A future European defence is being born in Munich
For Europeans facing a more aggressive Russia and a less reliable US, Munich’s booming defence startups show how quickly war is reshaping industry.
Analysis
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EU-China trade war edges closer as Brussels lines up emergency import safeguards
The EU Commission is now aiming a series of blows at China’s trade surplus – pulling out the ‘overcapacity instrument’ instrument from its armoury, which would cap imports of certain Chinese products to the EU.
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[Interview] Europe’s data chief on sharing info with US: ‘The concerns are really big’
From concerns over Israel to getting negotiations right with “our American friends,” data protection has been no walk in the park for veteran EU supervisor Wojciech Wiewiórowski.
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Yermak: Ukraine’s shadow leader and Zelensky confidant in custody after calls with a fortune‑teller
The political earthquake shaking Kyiv deepened today after Ukraine’s High Anti-Corruption Court ordered the detention of Andriy Yermak, until recently one of the closest and most influential allies of President Zelensky.
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How air-defence failures brought down Latvia’s government — and opened the door to Russia to exploit chaos
Internal conflicts in the Latvian coalition government came to a boil, after Ukrainian drones crashed into the country without interception. The formation of a new government is now in the hands of the rightwing opposition.
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As Trump renews Greenland threat, what next for Iceland, Svalbard, and Åland?
The US is still muscling in on Greenland, posing questions on whether undefended Iceland could be next, or if Russia has designs on the demilitarised Svalbard and the Åland Islands.
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Trump in China trade deals leave Brussels asking if Europe is being taken seriously by Beijing
The EU’s relations with China are ‘complex’ and marked by ‘systemic rivalry’, the EU’s ambassador to China conceded on Friday.
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[Interview] Tycoon media owners, attacks on journalists, self-censorship and ‘influencers’: why Europe’s press freedom is in retreat
From Hungary to France, financial strains, political influence, and growing restrictions on press freedom are ever worse in Europe, the general secretary of the European Federation of Journalists, Ricardo Gutiérrez, tells EUobserver in an interview.
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Renewables finally beat coal in global power — 50 years after climate warning
For the first time in about a century, renewable energy generated more electricity than coal, the most polluting fossil fuel.
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AI helps Ukrainian drones against Russian signal jamming, but fully autonomous strikes remain rare
In one Ukrainian model, the drone flies to the front line and when its pilot gives the order, it locks onto the target, pursues it, and destroys it, even if Russian jamming cuts off contact.
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How Israel and Russia turned Eurovision into a culture-war zone
Eurovision is the most-watched cultural event in the world. It involves artists from 35 countries, its online clips are set to be viewed two billion times, while Saturday’s grand final is expected to attract over 160 million viewers. Yet what was once a camp and glittery celebration has become the new frontline in Europe’s culture wars.
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[Interview] Alexander Stubb: ‘Ukraine will not lose the war’ but Europe must build its own defence
Nato remains strong despite current tensions, says Stubb as he calls Europe to take on more responsibility for its own defence.
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‘Europe is coming to Africa’. But Macron’s Nairobi summit could be little more than a PR exercise
Dozens of political leaders and business bosses will gather in the Kenyan capital this week, hosted by France’s Emmanuel Macron and Kenya’s William Ruto. But will amount to more than hot air?
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No oil crisis ahead as world learns to live without, says Russian analyst
There is no energy crisis in the world, and experts do not expect one in the near future, regardless of the fact that the Persian Gulf may remain closed for quite a long time, says Mikhail Krutichin.
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Good intentions did not save the EU’s deforestation bill from the axe
The EU’s deforestation regulation was very popular — until it became law. But after two years of delays and exemptions, the EU Commission appears to have decided to give no more ground.
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Cookies, consent, and clicks – will the EU new ‘Reject All’ rules work?
Cookies have been around since the early days of the internet. The “Accept All” button has become a routine reflex for many. But even the “Reject All” button disguises hundreds of so-called “legitimate interest” tracking.
Now the EU wants to fix this loophole in its landmark privacy rules, claiming users would save 198 million hours a year with new changes – but will these really empower users or reshape old problems into a new form?
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Chernobyl: the work of self-confident fools, after whom invisible heroes had to clean up
The 40th anniversary of a major nuclear accident is a good opportunity to reflect on whether something similar can happen again today.
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How different will Magyar be from Orbán? We analyse his views on EU, Russia, Ukraine, and Trump
Over the past two years, Péter Magyar has travelled almost constantly around Hungary, saying he would curb corruption and fix public services. On foreign policy issues, however, he was cautious. Here is an overview of the key issues that will determine Hungary’s position on the geopolitical stage.
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Ten lessons from the Hungarian election: how the myth of ‘illiberalism’ collapsed
Hungary’s political landscape has been upended: after 16 years in power, Viktor Orbán’s system has collapsed following a landslide defeat. From the limits of propaganda and corruption to a resurgent independent press and a new generation of voters, 10 key lessons explain how a seemingly entrenched illiberal model unravelled — and what comes next for Hungary and Europe.
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Gunboat trade policy: how Trump’s tariffs have ended ‘free-trade’ orthodoxy
Despite its insistence that it supports ‘rules-based trade’, the EU has accepted president Donald Trump’s tariffs. And its own trade agenda is more complicated than just free trade.