The EU's top diplomat argues that extending the mandate of the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM) to train Ukrainian soldiers on Ukrainian soil could serve as a security guarantee. There is "broad support" among EU member states to extend the mission following a ceasefire, Kaja Kallas said after a meeting...
France’s political instability puts Franco-German alliance to the test
The 25th Franco-German Council of Ministers, which took place on Friday, August 29, in Toulon, southeastern France, made it clear. In Friedrich Merz, Emmanuel Macron has found a counterpart who shares his reformist ambitions and proactive stance on Europe. The warm relationship between the French president and the new German...
The new wave of anti-migrant vigilantes in Europe
‘Citizen patrols’ and self-styled protective forces are fuelling social fears and the far right. Sporting black shirts emblazoned with an iron cross, a dozen or so men marched through the centre of Reykjavík, courting attention on a Friday night. In Poland and the Netherlands, vigilantes thronged along the German border,...
French PM Bayrou still hopes for shift in public opinion as confidence vote nears
"I am absolutely convinced that things can change," said French Prime Minister François Bayrou on Sunday, ahead of a new round of talks with political parties. Opposition parties, however, reaffirmed their determination to bring down the government. French Prime Minister François Bayrou now has seven days before the confidence vote,...
France’s Socialists declare they are ‘ready to govern,’ eyeing Bayrou’s exit
The Socialists presented the budget plan of a potential left-wing government during a summer conference in the city of Blois. However, the initiative failed to win over their partners and was harshly criticized by Jean-Luc Mélenchon of radical left La France Insoumise. As the rain fell in the central French...
What’s happening with Macron’s government, confidence vote or collapse?
France is staring down at yet another political crisis. Prime Minister François Bayrou has announced a confidence vote for the 8th of September, a move that could very well bring down his government. Bayrou is pushing through an austerity plan worth 44 billion euros to cut France’s soaring deficit, currently...
Out of the castle: Europe needs to rethink China
Europe’s ancient castles stand as majestic monuments to a divided past. Their towering walls, built to keep 'us' safe from 'them', reveal more than medieval engineering prowess — they embody a defensive worldview that once dominated global politics. Today, as Europe navigates its relationship with China, it faces a critical...
US explored energy deals with Russia during Ukraine peace talks
US and Russian officials quietly discussed potential energy deals earlier this month, while holding talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine Possible arrangements were presented as incentives for Moscow to consider peace terms and for Washington to ease sanctions, according to anonymous sources cited by Reuters on Tuesday evening...
The Brussels Bubble is a conveyor belt of potential, crushed into uniformity
Brussels is a city of ambition Every year, thousands of young people arrive with big dreams and the hope of helping shape Europe. Job ads promise engagement, impact, and innovation. But what the majority of us fresh arrivals find instead is a grind of back-to-back meetings, endless forms, and reports...
US president Donald Trump has threatened to slap tariffs on any country that imposes digital taxes or regulatory limits on US tech companies
In a post on his Truth Social platform late on Monday (25 August), Trump railed against “Digital Taxes, Legislation, Rules, or Regulations,” and warned he could impose more tariffs and tighten controls on US technology exports. “As the President of the United States, I will stand up to countries that...