EU shouldn’t leave newer members behind, Dombrovskis says on enlargement anniversary – POLITICO

“We are facing the green and digital transformation of our economies … and it’s very important that in this process we are not leaving countries and regions behind,” Dombrovskis said, speaking ahead of the celebrations of 20 years of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia joining the EU. … Read more

France has the military gear everyone’s desperate to get – POLITICO

With more than 1,100 employees, the Limours factory tests the radars’ antennas in blue-walled rooms designed to muffle echoes, before assembling them in a large area with a French flag and pictures of Ground Masters in action. Security is tight: An officer checks phones and pictures taken by visitors before they leave to make sure … Read more

Moldova to allow billionaire’s pro-Kremlin party to field candidates in elections – POLITICO

Shor welcomed the verdict. “This decision not only restores the rights of individuals, but also calls into question the legitimacy of the past elections,” he said Tuesday in a Instagram post. Shor was sentenced in 2017 to 7.5 years in prison — later increased to 15 years — on fraud and money laundering charges in … Read more

Georgia wants to ban changing gender in sweeping new anti-LGBTQ+ law – POLITICO

In an echo of anti-LGBTQ+ “propaganda” laws introduced in Russia and decried by human rights defenders, the proposal would also ban education and public gatherings it describes as popularizing “same-sex family or intimate relationships,” as well as “incest.” However, Mdinaradze said the move will “protect family values and minors.” He did not rule out that … Read more

Ukraine prepares to join the EU club — but Brussels doesn’t want to talk about it – POLITICO

The task ahead on enlargement for the EU is Herculean, particularly on the issue of Ukraine. War-devastated Ukraine, with nearly 44 million people, would be the largest landmass in the bloc. Given its population, Kyiv would wield considerable influence in the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.   Ukraine, once an EU member, will … Read more

Russia can’t reach Moldova’ Transnistria easily, but can cause trouble

Vladimir Putin at a rally at Manezhnaya Square near the Kremlin on March 18, 2018. Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images Moscow is continuing its saber rattling over the pro-Russian region of Transnistria in Moldova, and analysts are saying that while Russian authorities would find it hard to physically reach the breakaway region to annex it, there are … Read more

The country named Europe’s most boring where ‘everything is grey and there’s constant fog’ | Europe | Travel

This small European country has been labelled one of the “most boring” destinations thanks to its “grey” weather and “constant fog”. Moldova, located in Eastern Europe, was once part of the Soviet Union but is now its own country nestled between Romania and Ukraine. Although it’s not a tourist hotspot, the country is known for … Read more

Keep fighting, quit drinking, have babies – POLITICO

No mention of Navalny “Basically, it was just a festival of extravagant generosity,” wrote independent analyst Abbas Gallyamov.  But, he added, once the election is over, Russians await “unpopular measures: a new mobilization wave, the increase of fighting age and everything else they’ve thought of.”  In a first, Putin’s address was not just shown on … Read more

Putin could announce Russian troops will enter Transnistria region

Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with his confidants for the 2024 election at Gostiny Dvor in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 31, 2024. Maxim Shemetov | Reuters The West is watching Russian President Vladimir Putin’s next move closely after pro-Russian officials in the breakaway region of Transnistria in Moldova appealed to Moscow for “protection” … Read more

Georgia follows Putin’s lead, new report says – POLITICO

Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine is dividing Europe’s eastern neighborhood — with some countries moving closer to the European Union but others, including Georgia, gladly following Russia’s path to authoritarianism, a report published Wednesday said. The report by Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum noted that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine boosted relations between some eastern states and … Read more