Why Fico’s Slovakia is slowing Euro-Atlantic unity
After Robert Fico became prime minister for the fourth time in 2023, Slovakia reversed its foreign policy and shifted markedly toward closer ties with Russia. His government is now one of the main opponents of the EU’s hard line on the Kremlin. That shows up in attempts to block or…
Is Europe facing a fuel crisis
September 2026 greeted Europeans with a deceptive calm. The lights are still on in Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam, and officials insist that the worst energy shocks are behind them. Behind closed doors, however, analysts and energy-crisis staff are growing uneasy. Autumn is here, temperatures across Europe are sliding, and the…
How Croatia became Europe’s dumping ground for toxic waste
Not far from the centre of the Croatian town of Gospić, in the historic region of Lika, stands the grim industrial complex of the former company PPK Velebit. Here, at the foot of the mountains, in a region known for its national parks and clean rivers, the morning air no…
Closing the “Russian House” did not dismantle Russia’s influence system in Germany
Russia uses the network of “Russian Houses,” which operate under the state agency Rossotrudnichestvo, not only to promote the language and culture but also to work with compatriots, shape a loyal information environment, and preserve political and social influence in the countries where it is present. Rossotrudnichestvo itself has been…
The Kremlin tests NATO response by attacking border checkpoints in Western Ukraine
On the night of 9 September 2026, the silence on the Ukrainian Moldovan border was torn apart by the roar of several Russian Geran-type drones attacking the Starokozache international checkpoint in Odesa region. The raid killed two civilians and wounded three others. Border terminals were destroyed, and a passenger bus,…