Russia’s humanitarian expansion in the Balkans
Russia demonstrates a heightened interest in preserving its influence in the Balkans, as existing opportunities allow it to convert historical, religious, cultural, and energy ties into real political leverage. In the long term, Moscow aims to prevent the Euro-Atlantic integration of the region’s countries, as well as to undermine European…
AfD as a tool of the Kremlin: the history of a political project that became a threat to EU unity
Alternative for Germany (AfD) emerged in 2013 as a response by conservative German elites to the eurozone crisis, uniting citizens who opposed financial bailouts for weak Southern European economies and demanded fundamental EU reforms. The party’s ideological affinity for Russia became apparent almost immediately after its founding, when one of…
Double standards of the International Olympic Committee
After the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) introduced restrictions aimed at completely isolating Russian athletes from international competition. Initially this was a full ban on participation in tournaments, but through behind-the-scenes pressure and lobbying from Russia, they were later permitted to compete under…
How EU agricultural subsidies became the source of a political crisis in Greece
The scandal surrounding European Union agricultural subsidies in Greece, which erupted in 2025–2026, proved to be a symptom of corruption problems at both the national and pan-European levels. The roots of the problem stretch back to the previous decade, but the critical phase fell between 2016 and 2023. It was…
Neutrality as a trap — the Austrian price of Russian espionage
Over recent years, Austria has firmly established itself as a hub for Russian intelligence services in the very heart of Europe, transforming Vienna into a logistical and coordination center for their operations. The Austrian authorities’ lenient attitude toward Russia and the absence of strict oversight of its spies backfired badly…