Russia is using Europe's alumina for its war against Ukraine, posing key questions for Dublin and Brussels. What could the next steps be? EU sanctions? Nationalisation? In my latest analysis on @euobserver.com, I explain why there are no easy solutions. euobserver.com/225302/irela...

Ireland’s EU presidency already under pressure – how long can Europe resist sanctioning Russian alumina plant?

As Zelensky publicly rebuked the role of European companies like a Russian-owned alumina refinery on Irish soil, Dublin assumes the EU Council presidency under pressure to stop exports to Russia of a ...

euobserver.com

The European Council has a new, old problem: populist Janez Janša is back as prime minister, driving Slovenia further to the right and potentially becoming a new headache for Brussels. euobserver.com/220100/the-r...

The return of Slovenia’s ‘Prince of Darkness’: what to expect from Janša 4.0

The European Council has a new, old problem: populist Janez Janša is back as prime minister, driving Slovenia further to the right and potentially becoming a new headache for Brussels.

euobserver.com

I often bump into people who praise Sánchez's foreign policy and economic track record. Then you open the Spanish newspapers, listen to televised debates or speak with friends and relatives back home, and the reality feels entirely different. Here I try to explain why. euobserver.com/218599/pedro...

Pedro Sánchez: EU hero or Spanish problem?

Many outside observers see Sánchez as a left-wing EU hero, but scandal fatigue has eroded his standing inside Spain.

euobserver.com

As rightwing MEPs agree on extending the mandate of the controversial scrutiny committee on NGO funding, @euobserver.com publishes a timely oped on the subject: "It’s time to recognise that civic space is not simply 'shrinking' across Europe." euobserver.com/216296/how-e...

How EU policies are providing cover for member states to target NGOs

It’s time to recognise that NGOs and civic space are not simply “shrinking” across Europe. As our report shows, it is being actively restricted by anti-rights actors seeking to promote their agendas, ...

euobserver.com

Eurovision was meant to “promote unity” and “show the world as it could be” — but it has become a culture-war zone, which reflects a surge in real-world violence both inside the EU and in its neighbourhood. The latest from my colleague Andrew Rettman on @euobserver.com euobserver.com/215821/how-i...

How Israel and Russia turned Eurovision into a culture-war zone

Eurovision is the most-watched cultural event in the world. It involves artists from 35 countries, its online clips are set to be viewed two billion times, while Saturday's grand final is expected to ...

euobserver.com

“Business as usual is not working,” Palestinian diplomat Riyad Mansour said in an interview with @euobserver.com, referring to the EU’s long-standing approach of dialogue with Israel, despite its continued violations of international law. euobserver.com/215497/inter...

[Interview] Palestine’s UN envoy pushes EU to show ‘tough love’ to Israel: ‘Business as usual is not working’

Palestinian UN envoy Mansour said Europe must abandon “business as usual” with Israel, urging real pressure to defend the two-state solution, in an interview with EUobserver.

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Denying Israel’s right to exist, be it through a chorus or slogans often heard in demonstrations across Europe following the war in Gaza, could soon become a criminal offence in Germany. euobserver.com/215145/germa...

Germany’s historical struggle and the legal debate on Israel’s right to exist

It seems clear that making it a crime to deny a state’s right to exist sends a strong message. It puts the legitimacy of one country off-limits for public debate, which can be problematic in a democra...

euobserver.com

It’s EUCO day in Brussels — and EUobserver's coverage offers an in-depth look at the tensions shaping the summit agenda.

1/2 European leaders have been carefully drafting cautious statements urging ‘de-escalation’ and ‘respect for international law’. But one voice has sounded different. And it speaks Spanish. My analysis from yesterday: euobserver.com/205336/europ...

Europe’s voice of moral sense speaks Spanish

European leaders have been carefully drafting cautious statements urging 'de-escalation' and 'respect for international law'. But one voice has sounded different. And it speaks Spanish.

euobserver.com

For the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, I spoke with Ukraine’s ambassador to the EU, Vsevolod Chentsov. His message was clear: don’t mistake fatigue for peace. Moscow hasn’t abandoned its aim, and diplomacy without pressure won’t end the war. euobserver.com/204122/four-...

Viktor Orbán has also pledged, in his annual address earlier this month, to “clear out” after the April elections media and civil society organisations deemed to threaten “sovereignty.” Fidesz already directly or indirectly control 80 percent of Hungary’s media. euobserver.com/203675/how-o...

How Orbán systematically suffocated the Hungarian media over the past 15 years

Viktor Orban has also pledged, in his annual address earlier this month, to “clear out” after the April elections media and civil society organisations deemed to threaten “sovereignty.” Fidesz already...

euobserver.com

Today, I’m thrilled to share that @euobserver.com is joining journalist-owned Slovak publishing house @dennikn.bsky.social. A new era. One I hope will bring great stories, more cross-border collaboration, and growth.

What’s in the EU’s new sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine war? From the Russian head of world chess and Central Asian sanctions evaders to chemical weapons, killer drones, mercenaries, crypto, metals, and even salt. Good intel here: euobserver.com/202386/russi...

Russian chess boss, Central Asia, crypto targeted in new EU sanctions

Russia's world chess king and Asian sanctions-busters feature in the draft new round of EU measures, which also cover chemical weapons, killer drones, mercenaries in Belize, crypto, and salt.

euobserver.com

Let's stop overusing the "Exclusive" tag, we’ll all benefit.

⚠️UN expert warns: chemical pollution is a hidden global crisis. “Forever chemicals,” corporate loopholes & weak policies put human rights and environment at risk. Science & political will must align to protect human rights. @euobserver.com @elenasanchez.bsky.social euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

Tonight the controversial US ambassador to Belgium Bill White was supposed to speak on a Film & Politics panel about European dependence. He pulled out last minute. So the moderator @elenasanchez.bsky.social asked the panellists what they would have said to him if he was there.

For Europeans, order is something the police restore under law, not something the army imposes under executive will. Fortunately, EU member states built constitutional architecture to prevent what the US Insurrection Act enables.

Trump's Minnesota raids couldn't happen in Europe — could they?

For Europeans, order is something the police restore under law, not something the army imposes under executive will. Fortunately, EU member states built constitutional architecture to prevent what the US Insurrection Act enables.

euobserver.com

Wondering whether European governments could coerce investors into selling trillions in US holdings? Europe would be the first to suffer, explains my colleague @westervangaal.bsky.social in this excellent analysis euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

Debt: Europe’s biggest financial advantage over US is also its weakness

Europe is the largest holder of US debt, which it could use as leverage. But even if governments could coerce investors into selling trillions in US holdings, Europe would be first to suffer.

euobserver.com

Two months into the fragile ceasefire, what is going on in Gaza? "A combination of hope and despair," told me Marta Lorenzo Rodriguez, the director of the @unrwa.org office in Brussels, in a recent interview. Read it for free on @euobserver.com euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

UNRWA on Gaza after the ceasefire: ‘A combination of hope and despair’

In an exclusive interview with EUobserver, Marta Lorenzo, the director of the UNRWA office in Brussels, summarises the situation in Gaza as “a combination of hope and despair”.

euobserver.com

It was great to take part in the #ClimateArena of the @journalismarena.eu . We took part in the pannel on "How to make sense of the Commission's mass deregulation agenda", with @elenasanchez.bsky.social of @euobserver.com and facilitation by @jelena-prtoric.bsky.social Photos by Raul Duran Giro.

If you're in Budapest at the #ClimateArena of the @journalismarena.eu , join us tomorrow at 11am in Auditorium A for the session "The quiet undoing of the EU: How to make sense of the Commission's mass deregulation agenda" with @elenasanchez.bsky.social and moderation by @jelena-prtoric.bsky.social

EUobserver's weekly agenda is back. euobserver.com/agenda/ar058...

Informal EU summits and deregulation This WEEK

An informal EUCO will take place in Copenhagen, where EU leaders will focus on Ukraine, defence, and using Russian frozen assets. Also this week, leaders from all of Europe will gather in Denmark for ...

euobserver.com

Moldovan citizens are going to the polls on Sunday (28 September), in what is set to be a highly-contested election — with possible implications for the whole continent. This election is not about left or right; it is about a democratic Moldova or Russia. euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

Small country, big decision: Moldova faces democratic stress test

Moldovan citizens are going to the polls on Sunday, in what is set to be a highly-contested election — with possible fallout for the whole continent. This election is not about left or right; it is ab...

euobserver.com

Some 541,000 Russians visited the EU last year, compared to 517,000 in 2023, and over four million a year before Russia's full invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Despite a new sanctions crackdown on the sector, Russian tourists will continue to be able to visit the EU. euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

No new hurdles planned for Russian tourists to EU

Russians tourists will be able to keep coming to the EU despite a new sanctions crackdown on the sector, diplomats have said.

euobserver.com

"An effective EU policy ... needs to acknowledge that settler violence is state violence, enabled and tolerated by the Israeli regime’s policy of complete impunity". Strong piece by Yoav Shemer-Kunz, co-founder of European Jews for Palestine. euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

I spent 10 days in the West Bank, watching the impunity of Israeli settlers

In August, I spent ten days in the West Bank, Occupied Palestinian Territories. Here is some of what I saw and heard there during my visit.

euobserver.com

We're very excited to join @journalismarena.eu conference in Budapest in exactly one month to discuss the EU's #deregulation agenda. We'll be joined in the same pannel by @elenasanchez.bsky.social and @jelena-prtoric.bsky.social ! More info: 📅 climatearena2025.sched.com 🎟️ climatearena.eu/register/

I sat down with former EU top diplomat Josep Borrell, who described Europe’s proposal to cut Israel from Horizon as a “bad joke” in response to the atrocities unfolding in Gaza. “Is that really all they can think to do, with what’s happening?” Borrell asked. euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

EU's Horizon-suspension sanction for Israel 'a bad joke', says Borrell

Suspending Israel's access to the bloc’s Horizon research programme is a “bad joke” in the face of the atrocities unfolding in Gaza, the EU's former chief diplomat Josep Borrell told EUobserver during...

euobserver.com

I got an EU internal document that outlines the toothless nature of a Gaza aid "understanding" between the EU and Israel: non-binding, ambiguous, and difficult to monitor. euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

EU document shows flimsy nature of Israel aid deal

A leaked EU document outlines the toothless nature of a Gaza aid "understanding" between the EU and Israel: non-binding, ambiguous, and difficult to monitor.

euobserver.com

As Nato leaders gather in The Hague this week, attention turns to the proposal to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP (more than double the 2% benchmark). Our explainer covers: 🧩 5% target explained 🇪🇸 Spain’s stance 💰 Defence vs welfare 📉 Who’s falling behind euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

Defence vs welfare: what’s at stake in Nato’s new 5% spending target?

Nato allies are expected to agree to raise defence spending target to five percent of GDP at the Hague summit. But previous broken promises and Spain’s reluctance highlight growing tensions between mi...

euobserver.com

Spain is in political turmoil. But why? In this explainer, editor-in-chief @elenasanchez.bsky.social explains: 🔹 What happened 🔹 Who is involved 🔹 Why it matters Catch up here: euobserver.com/rule-of-law/...