Ukraine’s allies convened for the 25th time at Ramstein Air Base in Germany as part of the “Ukraine Defense Contact Group.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky personally attended the meeting, marking one of his last discussions with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin before Donald Trump and his administration assume power in 11 days. Also present were […]
Zelensky repeats call for Western troops in Ukraine Read More »
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed openness to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico acting as a mediator for potential peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Speaking at a press conference in St. Petersburg, Putin stated that Fico had offered Slovakia as a platform for negotiations, a proposal the Russian leader described as “acceptable.” He also
Putin pitches Slovak PM Fico as Potential Mediator Between Russia and Ukraine Read More »
A new special report concludes that Western countries could see their influence in Asia rapidly decline without a new approach to the region based on partnership and free trade. Although targeted at European policymakers, the report highlights major risks to national security from third party litigation funding that American policymakers have so far neglected. The
When asked whether they think that their children will have a better or worse future than themselves, a Gallup poll in 2022 found Europeans to be the most pessimistic, in comparison to people from other continents. Remarkably, the most optimistic were people from Sub-Saharan Africa. Still, migration flows from Africa continue to put a heavy
The opportunities for Europe of closer cooperation with Africa Read More »
Writing in Belgian magazine Trends, Professor Marc De Vos comments how things stand during the Ukraine war: “At the cost of many human lives and equipment, Ukraine has already recaptured several hundred square kilometers of territory. But Russia occupies some 160,000 square kilometers, an area twice the size of the Benelux. Lacking a strong air
“For Ukraine, there is a sober military reality” Read More »
Writing in Politico, Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi comments: “The security of Europe and that of the Indo-Pacific region can no longer be discussed separately — that was my main message when I attended the NATO ministerial meeting last year for the first time as Japanese foreign minister.” He notes that in “the Indo-Pacific, unilateral