Brussels is dismayed by the measures and positions taken by Trump. In the new geopolitical context, the EU is emerging as the last bastion of liberal democracies.
Serbia has been rocked by weeks of student-led protests triggered by the Novi Sad tragedy. What started as an anti-corruption drive morphed into a movement demanding a profound change of the system.
Donald Trump said the USA might take over Gaza once Palestinians leave. No one in the Middle East can accept such a proposal because it would increase instability in the region.
The war in Ukraine is increasing the gap between Russia’s wealthy elites and the majority of the population. There is also a drive to redistribute wealth and channel it towards those loyal to Putin’s regime.
As various capitals in Eastern Europe are gripped by demonstrations, reformists in Bulgaria – a country with a tradition of protests – seem apathetic following years of political logjam and the return of the “system” parties.
Aleksandr Lukashenko won his seventh term as president with 86.82% of the vote and a turnout of 85.9%, results typical for dictatorial regimes. The figures were touted as proof of stability in Belarus, popular support for Lukashenko and tolerance of the opposition. However, the elections were neither free nor fair, but just a show that fooled no one.
A new word is gradually gaining traction across media and political debates: “sovereignists”. How does it all impact liberal democracy? To what extent can sovereignists influence EU politics?
On a brisk January morning in Strasbourg, Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland, stood before the European Parliament to deliver what many have already labeled a defining speech of his career. With his characteristic blend of gravitas and urgency, Tusk addressed Europe’s place in an increasingly volatile world. Referring to the profound shifts in transatlantic relations under Donald Trump’s presidency, Donald Tusk paraphrased another US President, John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what America can do for Europe and its security—ask what we can do for it”. His words reverberated across the chamber, signaling the dawn of a (let’s hope) pivotal six months in European politics: Poland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.
New NATO members Finland and Sweden are increasingly involved in the security of the Baltic region, which has seen a number of aggressive Russian moves including sabotages of undersea infrastructure. However, the potential for cooperation with the Baltic countries has merely been tapped.
At the Union Hora, organized by the followers of Călin Georgescu, I got into a mix of nationalist mysticism, conspiracy theories, false Russian narratives and the belief that the "president elect" is some kind of messianic figure who will turn Romania into another Dubai.
Putin believed that by invading Ukraine and engaging in wars in the East, he was restoring Russia's great power status. The result was Moscow's long-term loss of influence.
A wave of "accidents"/sabotages in the Baltic Sea suggests that the tanker fleet used by Russia to evade Western sanctions is also being deployed in the hybrid warfare that Moscow is waging against the West.
China is the main threat to the US, which would benefit from the weakening of the Beijing-Moscow axis. A Trump-Putin deal may entail, however, sacrificing Ukraine and problems for the EU.
Donald Trump's return to the White House has generated fears about his approach to Russia and the conflict in Ukraine, as well as the economic relationship with the European Union. Veridica’s team of contributors has analyzed how Trump’s return to power is seen in Brussels and in Russia's neighboring countries - some of them ex-Soviet or ex-communist states, most of them members of the EU or NATO or with Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
Romanian extremists seem to believe that the return of Donald Trump is bound to bring them more voters and legitimize a type of discourse marked by populism and false narratives. They also hope that Trump will help them get the power. It is a kind of oxymoronic reasoning that shows that, in fact, Romanian extremists do not even understand the meaning of the word they adopted to define themselves - "sovereignism".
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Russia’s civil aviation is facing an unprecedented crisis, as both domestic production and foreign imports are being hampered by sanctions imposed by the West following Ukraine’s invasion.
A Minsk-based Orthodox Convent has been raising money for years to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Some of the money come from activities in EU countries.
In 2025, presidential elections will be held in Poland. People are already saying that we need to take seriously the scenario in which Russia influences the outcome – as it happened in Romania.
For the gerontocratic Russia’s leadership, the vision of the future is derived from a mythical “golden past”, but manifesting as escalating corruption, growth in alcohol consumption, resource scarcity, and rising crime.
The dismantling of a GRU-ran group showed both that Russia is seeking to organize attacks in Estonia, and that its capacity to do any real harm is so for limited.
As talks about peace in Ukraine along the current frontline intensify, some of Kyiv’s partners, including Latvia, feel this would be a dangerous outcome.
Isolated by the international community for his regime’s abuses, Belarus’ authoritarian leader is increasingly behaving as a mere governor of one of Russia’s provinces.
Belarus has allowed an explosion in smuggling of products like cigarettes, and this policy poses a threat to the security of the European Union.
A fake account attributed to Julian Assange expresses its admiration for Călin Georgescu. The fake didn't bother the Romanian extremist, who instead set about debunking made-up fakes.
A battle between the people and the [ruling Georgian Dream] Party is being fought on the streets of Georgian cities. The stake: Georgia’s path towards the EU vs. a return to Russia’s orbit.
A key piece in the so-called "axis of resistance" built in recent decades by Iran has fallen. Russia loses its most important Arab ally in the Middle East. The future of Syria, uncertain. Risk of regional war.
Declassified documents presented by Romanian intelligence prove that Călin Georgescu is supported by a state actor. The state in question is not named, but its actions are similar to operations previously carried out by Russia.
Pro-European right-wing parties in Romania grabbed large numbers of votes in Moldova, while the Romanian diaspora opted for sovereigntist forces. Experts believe that sovereigntists were rejected because they are hostile to Ukraine.
Ukrainian observers have noted that Romania remains pro-European, while the risk remains that, if elected, president Georgescu might turn the country into a state similar to Orban's Hungary.
A far-right protest in Sofia against a XIX century play directed by John Malkovich brought to the spotlight the disinformation and propaganda campaign targeting Bulgaria’s culture and education.
Ukrainian refugees in Latvia have generally been well received, but there were also some displays of hostility. Experts warn a long-term integration program is needed for the refugees.
Although Russia is a threat to Estonia, Russian speakers here have voted for pro-Russian politicians in the legislative elections. They now want to win the main Russian-speaking city, Narva, in the local elections.
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