At the time, these comments aided “the facilitation of violence from foreign funded actors and to the support of revolutionary processes back then,” he added. On Tuesday evening, Georgia’s security forces used tear gas and riot shields to disperse crowds of demonstrators protesting against the law in Tbilisi, prompting Western politicians and local officials to express … Read more
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday announced a €1 billion financial aid package for Lebanon, in part to help stem the flow of refugees to Europe. “We discussed how we can strengthen our political and economic relations and support the security and stability of Lebanon,” von der Leyen said during a visit … Read more
Georgia’s human rights ombudsman, Levan Ioselian, has since issued a statement condemning the police response as having “contradicted the standard of necessary and proportionate intervention.” The public defender called for an investigation into the use of “disproportionate force” and apparent targeting of journalists covering the events. Meanwhile, the mayor of Tbilisi, Georgian Dream politician Kakha … Read more
Escalation violates standards Despite the criticism, Georgian Dream has insisted the new rules are needed to protect the country’s sovereignty. Parliamentarians are expected to vote in favor of the bill at a second reading Wednesday. In a bombastic speech at a rally outside the parliament on Monday night, prominent oligarch and former Prime Minister Bidzina … Read more
Are there unintended consequences to European Union sanctions against Russia? While rocked initially by the restrictions, Russia’s economy has shown remarkable resilience. Europe, on the other hand, is facing a year of glacial growth. There are also growing concerns around the legitimacy of some of the embargoes being issued by Brussels, the adverse impact on … Read more
Sánchez has spent the past five days secluded, meditating on his future. Supporters and opponents alike now await a decision that has the potential to radically alter Spain’s political landscape and significantly impact the distribution of the EU’s top jobs after June’s European Parliament election. ¡Quédate, Pedro! Sánchez’s announcement last Wednesday was motivated by news that … Read more
According to the WSJ report, U.S. intelligence agencies have shared the assessment with some European intelligence agencies. But some European security officials “remain skeptical” that Putin didn’t play a direct hand in Navalny’s death, considering his tight grip on Russia. The U.S. assessment is “based on a range of information, including some classified intelligence, and … Read more
“It’s hard to say who was more disgusting, the Slovenians or someone else,” Vučić said earlier this week. The remarks triggered a swift rebuke from Ljubljana. Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon called them “an insult to our entire nation,” summoned the Serbian chargé d’affaires and demanded an apology. “The message is not suitable for a country … Read more
The movement has been embroiled in controversy over the past six months after refusing to label Hamas a “terrorist” organization, instead describing the Oct. 7 attack as a “war crime.” Sciences Po counts French President Emmanuel Macron among its alumni and is known as a breeding ground for the French political class. A few dozen … Read more
However, repeated warnings that, should Ukraine lose, Russia will reconstitute its land forces and be ready to attack NATO have resulted in little more than procrastination and indecisive action. And besides the countries along NATO’s Eastern flank, Europe’s political leaders continue to behave as though not much has changed, as their rhetoric has yet to … Read more
