Photo by Konrad Koller on Unsplash Under increasing pressure to maintain political control, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán seems ever more willing to deploy a wide arsenal of tools to retain power, ranging from legislative restrictions and information control to aggressive rhetorical campaigns. His recent political strategy strikingly resembles the approach of Russian President Vladimir…
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EU-UK Relations Open New Chapter Post-Brexit
Photo by Rocco Dipoppa on Unsplash MEPs have broadly welcomed a new set of agreements thrashed out at an EU/UK summit in London on Monday. The summit, attended by, among others, two EU leaders and the UK PM, aims to strike a re-set in post-Brexit relations between the two. It was attended by Sir Keir…
Advancing Health Equity
Photo by Akram Huseyn on Unsplash Promoting a healthier Taiwan on the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s National Health Insurance system. Health is a fundamental human right and a universal value. Improved health results in greater well-being for the people and has ramifications for the survival and development of a country and even the world, writes…
Ukraine’s Enduring Struggle
Photo by Marek Studzinski on Unsplash As Europe marks the anniversary of the end of the Second World War, we are reminded of Ukraine’s critical role in securing victory over Nazism – and of the striking parallels between that historic struggle and today’s war against Russian aggression. Once again, Ukraine finds itself on the front…
Lüneburger Heide
Photo by Galt Museum & Archives on Unsplash On 4th May in 1945 General Sir Bernard Montgomery and Admiral Hans-Georg Friedrich Ludwig Robert von Friedeburg signed the unconditional surrender of the German armed forces (including the navy and naval vessels) in North West Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands at a camp in Lüneburger Heide in…
Assessing Russia’s Latest Peace Proposal
Photo by Valeria Nikitina on Unsplash On April 30, the Kremlin once again signalled its alleged readiness to negotiate an end to its war of invasion of Ukraine. Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced that Moscow is open to talks without preconditions, provided they occur directly with Kyiv rather than via Washington. The statement came…
Hungary: Russia’s Back Door to Dodge Sanctions
Photo by Ivan Rohovchenko on Unsplash As the European Union maintains a unified stance on countering Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, Hungary continues to chart a divergent course that increasingly aligns with Moscow’s interests. While Hungarian authorities insist on preserving pragmatic economic ties with Russia, the reality is more complex – and potentially more…
Crimea is not a Bargaining Chip
Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash As discussions on the future of the war in Ukraine intensify in Western capitals, one dangerous idea continues to resurface: the notion that peace might be achieved by conceding Crimea to Russia. This argument ignores international law and basic justice and risks undermining the security architecture Europe claims to…
Russia’s Autocratic Alliances
Photo by Warren on Unsplash As the war in Ukraine grinds on into its third year, the battlefield is no longer defined by two nations alone. What was once seen as Russia’s unilateral aggression has now evolved into a coordinated campaign, supported by a network of authoritarian regimes. This is no longer just Ukraine’s war…
Ukraine at the Crossroads
Photo by Žilvinas Ka on Unsplash Ukraine is entering a decisive phase of defence against Russia’s war of invasion – not only on the battlefield but also in the realm of international diplomacy. While pressure mounts from Western partners to negotiate a ceasefire, Russia continues its military operations with open disregard for peace initiatives. The…