Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally group in France’s National Assembly, has spoken out against Ukraine’s possible membership of the European Union. In her view, Paris would be among the first to face economic losses. “If Ukraine joined the European Union, we would be the first losers, on...
European Commission has proposed dropping unanimity on sanctions and on some EU enlargement decisions
The Commission published a package of documents on preparing the Union for future enlargement and is proposing a shift from unanimous voting to qualified majority voting on sanctions, the opening of negotiating clusters and intermediate decisions in accession talks. The package, “Preparing for a wider Union,” was adopted on Tuesday....
Brussels prepares new restrictions on Russian diplomats amid sabotage across Europe
EU member states are discussing tighter restrictions and additional checks on Russian diplomats amid a wave of hybrid attacks in Europe, Euronews reported on 6 October, citing diplomatic sources. The talks are still at an early stage and are seen as a possible next step in the bloc’s sanctions regime....
Germany and France call for stronger EU trade defences
Germany and France have urged the European Union to give the European Commission the power to fully cut off access to the single market if a third country destabilizes trade. The proposal is set out in a joint letter from Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Emmanuel Macron to European Commission...
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...
Nearly half of Britons support rejoining the EU
Debate in Britain over the country’s future relationship with the European Union has intensified again after a new Messina Group poll. According to the survey, 49% of respondents would support the country rejoining the EU, while 28.5% were opposed. The poll was conducted by The Messina Group (TMG) from 12...
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...
EU prepares emergency security protocol against hybrid attacks
The European Union is preparing an emergency security protocol to help member states respond jointly to hybrid attacks that fall short of armed aggression. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced this as she arrived for a meeting of EU defence ministers in Brussels on 28 September. “We will discuss...
EU extends personal sanctions against Russia until 2029
The Council of the European Union on 22 September 2026 extended individual restrictive measures targeting people and entities that Brussels holds responsible for undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The sanctions will remain in force until 22 September 2029 — the first time they have been prolonged for 36 months rather than...
Pro-Russian media in Slovakia and the Czech Republic disguise Kremlin narratives as internal EU criticism
Against the backdrop of a renewed EU debate on extending anti-Russian sanctions, some Slovak and Czech pro-Russian media outlets have begun promoting more aggressively the idea that further support for Ukraine is pointless and should be reduced. Zem&Vek and Pravý Prostor stood out in particular. The Slovak outlet framed the...