Europe
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Is Russia Preparing for War with Europe?
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned in December 2025 that Russia could attack a NATO country within the next five years, and that Western countries must prepare for “the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured”. While Moscow has denounced the comments as “hysteria” and claims that Russia has…
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Should Europe Form Its Own Alliance?
EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has suggested the idea of forming a “Standing military force” of 100,000 troops to defend Europe’s borders from external threats. While he did not delve into the logistical details of his proposal, the message was clear – Europe can no longer rely on the US…
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Are the Balkans Becoming China’s Gateway to the EU?
Over the past decade, Chinese investment and trade in the Balkan region of Europe has sharply increased, facilitating the construction of over a hundred major projects totalling tens of billions of Euros. This investment is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which seeks to expand China’s economic and strategic…
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Can Cyprus be the key to ending Europe’s reliance on Russian gas?
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine rages on, much of Europe still relies on Russian gas imports to meet demand, totalling around 13% of gas imports to EU countries. While the EU commits to finding alternatives to Russian gas, discoveries of sizeable natural gas reserves in Cyprus in recent years could…
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How long can Russia sustain its war in Ukraine?
Since the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, Russia has sustained enormous battlefield casualties, equipment losses, and economic damage. Despite this, the Kremlin has shown no sign of abandoning the war, and continues to send thousands of troops to the frontlines. The Russian government has taken a hard line in…
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What is the EU’s SAFE programme, and which countries will benefit the most?
Amid the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and heightened geopolitical tensions, the EU has accelerated efforts to bolster the defence of member states with the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme. Adopted by the Council of the European Union on May 27th 2025, SAFE has set aside €150…
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As public pressure grows over asylum seeker numbers, what are Starmer’s options?
Since the start of 2025, over 36,000 people have crossed the English channel on small boats this year, up from around 28,000 this time last year, many of them hoping to claim asylum in the UK. Pressure has been growing on Keir Starmer over the Labour government’s handling of the…