Photo by Jørgen Håland on Unsplash Recent developments between the USA and Russia have sparked debates about the future of their relations. From the appointment of Alexander Darchiyev as Russia’s new ambassador to the US to reports that the Trump administration may share confidential data with Moscow, it seems a shift is under way. However,…
Year: 2025
Kremlin Threat to Europe
Photo by Klim Musalimov on Unsplash The Kremlin has long been playing a dangerous game, not only in Ukraine but across the broader European continent. With a clear goal to manipulate political processes and weaken Ukraine’s leadership, Moscow has been actively undermining President Zelensky’s legitimacy and pushing for his removal. This is no longer just…
International Womens’ Day
It is International Women’s Day today 8 March when the world over acknowledges the vital role played by women in society. Their contribution is sometimes less well known in the sometimes male-dominated domain of the horeca/hospitality sector. But one event on 8 March aims to rectify that. It seeks to celebrate ten years of recognizing…
Russia and the United States of America
Photo by Marek Studzinski on Unsplash Recent initiatives by U.S. President Donald Trump to end the war in Ukraine through dialogue, rather than through Russia’s defeat on the battlefield, present Moscow with a unique opportunity to break free from its strategic deadlock. While Russia projects confidence in its strength, it is increasingly aware that continuing…
Security Summit
Photo by Cas Holmes on Unsplash European leaders met today for the European Council summit in Brussels to discuss the global security situation and Ukraine. This comes against a backdrop of reduced support for Ukraine from the U.S, including the suspension of intelligence sharing. Ahead of the summit on Thursday, some MEPs have been…
Future of the Steel Sector
Photo by D R on Unsplash EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has convened key European industry leaders, social partners, and stakeholders for the launch of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the European Steel sector. This marks the start of a collaborative process to address critical challenges faced by the sector and ensure its continued success as…
Greens Accuse USA of Abandoning Ukraine
Photo by Glib Albovsky on Unsplash Some MEPs have accused the U.S. of abandoning Ukraine. The claim comes in the wake of the shock suspension of US military aid to Ukraine which was announced on Tuesday. Greens deputy Mārtiņš Staķis from Latvia, Greens/EFA Coordinator in the Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE), led MEP reaction…
Russia’s Counter-Offensive Strategy
Photo by Adrien Wodey on Unsplash Our sources in the Kremlin report that the Presidential Administration of Russia is overwhelmed with glee anticipating approaching victory. This has been caused by the resumption of a Russian American dialogue, coming from telephone calls between President Putin and Trump on February 12, contacts between Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov…
End the EU’s Patchwork of Animal Welfare Laws
Photo by Sam Carter on Unsplash A new report reveals that animal welfare issues are treated very differently by each of the EU’s 27 Member States. The authors, Eurogroup for Animals, say it shows that the EU must update and modernise the animal welfare legislation as soon as possible. This, it says, it needed to…
Man Without Suit Meets Suit Without Man
Here in Belgium we think that we understand surrealism. But it can still be confusing, it can shock and it can also lead to the discovery of unexpected and unwelcome interpretations that change our view of the world. In my opinion there are four clear outcomes from last Friday’s highly publicised shouting match televised at…