World

Merkel once believed that economic ties with Russia would guarantee peace. Instead, Nord Stream 2 deepened Germany’s dependence on Moscow—until the Russian war in Ukraine exposed the illusion.

In recent years, Russia has ramped up its military buildup in the Arctic, turning this critical trade route into a potential geopolitical battleground.

In a bold move to shape the future of Ukraine’s security and European defense strategy, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a “Coalition of the Willing,” bringing together key allies to support Ukraine and lay the groundwork for peace. But what exactly is it?

Although billed as economic talks, the U.S. -Russia negotiations in Istanbul signal a shift—business over principles. With Moscow’s rare earth deals on the table, the focus shifts from ending the war to legitimizing Russia’s land grab.

“Breaking the Beijing-Moscow alliance” is a clear goal behind the recent US-Russia thaw. But with China and Russia’s economies tightly intertwined, any tactical concessions to Russia are unlikely to weaken their bond without backfiring on U.S. interests.

Hungary persists in reliance on Russian gas, but viable alternatives exist—from LNG imports via Croatia to pipelines from Romania and Azerbaijan.