On the 4th anniversary of the war in Ukraine, the European Union is still trying to sanction Russia enough to initiate legitimate diplomatic discussion. The target for this round of sanctions is much tougher than previous ones as the package includes targets of the  energy, financial services and trade sectors. The European Union released a statement  on 6 February 2026 on how they are targeting each sector. When it comes to energy, they want to implement a full maritime serv

Developing the best technology is the goal for any business. Without the best teams for research and development, it would be difficult to achieve this goal, which is where many governments step in to incentivise and regulate. The digital world is changing rapidly so it is paramount to remain competitive and foster technological advances to be the best. Many governments run into issues surrounding control and access to digital technology that many are turning to their own cit

Imagine a trade deal that takes twenty-five years to negotiate, sparks protests across Europe, divides governments, worries environmental groups, and is expected to become one of the most consequential trade agreements of the decade, yet, never designed to deliver immediate economic returns or to transform people’s livelihoods overnight. So why was it signed at all? Because regardless of major implementation challenges, political resistance, and slow effects, the agreement se

The war in Ukraine, the “ inevitable reunification ” of Taiwan with China, or the intervention of the USA in Venezuela and its ambitions over Greenland marked a clear return to Great Power Politics. In what can be seen as a chaotic beginning of 2026, where the EU could place itself among these great powers, and how can it respond to it? Often considered a political dwarf, the EU has never been thought of in terms of power, but rather as a vast economic union. In this logic, t

The proposed trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc has become one of the most protracted negotiations in contemporary international trade. Negotiations initially began in 1999, which did not conclude in principle until twenty years later, in 2019. Since then, however, the deal has not yet been ratified and implemented due to ongoing disputes over its contents. Despite attempts to revive it, opposition within Europe and unresolved concerns about envi

Introduction: For almost four years, the Russian offensive on Ukraine has dragged on, with a somewhat predictable rhythm. Russia pushes forward, while Ukraine counter-attacks when possible. Most western debates regarding the war have been about who, where and when should resources be sent to support Ukraine. However, talks for a long-lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia have ramped up significantly since mid-November. On the 19 th  of November, a US drafted 28-point peace

(Nikkei montage/Source photos by Reuters Introduction: The invasion of Ukraine in 2022 marked the return of war on the old continent and demonstrated the need for NATO countries to finally reach the goal of 2% of their GDP in military expenditures. Between 2020 and 2024, Europe accounted for 28.1% of the global arms imports, compared to only 11% between 2015 and 2019 . As the war keeps raging in Ukraine, European countries maintain their efforts to rearm themselves, in a clea

BYD operates its own fleet to support the large-scale export of its EVs. Photo retrieved from the official website of Shenzhen government. Chinese EVs are taking over Europe’s streets. BYD overtakes Tesla  in the European market selling three times as many vehicles as in August 2024 and surpassing Tesla for the second consecutive month, with a market share of 1.3% compared to Tesla’s 1.2%, whose sales fell 36.6%. SAIC Motor, another Chinese brand, saw sales rise 59.4%, reachi

Introduction: Alarmed by recent information, the French government warned about a potential sale of Nigerien uranium to Russia. Both Moscow — and its company Rosatom — and the Nigerien junta denied such a transaction, nevertheless, it is not the first time that Russia is interested in the nuclear sector in Niger. In July 2025 already, the   Russian minister of energy, accompanied by a delegation of representatives of the defence minister and giants of the uranium industry  (R

Introduction: European Union enlargement has re-emerged as one of Europe’s most geopolitically significant debates. When Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU, and to a wider extent, the continent as a whole, was forced to alter its geopolitical strategies.  The EU now has to re-evaluate its borders. Just as many former Warsaw Pact states began pursuing EU membership after the Cold War, many Eastern European states are now seeking closer ti

Introduction: After fourteen years, the Republic of Ireland has a new President. On October 24 th , 2025, voters across the country went to the polling stations, with a majority, 63.4%, voting for independent candidate Catherine Connolly, who will be formally inaugurated on November 11 th . However, the biggest stories that emerged in the fallout of the election were not necessarily who the victor was, but the low voter turnout of 46%, and even more worrying, the record numbe

Introduction Europe is building a wall. Not made of concrete, but with code, signals and radar. What began as a suggestion from Lithuania, has evolved into one of the European Union’s largest and most complex defense projects, a ‘Drone wall’ stretching from the Baltics down to the Black Sea.  The ‘Drone Wall’, formally known as the European Drone Defense Initiative is part of the EU's broader Defense Readiness Roadmap 2030, and has been announced in response to the rising num