The Scottish government has banned arms companies which supply the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from getting grants and investment support, and will freeze support for trade with Israel. John Swinney, the first minister, said on Wednesday that any defence contractors who wanted financial help in Scotland would have to prove...
Too much US reverence for the Kremlin’s smiling hardmen
Negotiations between the US and Russia have for years been characterized by a strange fascination with the Kremlin’s men. American diplomats from all political backgrounds sometimes seem entranced by Moscow’s hardmen, with their well-tailored Western clothing, membership of or proximity to the spy agencies, and casual disdain for the truth....
The Mystery of NATO’s 5% Spending Promise
While NATO’s new 5% of GDP spending target grabbed headlines at June’s annual summit in The Hague, a significant clause — tucked away within the final sentence of paragraph three of the communiqué — included “direct contributions towards Ukraine’s defense and its defense industry when calculating Allies’ defense spending.” There...
Poland’s president Nawrocki to visit Trump at White House
Last week Nawrocki hosted the presidents of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and the prime minister of Denmark in Warsaw in a regional summit billed as a preparatory meeting ahead of his White House visit. His senior foreign policy aide, Marcin Przydacz, told reporters today that “these talks will primarily concern...
Putin claims he never opposed EU membership for Ukraine but draws line at Nato
Putin says Russia has never opposed Ukraine's EU membership, but draws line on Nato, as he meets with Slovakia's Fico in Beijing Over in Beijing, Russia’s Vladimir Putin has met with Slovak prime minister Robert Fico, with the pair giving brief statements to the media in the last few minutes....
EU Commission Begins Implementation of Trade Deal with the US Amid Criticism
The EU Commission has started implementing its trade agreement with the United States, aiming to ease the burden on the EU automotive sector. However, the adoption of the legislation is not guaranteed, as some MEPs have criticized the deal as unbalanced. The Commission’s legislative proposal would reduce tariffs on a...
EU Considers Extending Military Training Mission to Ukraine
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,...