Ukraine
Slovak MFA Blanár causes international outrage for his statements on forgiving Russia
Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs Juraj Blanár has caused international outrage for his statement about the need to “find some way of cooperation and maybe also of forgiveness” to Russia.
Kremlin intensifies missile attacks on Ukraine, brings down F-16
The Armed Forces of Russia (AFR) brought down one of Ukraine’s valuable F-16 fighters at the weekend that was trying to counter another massive missile barrage. Such strikes have been intensifying in the last month.
Russia seizes control of major lithium deposit in eastern Ukraine
Russian forces have taken control of a village in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast that is also the site of Europe’s largest known lithium ore deposits that will gut the recent minerals deal signed on April 30 with the Trump administration.
Russian banking officials warn of hidden risks as debt concerns mount
Russia’s banking sector faces a growing threat of a systemic crisis within the next 12 months, with internal assessments suggesting a more fragile outlook than official statements imply.
A row has broken out between Hungary and Ukraine over Kyiv’s right to join the EU
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban claimed this week that 95% of Hungarians are against Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
Tosyali dethrones Eregli to become largest Turkish steelmaker
Company owner Fuat Tosyali became a favourite businessman of president Erdogan. Projects he’s involved in include making Turkey’s “native and national” Altay battle tank.
Will Ukraine's refugees go home after the war is over?
Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 caused Europe’s biggest displacement in decades as millions fled, most of them women and children. Three years later, there are still more than 5mn Ukrainians living abroad and only 20% say they will go home.
Kazakhstan denies Ukrainian drones attacking Russia via its airspace
Moscow said dozens crossed western parts of its neighbour headed for Russian targets.
Nato members agree to 5% GDP spending hike, but will they pay?
Nato leaders agreed to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035 and renewed their commitment to collective defence at the Nato summit held in the Hague on June 25, but how many of them will pay?
Polish public support for Ukraine’s EU and NATO membership drops sharply – poll
Public backing in Poland for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and Nato has fallen significantly since the start of the war, according to a new survey by the research agency IBRiS.
Estonia already spending more than 5% on Nato defences as it prepares for possible war with Russia
Nato members are gathering in The Hague for the annual security conference on June 25 where the US is demanding countries increase defence spending to at least 5% of GDP by 2035. Estonia is already there.
LONG READ: Nato summit in The Hague is all about the money, not about Ukraine
The collected membership of Nato meets in The Hague on June 25 for a cutdown version of the annual gathering, where Ukraine has been dropped from the agenda and the only thing that will be discussed is increasing defence spending to 5% of GDP.
Global uncertainty causes FDI to plummet in Emerging Europe
wiiw research blames crisis in German industry and the uncertainty surrounding Donald Trump’s second term as US president for sharp slowdown in FDI.
Polish authorities thwarted assassination attempt on Ukrainian president in 2024, officials say
Polish and Ukrainian security services disrupted an attempt to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at Rzeszów airport in April 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine said on June 23.
COMMENT: Black Sea becomes central to Europe’s evolving security order
As the war in Ukraine grinds on, the Black Sea is emerging as the key theatre in Europe’s long-term security contest with Russia, according to political analyst Dimitar Bechev of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
COMMENT: Georgia goes from sanctions-dodging transit country to Russia’s oil export backdoor into Europe
Georgia has long been suspected of being a major transit country for European sanctioned goods travelling to Russia, but now it appears the trade is flowing in the other direction: Georgia has become a major backdoor into the EU for Russian oil.
US auditors arrive in Kyiv to check for corruption
American auditors have just landed in Kiev, and their plan is simple – to dig out what is really happening with the billions of dollars that the US has already sent to Ukraine.
Slovak ultranationalist leader Danko stirs rows inside Fico’s ruling coalition with talk about Nato exit
Andrej Danko's seeks to boost SNS’ faltering popularity in the radical anti-establishment electoral waters with anti-Nato rhetoric.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is set to attend a Nato summit in The Hague next week after all
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is set to attend a Nato summit in The Hague next week after all, the European Council confirmed on June 20, amid uncertainty over the US role in transatlantic security commitments.
"Ukraine is ours" Putin tells deleages at SPIEF
“Ukraine is part of Russia,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his keynote address at this year’s St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) plenary session on June 20, putting the cat amongst the pigeons.