Author: James Wilson

Environmentally Friendly Skies for EU?

by James Wilson
Photo by Géraud Gordias on Unsplash

Photo by Géraud Gordias on Unsplash The EU Council presidency and European Parliament’s negotiators have reached a provisional agreement on the reform of the Single European Sky.  The aim of the reform is to try to reduce aviation’s impact on environment and climate. It also hopes to improve the performance, organisation and management of European airspace. The legislative package consists of an amended proposal for the recast of the Single European Sky regulation and a proposal for a regulation amending the EU Aviation Safety Agency basic…

Morocco-EU Partnership “More Crucial Than Ever”

by James Wilson
Josep Borrel

The partnership between Morocco and the European Union is “more crucial than ever in the current geopolitical context”, said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borell. The strengthening of this strategic partnership was the focus of a meeting on Wednesday between Borrell and Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan…

EU Solidarity with Taiwan

by James Wilson
Photo by Vas on Unsplash

Photo by Vas on Unsplash A top level delegation of MEPs, MPs and other officials is in Taiwan this week in order to “express solidarity” with the nation. The trip comes amid mounting tension between Taiwan and China. There are concerns in some quarters that China is set on a military showdown with Taiwan which it (China) claims…

Russian Sabotage of Dnipro Dam

by James Wilson
Photo by Igor Lavrov

Less than a week ago, Russia held a so-called “presidential election” that once again confirmed that Putin’s rule poses a real threat to millions of people both inside and outside Russia.  On 22 March, Russia launched one of the largest attacks on Ukraine, using 151 aerial attack weapons: 63 strike UAVs of the Shahed-136/131 type,…

EU-Ukraine Transport Dialogue

by James Wilson
Photo by Viktor Bystrov on Unsplash

Photo by Viktor Bystrov on Unsplash The third high-level meeting of the EU-Ukraine Transport Dialogue has taken place in Kyiv. The meeting on 21 March focused on efforts to keep Ukraine’s exports and imports moving via the Solidarity Lanes, improving connectivity, safety and security as well as sustainability. Reaction to the meeting came from the  EU Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean. The…

Visit of Jens Stoltenberg to Baku

by James Wilson

Welcoming the Secretary General of NATO to Azerbaijan on 17 March, President Ilham Aliyev said that the NATO-Azerbaijan partnership has more than 30 years of good partnership. Azerbaijan participated in peacekeeping operations in Kosovo and Afghanista and is today modernizing its defense capability demonstrating a high level of professionalism. During many years of our discussions,…

Russia to Blame for Death of Navalny

by James Wilson
Navalnaya

 Russia should bear “criminal responsibility” for the death of dissident Alexie Navalny, according to MEPs. The claim, by the Greens, came on the day Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya , made a speech to the EU parliament plenary session in Strasbourg. Her husband died in suspicious circumstances in a Russian jail over a week ago. Sergey…

Terminate the Mafia State and its Godfather

by James Wilson
Photo by mahdi rezaei on Unsplash

Photo by mahdi rezaei on Unsplash Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of murdered Russian anti-corruption activist Alexei, has made an emotional appearance in the European Parliament. Fighting back tears in an address to a packed plenary in Strasbourg on 28 February, she accused the Russian mafia state, led by President Vladimir Putin, of having orchestrated her husband’s killing.  She…

Computer Games Attract Russian Propaganda

by James Wilson

Cybersport is not out of politics: “Games of the Future” as a way of spreading propaganda messages to young people. Russia has repeatedly used sports and art for political purposes. Cybersport is no exception. By organising cybersport events, the Russian authorities not only want to show the world that they are not internationally isolated but…