and overpriced ammunition. Four defense ministry employees are among those in custody. Eight individuals, including four officials from Slovakia’s Ministry of Defense, have been detained as part of a European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) investigation into alleged misuse of €7.4 million intended for Ukraine’s military...