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France

Sweden

United Kingdom

Belgium

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Afghanistan

Politics

The Afghan Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would not honor documents, including passports and visas, issued by diplomats linked to the former Western-backed Islamic Republic of Afghanistan at several missions in Europe and other Western countries, AP reported on July 30. 

Afghanistan: Taliban Disavows Some Afghan Diplomatic Missions in Europe and Other Western Countries

Europe

Economics

Military & Security

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen voiced support for a joint call from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to create an EU-made and EU-funded air defense shield in Europe, Politico reported on May 23.

Poland, Greece, EU: Brussels Backs Polish-Greek Proposal for European Air Defense Shield

North Macedonia

The European Commission expects "all parties" in North Macedonia and Greece to respect the 2018 Prespa Agreement (under which Macedonia changed its name to North Macedonia) in "good faith," Euractiv reported on May 19. 

North Macedonia, Greece: EU Asks for Calm as Name Dispute Continues

Luxembourg

Lithuania

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Bulgaria

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Romania

Croatia

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Slovenia

Netherlands

Spain

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Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

The European Commission recommended reducing the European Union's net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 compared with 1990 levels, Reuters reported Feb. 6. 

EU: Brussels to Exclude Agriculture from 90% Emissions Reduction Target for 2040

Ukraine

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

European Union member states unanimously agreed to a 50 billion euro ($54 billion) financial support package for Ukraine as part of their joint budget through 2027, for which Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban lifted his veto on the initiative, Reuters reported Feb. 1.

EU, Ukraine: EU Leaders Unanimously Agree to New 50 Billion Euro Aid Package for Kyiv

United States

Yemen

A missile struck the Greek-owned bulk carrier Zografia in the Red Sea, causing no injuries, Reuters reported on Jan. 16. 

Yemen: Houthi Missiles Strike Two Commercial Ships in Wake of U.S.-U.K. Strikes

Negotiators from EU member states and the European Parliament reached a preliminary agreement to overhaul the bloc's asylum and migration rules, Reuters reported on Dec. 20.

EU: Bloc's Institutions Reach Agreements on New Asylum and Migration Rules

Georgia

The European Council voted to grant EU candidate status to Georgia, and both government officials and opposition politicians in Georgia praised the decision, Civil Georgia reported on Dec. 14. 

Georgia: European Commission Recommends Georgia for EU Candidate Status

Snapshots

China

Members of the European Parliament take part in voting on the Artificial Intelligence Act during a plenary session at the European Parliament.

Cyber

The EU's recently negotiated Artificial Intelligence Act will bolster the European Union's dominance as a regulatory heavyweight in emerging technologies, yet anticipated enforcement challenges and stringent stipulations with the Act risk impeding AI innovation within the bloc.

EU Lawmakers Clinch Agreement on Artificial Intelligence Act 

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Russia

Israeli and EU Flags

Israel-Hamas Conflict

A lack of a unified EU response to the Israel-Hamas War highlights divisions among member states' foreign policies, complicating the bloc's plans to play a meaningful role in the conflict, as well as efforts to maintain unified support for Ukraine.

Israel-Hamas War Highlights Divisions Among EU Member States

Rail cars loaded with steel sit at the ThyssenKrupp Schwelgern steel plant on May 30, 2018 in Duisburg, Germany. 

The European Union and the United States will increase efforts to deconflict their trade and climate policies ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential and EU parliamentary elections, but lingering disagreements will not allow for a complete respite of Trump-era tariffs on EU steel and aluminum.

EU-U.S. Steel and Aluminum Negotiations Make Limited Headway

Assessments

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Taiwan

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Russian President Vladimir Putin (C), Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (R) and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hold talks Oct. 31, 2022, in Sochi, Russia.

U.S.-China Relations

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Armenia's and Azerbaijan's Leaders Meet in Moscow, an APEC Summit in Detroit

Alexis Tsipras (left), who leads the left-wing Syriza party, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (right), who leads the right-wing New Democracy party, look in opposite directions during a televised debate in Athens on May 10, 2023. 

The May 21 ballot could yield a hung parliament, but despite potential policymaking delays, abrupt economic policy changes are improbable.

How Greece's Election Could Impact Its Economy

Japan

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Chief Economist Pierre Olivier Gourinchas speaks during a media interview at the IMF headquarters in Washington D.C. on July 26, 2022, after the institution downgraded its outlook for the global economy this year and next. 

As the effects of post-COVID reopenings wane, rising interest rates and slower economic growth may prove particularly problematic for highly indebted countries like Italy.

After a Brief Reprieve, Debt Levels in Many Advanced Economies Are Set to Rise

Greece's then-intelligence chief Panagiotis Kontoleon is seen in Athens on July 29, 2022. Several days later, Kontoleon resigned amid a scandal involving the alleged spying of an opposition politician.

If Prime Minister Mitsotakis' government is forced to resign, the political uncertainty could derail economic reforms and jeopardize the disbursement of much-needed EU funds.

A Wiretapping Scandal Rattles Greece's Government

Columns

On Security

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Serbia

Albania

Montenegro

Kosovo

NATO soldiers patrol a roadblock set up by ethnic Serbs near Zubin Potok, a town in northern Kosovo, on Aug. 1, 2022. 

Social Issues

Despite ethnically-tinged tensions between Kosovo and Serbia that most recently made the news, there appear to be numerous restraints on a potential return to widespread regional conflict. 

The Risk of Another Balkans War, Part 1: Placing Recent Flashpoints in Context

The headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB) is pictured in Frankfurt, Germany, on July 21, 2022. 

The bank’s laser focus on fighting inflation will come at the cost of economic growth, which will force the 19 countries in the currency area to step up fiscal consolidation efforts.

The ECB Tries To Keep the Eurozone From Entering Another Debt Crisis. Will It Succeed?

Passengers from London arrive at a Eurostar terminal in Paris on Dec. 16, 2021, before France imposed new travel restrictions to and from the United Kingdom in response to the omicron variant of COVID-19. 

COVID-19

Supply Chains

The Fate of the Eurozone

European Disintegration

Tourism and hospitality sectors will again be hit hardest, as governments prioritize protecting manufacturing and supply chains over business and leisure travel.

In Europe, Omicron Fears Spur More Travel Bans and Lockdowns

Guidance

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Egypt

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez speaks during a rally in Merlo, Argentina, on Nov. 11, 2021, ahead of the country’s upcoming midterm elections. 

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended Stratfor articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Midterm Elections in Argentina, a Virtual Biden-Xi Summit

Costa Rica

People wait to be vaccinated at the COVID-19 vaccination center May 15, 2021, at the Porte de Versailles in Paris. After a slow start, France's COVID-19 vaccination program is gaining traction, and from May 31 vaccines will be available for all adults.

The Weekly Rundown: France Opens Vaccination to All Adults, an Israeli Election Deadline

Greece is a mountainous country located in Southeastern Europe. It borders Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey. The Rhodope and Pindus Mountains form natural barriers with its northern neighbors. The Aegean, Mediterranean and Ionian seas surround Greece giving it one of the world’s longest coastlines.     The country has more than 2,000 islands and Greek life has traditionally revolved around the sea. In antiquity, Greek city-states like Athens and Sparta expanded their influence throughout the Mediterranean, with settlements in Italy, Turkey, North Africa and around the Black Sea. Today, the Greek merchant fleet is the second largest contributor to its economy behind tourism.    Athens is Greece's capital and most populous city. Athens, and the Aegean Sea that surrounds it, is the country’s core. Controlling the Aegean facilitates trade, defense and communication. Protecting this core from invasion is Greece's main geographic challenge.    Because of its strategic location in the heart of the Mediterranean, Macedonian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires ruled Greece for more than 2,000 years. After a long civil war, Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830.    The country’s rugged geography makes administration from a central government difficult. A scarcity of arable land combined with poor overland transportation also complicate capital formation, making Greece one of the least developed countries in the eurozone.    Greece joined the eurozone in 2001 and is currently at the center of the European economic crisis. Overcoming the effects of the crisis will be a key feature of Greece's economic, social and political life in coming years.

EU: Regional Blocs

Divided EU Foreign Policies

SITUATION REPORTS

Afghanistan: Taliban Disavows Some Afghan Diplomatic Missions in Europe and Other Western Countries

Poland, Greece, EU: Brussels Backs Polish-Greek Proposal for European Air Defense Shield

North Macedonia, Greece: EU Asks for Calm as Name Dispute Continues

EU: Brussels to Exclude Agriculture from 90% Emissions Reduction Target for 2040

EU, Ukraine: EU Leaders Unanimously Agree to New 50 Billion Euro Aid Package for Kyiv

Yemen: Houthi Missiles Strike Two Commercial Ships in Wake of U.S.-U.K. Strikes

EU: Bloc's Institutions Reach Agreements on New Asylum and Migration Rules

Georgia: European Commission Recommends Georgia for EU Candidate Status

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