Afghanistan continues to be the world leader in opium and heroin production and is “adapting” drug trafficking routes to new geopolitical conditions. One of these, the so-called “Northern Corridor” through Central Asia and Russia, is increasingly becoming the focus of European and international reports. This is not just a matter...
Exposed infrastructure for laundering Russian money from London to the Kremlin
The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) conducted a large-scale operation called “Destabilisation”, which exposed money laundering schemes and transnational infrastructures linking street crime in the UK to global cryptocurrency networks working for Russian interests. How can organized crime become a link between sanctioned Russian elites and British street crime? At...
How Swarovski Optik continues to get into Russia despite sanctions
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, many observers expected European companies, especially those with strong reputations, to immediately cease all cooperation with the aggressor. However, as it turns out, a significant number of European companies, including some with global reputations, have continued their business ties with Russia....
The Western Balkans: a focus of instability on the way to the European Union
For a long time, the states of the Western Balkans – Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are considered potential members of the European Union, provided that the criteria appropriate for accession are met. Especially since such Balkan states as Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia and Croatia...
Russian diplomacy as a tool of hybrid influence on Poland
In the confrontation between Russia and the West, diplomacy is increasingly seen not simply as a mechanism for official dialogue, but as a form of hybrid instrument combining espionage, sabotage, and disinformation. Poland is one of the clearest examples of Russian diplomacy being used as a cover for actions that...
The political crisis in France and the economy: what to expect next
For several months, France has been plunged into a new spiral of political turbulence that not only threatens the stability of its institutions, but directly affects its economic state. Behind this crisis lies not only a decline in the credibility of the government, but also serious socio-economic risks: rising debt,...
Crisis of EU diplomacy. Resources go where the word “security” sounds louder
Europe is undergoing what is perhaps the most significant shift in foreign policy priorities in decades. Since the end of 2022–2025, EU countries have been directing more and more resources towards defence and external border management, and not only in those countries that are directly threatened by military action. The...
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...