The G7 will coordinate the release of 100 million barrels over four months, with a substantial amount of diesel released within the first 20 days
The move follows US pressure on Europe, after President Donald Trump threatened to restrict US diesel exports unless European countries released emergency stocks. Trump has since ruled out the ban
Europe has become more dependent on US diesel as the war with Iran disrupted supplies from the Gulf, while constrained refining and attacks on Russian refineries have further tightened diesel markets
The crisis highlights Europe’s energy-security exposure: emergency reserves can ease short-term shortages, but disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and tight global diesel supplies remain unresolved
Transparency Note: Use of AI
More Quick Briefs:
·African Relations·Health Policy·Democratic Republic of Congo·Ebola·Epidemic·Uganda·WHO
·African Relations·Health Policy·Democratic Republic of Congo·Ebola·Epidemic·Uganda·WHO
Ebola Epidemic: DRC’s deadliest, Conflicts make situation worse ↗︎
The World Health Organisation declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a global public health emergency.
→Update (02.10.2026): New numbers, new infections (CDC)
→Update (01.10.2026): News: Thousands flee Ebola-hit Congo camp, raising fears of wider disease spread (Reuters)
→Update (24.09.2026): News: WHO says Congo’s Ebola outbreak remains out of control amid health worker shortage (PBS NewsHour)
→Update (20.09.2026): News: Congo prioritizes Ebola health care workers for Ervebo vaccine effective against different virus strain (AP)
→Update (26.08.2023): Conflict drives DRC cholera outbreak (RFI)
→Update (20.08.2026): Ebola vaccines allocated to Congo (WHO)
→Update (13.08.2026): WHO chief warns of deadliest Ebola outbreak (BBC News)
→Update (10.08.2026): Interview with expert: How missing international aid increasingly exacerbates the crisis (ZDFheute)
→Update (05.08.2026): Expert speaks about potential future Ebola vaccine (FAZ)
→Update (July 24, 2026): First person gets new experimental vaccine for Ebola (BBC)
→Update (July 13, 2026): Ebola vaccine made in UK now ready for trials (BBC)
→Update (July 09, 2026): Ebola rumours fuel attacks on health workers (BBC)
→Update (July 03, 2026): Ebola treatments trial begins in DR Congo (BBC)
→Update (June 15, 2026): Recovery of Ebola patients offers rare moments of joy (BBC)
→Update (June 02, 2026): Protests against US Ebola quarantine centre plan in Kenya, two deaths (BBC)
→Update (June 01, 2026): Three Ebola vaccines in development (BBC)
→Update (May 31, 2026): How Ebola spreads and why it is so dangerous (BBC)
→Update (May 31, 2026): Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has warned about Ebola in DRC: "Deeply alarming" situation (BBC)
→Update (May 25, 2026): Many African countries want to cooperate to prevent the virus from further spreading (BBC); the EU and UNICEF mobilise over 100 metric tonnes of emergency supplies to DRC (UNICEF)
→Update (May 24, 2026): African Centres for Disease Control warns of 10 other countries being at risk (BBC)
→Update (May 22, 2026): Drastic missing information and education about the danger of Ebola within the population. Regional conflicts affect the situation. The population has high levels of mistrust of the government, corruption, and institutions like hospitals (BBC). WHO warned of very high national and regional spread, a potential epidemic and healthcare risks, but low global influence (BBC)
→May 21, 2026:
→WHO and the African Union declared a public health emergency over the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, which started in Eastern Congo (Ituri)
→Bundibugyo Ebola is a rare Ebola strain with no approved specific vaccine or treatment yet; a vaccine could take 9 months
→WHO reported approximately 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths, but the situation is highly fluid
→Sources: WHO, BBC
·International Right·National Politics·Security·Ukraine·War in Ukraine·24 February 2022·Diplomacy·Hard Winter·Russia·USA
·International Right·National Politics·Security·Ukraine·War in Ukraine·24 February 2022·Diplomacy·Hard Winter·Russia·USA
Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine ↗︎
More than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Ukraine continues to resist as the war has evolved from Moscow’s failed attempt at a rapid victory into a prolonged conflict with no political settlement in sight.
→Update (02.10.2026): Analysis: Putin portrays European responses to Russian threats as aggression (ISW)
→Update (02.10.2026): Analysis: Russia governs occupied Oleshky through humanitarian decline (ISW)
→Update (30.09.2026): Analysis: Russia begins winter campaign targeting Ukraine’s energy security (ISW)
→Update (30.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine’s war chest is running low at a critical moment (POLITICO)
→Update (30.09.2026): News: Russian air strikes kill three and injure seven in and around Kyiv (Reuters, MarketScreener)
→Update (29.09.2026): Analysis: Russian drone strikes Kyiv research institute and explodes near EU embassy (EUobserver)
→Update (29.09.2026): News: Zelenskyy says North Korea prepares to deploy another 10,000 troops to Russia (Reuters)
→Update (28.09.2026): News: Ukraine regains territory and captures POWs in frontline push (POLITICO)
→Update (28.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine’s Operation Vivaldi uses deception to liberate five settlements north of Lyman (ISW)
→Update (28.09.2026): News: Kremlin says Ukraine is ‘paying the price’ for attacks on Russia (Reuters)
→Update (26.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine’s new counteroffensive tactics could help break positional warfare and restore tactical maneuver (ISW)
→Update (25.09.2026): Analysis: Russia intensifies strikes on Ukraine’s data centres and telecommunications infrastructure (ISW)
→Update (24.09.2026): News: Russian missile attack on Kyiv kills civilians and damages residential areas (Reuters)
→Update (23.09.2026): Analysis: Russian tank survives 40 drone strikes, suggesting mechanised warfare could make comeback (EUobserver)
→Update (23.09.2026): Analysis: Kremlin rejects proposed energy ceasefire and reiterates maximalist war demands (ISW)
→Update (23.09.2026): Analysis: Kremlin uses sham elections to manufacture legitimacy in occupied Ukraine (ISW)
→Update (22.09.2026): News: Ukraine races to counter new jet-powered Russian drones (BBC)
→Update (22.09.2026): Analysis: Russian Ministry of Defense falsely claims encirclement of Dobropillya as part of cognitive warfare campaign (ISW)
→Update (22.09.2026): Analysis: Western tech helps funnel foreign recruits into Russia’s war (POLITICO)
→Update (21.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine’s largest Moscow air raid overwhelms defences and hits key oil refinery (EUobserver)
→Update (20.09.2026): Analysis: Russia secretly plans to massively expand kamikaze drone production (POLITICO)
→Update (20.09.2026): News: Ukrainian drones hit Moscow oil refinery, killing two (Reuters)
→Update (19.09.2026): Analysis: Russian Ministry of Defense exaggerates battlefield gains ahead of UN General Assembly (ISW)
→Update (18.09.2026): Analysis: Tusk reveals classified estimates of Ukrainian battlefield casualties (EUobserver)
→Update (18.09.2026): Analysis: Kremlin denies post-election mobilization amid fears of public backlash (ISW)
→Update (18.09.2026): Podcast: Ukraine faces mounting pressure ahead of wartime winter (ECFR)
→Update (17.09.2026): Analysis: Russia pushes to capture Dobropillia before autumn conditions worsen (EUobserver)
→Update (17.09.2026): Analysis: Russia continues deporting Ukrainian female political prisoners to distant penal colonies (ISW)
→Update (17.09.2026): News: Russia targets passenger trains to undermine Ukraine’s economy and morale (POLITICO)
→Update (16.09.2026): Analysis: Ukrainian forces reportedly advance beyond Zherebets River (EUobserver)
→Update (16.09.2026): Analysis: Putin frames Duma elections as referendum on Ukraine war (ISW)
→Update (15.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine hits record number of Russian refineries as Trump pushes energy ceasefire (EUobserver)
→Update (15.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine’s Operation Vivaldi disrupts Russia’s Fortress Belt encirclement (ISW)
→Update (14.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine races to counter Russia’s jet-powered drones (POLITICO)
→Update (14.09.2026): Analysis: Zelensky reiterates readiness for mutual energy strikes moratorium (ISW)
→Update (13.09.2026): Analysis: Russian strikes near Polish border signal growing escalation (ISW)
→Update (12.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine disrupts Russia’s Donbas offensive plans (ISW)
→Update (13.09.2026): Analysis: Anthropic AI joins Ukraine war after Russian exploitation (EUobserver)
→Update (11.09.2026): Analysis: Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment (ISW)
→Update (10.09.2026): Analysis: Russia spent over €110bn on Ukraine war so far in 2026 (EUobserver)
→Update (10.09.2026): Analysis: Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment (ISW)
→Update (10.09.2026): Analysis: Russian Occupation Update (ISW)
→Update (10.09.2026): Analysis: Zelenskyy gambles on pressure to force Putin into peace talks (POLITICO)
→Update (09.09.2026): Analysis: Russia’s claimed Kharkiv encirclement lacks evidence (EUobserver)
→Update (09.09.2026): News: Zelenskyy’s plane nearly hit by drone en route to Oslo (Euronews)
→Quick Brief:
→Russia launched its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, expecting rapid military gains, but its attempt to seize Kyiv failed as Ukrainian forces resisted
→The failed initial offensive developed into a long war of attrition, with Russia occupying Ukrainian territory while Ukraine continues to defend itself and strike Russian military and economic targets
→Winter has repeatedly intensified pressure on civilians: Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine’s electricity and heating infrastructure, causing widespread outages and disruption
→Diplomacy has not ended the war: renewed US-led efforts have so far failed to bridge fundamental differences between Moscow and Kyiv, while Russian military operations continue
→Sources: UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, Reuters, Associated Press
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·Europe in the world·Geopolitics·Latin America·Brazil·BRICS·European Union·Flávio Bolsonaro·Jair Bolsonaro·Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva·Presidential elections·Strategic Autonomy·USA
·Europe in the world·Geopolitics·Latin America·Brazil·BRICS·European Union·Flávio Bolsonaro·Jair Bolsonaro·Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva·Presidential elections·Strategic Autonomy·USA
Brazil Presidential Election Tests Global Alignment ↗︎
Brazil votes on 4 October in a presidential election between competing political and foreign-policy visions, with implications for the country’s relations with Europe, the United States, China and BRICS.
→President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva faces Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, as the two leading candidates in a field of 12. A runoff will follow on 25 October if no candidate wins a majority
→Lula has pursued strategic autonomy, maintaining relations with Europe and China while strengthening Brazil’s role in BRICS and the Global South
→Bolsonaro represents a different direction, with his campaign associated with closer political alignment with Donald Trump’s United States and the wider conservative movement
→For Europe, the election could shape relations with Latin America’s largest economy, including cooperation on trade, climate and the EU-Mercosur partnership, as Brazil navigates competition between Washington and Beijing
→Sources: Brazilian Electoral Court (TSE), Reuters, POLITICO Europe
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·European Law·Human Rights·Migration·Asylum·European Commission·European Parliament·Return Hubs
·European Law·Human Rights·Migration·Asylum·European Commission·European Parliament·Return Hubs
EU Agrees on ‘Return Hubs’ for Rejected Asylum Seekers ↗︎
The EU reached a provisional agreement (01.06.2026) allowing member states to transfer rejected asylum seekers to return centres in third countries outside the bloc, marking a significant tightening of European migration policy.
→Update (02.10.2026): News: EU ministers back return hubs and explore tougher measures against irregular migration (DW)
→Update (28.09.2026): News: EU ministers advance return-hub plans despite falling irregular border arrivals (EUobserver)
→Update (26.09.2026): News: European ministers discuss stronger border controls and fast-track migrant returns (AP)
→Update (June 24, 2026): EU countries eye setting up migrant ‘return hubs’ in Rwanda and Uzbekistan (Politico)
→June 03, 2026:
→Agreement permits creation of “return hubs” in non-EU countries for rejected asylum seekers
→Migrants could be transferred to countries with which they have no personal connection, provided agreements exist with host states
→New rules aim to increase deportation rates, as only about 20% of people ordered to leave the EU currently do so
→Human rights groups have warned that offshore return centres could create serious legal and humanitarian risks and weaken protections for migrants
→Sources: DW, Reuters
·Education Policy·Inside Europe·Édouard Geffray·Fires·France·Property Damage·Riot Police·Schools·Student Protests·Unrest
·Education Policy·Inside Europe·Édouard Geffray·Fires·France·Property Damage·Riot Police·Schools·Student Protests·Unrest
French Student Protests Escalate Nationwide ↗︎
High school protests that began near Paris in late September have spread across France, as demands for better education conditions increasingly collide with violence and a tougher government response.
→Quick Brief:
→Students are demanding more teachers and funding, smaller classes and better school buildings, while also raising concerns about the university admissions system Parcoursup
→More than 1,000 of France’s roughly 3,700 high schools were affected by actions on 1 October, while around 400 were closed the following day
→Clashes, fires and property damage have accompanied parts of the movement, prompting the government to deploy specialist riot police
→The government says the protests have partly shifted into “urban violence.” Education Minister Édouard Geffray is meeting student and parent representatives, while authorities seek to contain the unrest
→Sources: Le Monde, BBC News
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·Geopolitics·Inside Europe·Western Balkans·Ballot Scanners·Bosnia·Elections·EU Integration·European Union·Milorad Dodik·Republika Srpska·Russia·Serbia·SNSD
·Geopolitics·Inside Europe·Western Balkans·Ballot Scanners·Bosnia·Elections·EU Integration·European Union·Milorad Dodik·Republika Srpska·Russia·Serbia·SNSD
Bosnia Election Tests Democratic Resilience ↗︎
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s general election on 4 October will test the country’s democratic resilience as new voting technology meets persistent ethnic divisions, separatist politics and competing European and Russian influence.
→More than 3.4 million voters will elect the three-member Presidency, state parliament and institutions of the country’s two entities
→Biometric voter identification and ballot scanners will be used nationwide for the first time, aiming to reduce electoral manipulation
→Milorad Dodik cannot hold public office but remains influential as leader of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), the dominant Bosnian Serb party in Republika Srpska
→The election also has a geopolitical dimension: the EU’s integration agenda competes with growing Russian influence, while neighbouring Serbia retains close political ties with Republika Srpska
→Sources: CEC BiH, OSCE, EU Delegation, Associated Press
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·Environmental Policy·National Politics·Albania·Edi Rama·EU membership·Flamingo-Revolution·Jared Kushner·Protests
·Environmental Policy·National Politics·Albania·Edi Rama·EU membership·Flamingo-Revolution·Jared Kushner·Protests
Albania Suspends Kushner Resort Amid EU Pressure, “Flamingo Revolution” Stays Firm and Rama Struggles ↗︎
Albania has reportedly suspended the controversial Kushner-backed luxury resort project on Sazan Island while environmental and anti-corruption investigations proceed.
→Update (02.10.2026): News: Albania’s PM to US Democrats: Don’t use us to get revenge on Trump (POLITICO)
→Update (07.09.2026): Commentary: Flamingo protests test Albania’s European future (BirdLife International)
→Update (01.09.2026): News: Albania’s anti-government protests turn confrontational (Albanian Daily News)
→Update (July 24, 2026): Albanian police clash with protesters over resort construction, protests continue (BNN)Update (July 13, 2026): Jared Kushner-Backed Resort Project Hits New Speed Bump As Forged-Deed Claims Emerge (Zerohedge)
→Update (July 05, 2026): Protesters calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama (AP)
→Update (July 01, 2026): Greens/EFA mission to Albania 29.06.-01.07.2026 (Greens)
→Update (June 28, 2026): “Flamingo Revolution” spreads further, threatening government of PM Edi Rama (DW)Update (June 15, 2026): Protests escalate further about the Kushner resort (The Independent)
→June 09, 2026:
→Project suspended pending an environmental impact assessment
→EU pressure increased, warning Albania to comply with environmental rules tied to EU membership
→An anti-corruption investigation is underway into the project's land ownership and legal status
→Mass protests continue, with demonstrators demanding that the project be cancelled entirely
→Prime Minister Edi Rama insists environmental protections will be respected and that the investment will benefit Albania's economy
→IntelliNews, Euronews
→Interested in the topic? Check for more here: Politico
·National Politics·Security·Ukraine·Drones·European Defense·Germany·Hybrid Threat·Leipzig/Halle Airport
·National Politics·Security·Ukraine·Drones·European Defense·Germany·Hybrid Threat·Leipzig/Halle Airport
Germany Probes Explosive Drone in Lepizig and Blames Russia ↗︎
German authorities are investigating a suspected explosive-laden drone after an incident temporarily disrupted operations at Leipzig/Halle Airport, raising concerns over hybrid threats linked to the war in Ukraine.
→Update (02.10.2026): Analysis: Failed Leipzig attack points to wider Russian sabotage campaign (POLITICO)
→Update (13.09.2026): News: Germany suspects Russian spy drone behind Leipzig airport attack (POLITICO)
→Update (12.09.2026): News: Leipzig drone investigation leads to Russian GRU (SZ)
→Update (04.09.2026): Interview: German military expert criticises Berlin’s fear of provoking Putin (EUobserver)
→Update (03.09.2026): News: Russia closes Goethe-Institut branches after drone incident (Reuters)
→Update (02.09.2026): News: EU and NATO reject Russian intimidation over Ukraine aid (POLITICO)
→Update (02.09.2026): News: Poland urges EU to expel more Russian diplomats (EUobserver)
→Update (02.09.2026): News: Russian diplomats leave Brussels after Leipzig fallout (EUobserver)
→Update (02.09.2026): News: EU restricts Russian tourist visas after Leipzig attack (Euractiv)
→Update (02.09.2026): News: EU struggles to respond to Leipzig attack (Euractiv)
→Update (02.09.2026): Commentary: Germans must take Russian threat seriously (Frankfurter Rundschau)
→Update (01.09.2026): Commentary: Russia is testing NATO’s threshold (Adevărul)
→Update (01.09.2026): Commentary: Germany sends moderate signal to Russia (Tages-Anzeiger)
→Update (01.09.2026): Analysis: How credible is Russia’s threat to the EU? (EUobserver)
→Update (01.09.2026): News: Germany blames Russia for Leipzig drone attack (POLITICO)
→Update (29.08.2026): Germany plans to blame Russia for Leipzig attack (POLITICO)
→Update (25.08.2026): Merz vows response to hybrid attacks (Euractiv)
→Update (25.08.2026): Investigators find third drone and explosives (ZEIT)
→Update (12.08.2026): Russia suspected in Leipzig attack (ZEIT)
→Update (10.08.2026): Germany strengthens drone defence (ZEIT)
→Update (10.08.2026): DNA found on Leipzig drone (ZEIT)
→Update (07.08.2026): Drones spotted over military site (Deutschlandfunk)
→Update (06.08.2026): Russian Political scientist Russia (Exile in London) believes Russia trains for acts of sabotage (Echo FM Online)
→Update (06.08.2026): Finnish Newspaper says take the threat seriously, but avoid panic (Iltalehti)
→Update (06.08.2026): Germany boosts airport security (Euractiv)
→06.08.2026:
→A suspected explosive-equipped drone entered the airspace around Leipzig/Halle Airport, prompting a temporary suspension of flight operations
→Leipzig/Halle Airport is Germany's largest air cargo hub and a key logistics centre that has also been used for the transport of military equipment supporting Ukraine
→German police and prosecutors are investigating whether the incident was an act of sabotage or part of a broader hybrid threat campaign
→The case is expected to intensify discussions across Europe on protecting critical infrastructure, strengthening counter-drone capabilities and safeguarding military logistics
→Sources: Politico Europe, Die ZEIT, Leipzig/Halle Airport
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·Diplomacy·Inside Europe·UK·Catholic-Nationalist·Drumcree March·Good Friday Agreement 1998·Ireland·Michelle O’Neill·Northern Ireland·Orange Order·Portadown’s Garvaghy Road·Protestant-Unionist·Sectarian Tensions
·Diplomacy·Inside Europe·UK·Catholic-Nationalist·Drumcree March·Good Friday Agreement 1998·Ireland·Michelle O’Neill·Northern Ireland·Orange Order·Portadown’s Garvaghy Road·Protestant-Unionist·Sectarian Tensions
Drumcree March Reopens Northern Ireland Divisions ↗︎
A blocked Orange Order march on 27 September through a Catholic-nationalist area revived one of Northern Ireland’s most sensitive sectarian disputes, testing relations built around the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
→The Protestant-unionist Orange Order was authorised to march along Portadown’s Garvaghy Road for the first time in 28 years, under strict limits
→Around 2,000 protesters blocked the route, preventing the Drumcree parade from proceeding and renewing the long-running standoff
→First Minister Michelle O’Neill of Sinn Féin, the Irish republican party advocating a united Ireland, joined the protest, drawing criticism from unionists
→The 1998 Good Friday Agreement largely ended the Troubles and established power-sharing between unionists and nationalists, making renewed sectarian tensions politically sensitive
→Sources: Reuters, RTÉ, The Irish Times
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·China·Economic Policy·Security·Competiveness·Deficit·European Commission·Trade
·China·Economic Policy·Security·Competiveness·Deficit·European Commission·Trade
EU Trade Balance Turns Negative, a Trade War with China possible? ↗︎
Update (01.10.2026): Commentary: EU unity and leverage will determine whether it can stand up to China on trade…
→Update (01.10.2026): Commentary: EU unity and leverage will determine whether it can stand up to China on trade (Carnegie Europe)
→Update (30.09.2026): News: China vows response if EU introduces measures targeting Chinese trade (Reuters)
→Update (29.09.2026): News: EU eyes tariffs on Chinese goods with new trade weapon (Rapporteur)
→Update (28.09.2026): Analysis: EU-China trade showdown increasingly appears inevitable (Internationale Politik Quarterly)
→Update (18.09.2026): News: Beijing urges EU to weaken ‘Made in Europe’ industrial bill (EUobserver)
→Update (17.09.2026): Analysis: EU firms redesign supply chains amid geopolitical risks (EIB)
→Update (17.09.2026): News: EU asks China to voluntarily limit hybrid car exports (Financial Times)
→Update (16.09.2026): News: Von der Leyen warns EU-China trade deficit has hit ‘tipping point’ (POLITICO)
→Update (15.09.2026): Analysis: European businesses caught between US-China trade and tech war (POLITICO)
→Update (11.09.2026): News from China: Chinese experts warn EU protectionism cannot fix industrial woes (Global Times)
→Update (09.09.2026): News: EU spirits exports squeezed by US-China trade tensions (Euractiv)
→Update (08.09.2026): News: EU warns China to buy more European goods or risk trade war (Euractiv)
→Update (08.09.2026): News: China’s exports accelerate on autos and high-tech goods (Euronews)
→Update (07.09.2026): News: Commission proposes anti-China EU procurement rules (Euractiv)
→Update (02.09.2026): Interview: Šefčovič warns China of harsher measures by October (YouTube)
→Update (02.09.2026): News: Think tank urges UK-EU cooperation against China (POLITICO)
→Update (01.09.2026): Analysis: EU split over courting Chinese factories (EUobserver)
→Update (31.08.2026): News: EU seeks to curb Chinese exports (POLITICO)
→Update (31.08.2026): Commentary from China: Europe risks miscalculating a trade war with China (Global Times)
→Update (31.08.2026): News: Hoekstra says Beijing weaponised clean-tech dominance (Euractiv)
→Update (31.08.2026): Interview: Hoekstra says China isn’t playing by trade rules (YouTube)
→Update (27.08.2026): Dutch think tank urges tougher China tariffs (EUobserver)
→Update (27.08.2026): Von der Leyen warns China on trade (Euractiv)
→Quick Brief:
→The EU recorded a €21.8 billion goods deficit in Q2 (April–June) 2026, after a €6.7 billion surplus in Q1 (January–March)
→The main driver was energy: the deficit in energy products widened to €101.1 billion
→Imports rose by €63.4 billion, considerably more than the €34.9 billion increase in exports
→The EU’s trade deficit with China reached €103.3 billion in Q2, adding to concerns over European industrial competitiveness
→Sources: Eurostat, Euractiv
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·Baltics·Economic Policy·Security·Andris Kulberg·Defence·Disinformation Campaigns·Hybrid Threats·Latvia·Parliamentary Elections·Russia·Ukraine
·Baltics·Economic Policy·Security·Andris Kulberg·Defence·Disinformation Campaigns·Hybrid Threats·Latvia·Parliamentary Elections·Russia·Ukraine
Latvia Election Tests Security and Stability ↗︎
Latvia’s parliamentary election on 3 October will test political stability as voters weigh economic concerns and national security amid heightened tensions with Russia.
→Update (01.10.2026): News: Russia divides Latvian society ahead of parliamentary election (Reuters)
→Quick Brief:
→Voters will elect the 100-member Saeima, with Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs’ United List leading recent polling but expected to need coalition partners
→Cost of living and economic concerns are central to the campaign, alongside national security and Latvia’s preparedness for hybrid threats
→The previous government collapsed amid longstanding coalition tensions, accelerated by a Ukrainian drone crash reportedly linked to Russian jamming, highlighting air-defence gaps
→Latvia is preparing for possible Russian disinformation and provocations, although its security service has found no significant systematic foreign interference so far
→Sources: Reuters, OSW, Latvian Security Service
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·Human Rights·Migration·National Politics·EU's Southern Border·European Governance·Marocco·Migration Policy·Spain
·Human Rights·Migration·National Politics·EU's Southern Border·European Governance·Marocco·Migration Policy·Spain
Thousands of Migrants Reach Spain’s Ceuta Enclave From Morocco End of July ↗︎
Thousands of migrants have attempted to reach Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta by swimming from Morocco.
→Update (30.09.2026): News: Macron backs Spain over Ceuta migration crisis and urges firm EU action (Euronews)
→Update (30.09.2026): Interview: Ceuta crisis shows how EU border outsourcing can backfire and put children at risk (EUobserver)
→Update (29.09.2026): News: Ceuta migration crisis continues to destabilize Sánchez government (Le Monde)
→Update (23.09.2026): News: Sánchez says Morocco’s border control ‘failed’ during Ceuta crisis (Le Monde)
→Update (21.09.2026): News: Spain and Morocco move to prevent new mass crossing into Ceuta on election day of Marocco (Euractiv)
→Update (18.09.2026): News: Police begin moving migrants from Ceuta beaches (BBC)
→Update (18.09.2026): Analysis: Ceuta border crisis fuels Europe’s far right despite falling migrant arrivals (Reuters)
→Update (17.09.2026): Analysis: Ceuta crisis exposes dangerous erosion of trust within Schengen (CER)
→Update (17.09.2026): Commentary: Europe must clean up Spain’s Ceuta migration mess (POLITICO)
→Update (09.09.2026): Analysis: Ceuta migration crisis fuels Spain’s and Europe’s far right (EUobserver)
→Update (08.09.2026): News: Ceuta mayor urges tougher EU stance on Morocco (Euractiv)
→Update (06.09.2026): News: Torres calls for consensus over Ceuta migration crisis (RTVE)
→Update (06.09.2026): News: Sánchez stands alone in defence of Morocco over Ceuta (Euractiv)
→Update (03.09.2026): News: Spain seeks full EU integration for Ceuta and Melilla (Euractiv)
→Update (03.09.2026): News: Commission questions Spain’s Frontex expansion request in Ceuta (EUobserver)
→Update (03.09.2026): News: Protests in Spain against government’s handling of Ceuta migrant crisis (BBC News)
→Update (02.09.2026): Commentary: Solve the crisis without undermining democracy (elDiario.es)
→Update (02.09.2026): News: Spanish police point to Morocco’s role in Ceuta crisis (Euractiv)
→Update (31.08.2026): News: Italy extends border checks on Spain (Euractiv)
→Update (31.08.2026): News: Sánchez says no evidence Morocco drove Ceuta surge (Euractiv)
→Update (30.08.2026): Spain announces €165m Ceuta emergency package (Euronews)
→Update (28.08.2026): Editorial: Racist attacks in Ceuta must stop (CTXT)
→Update (28.08.2026): Ceuta struggles to identify victims (ZEIT)
→Update (28.08.2026): Spain seeks Frontex and Europol help (Euronews)
→Update (27.08.2026): Bogus Ceuta videos go viral (EUobserver)
→Update (27.08.2026): Spain tightens migration rules (Euractiv)
→Update (26.08.2026): Intelligence missed Ceuta surge warning (Euractiv)
→Update (25.08.2026): Sánchez fast-tracks Ceuta crisis response (Euractiv)
→Update (25.08.2026): Sánchez convenes National Security Council (El País)
→Update (23.08.2026): Ceuta exposes EU migration failure (Exxpress)
→Update (20.08.2026): Ceuta crisis fuels far right (El Confidencial)
→Update (20.08.2026): Spain plans two refugee camps in Ceuta (ZEIT)
→Update (15.08.2026): Spain prepares for new Ceuta influx (ZEIT)
→Update (15.08.2026): Spain allegedly ignored Ceuta warnings (Reuters)
→Update (12.08.2026): Morocco reinforces Ceuta border security (AP News)
→Update (11.08.2026): Meta, TikTok agree to Ceuta fact-checking (Reuters)
→Update (11.08.2026): Meloni, Frederiksen reshape refugee policy (La Stampa)
→Update (10.08.2026): Ceuta exposes Europe’s leadership crisis (Diário de Notícias)
→Update (09.08.2026): Spain’s migration debate intensifies (El Mundo)
→Update (08.08.2026): Does Sánchez use his domestic policy towards Italy? (El Mundo)
→Update (08.08.2026): Nationalism spreads across Europe (La Repubblica)
→Update (08.08.2026): Human rights groups expect more deaths (ZEIT)
→Update (08.08.2026): EU urges platforms to act (DW)
→Update (07.08.2026): Ceuta tests European solidarity (The Brussels Times)
→Update (07.08.2026): Spain imposes checks on Italy (RFI)
→Update (06.08.2026): EU can’t depend on neighbours for border control, migration chief says (POLITICO)
→Update (06.08.2026): Rightwingers attack Spanish ministers for skipping EU meeting on Ceuta in European Parliament (Euractiv)
→Update (06.08.2026): Spain warns of new influx (Euractiv)
→Update (06.08.2026): Analysis/Opinion: Ceuta reveals migration policies hypocrisies and far-right-fuelled fears (PubAffairs Bruxelles)
→Update (04.08.2026): Migration expert Gerald Knaus on populism, disinformation, the power of images, and solutions about preserving control over migration and guaranteeing Human Rights (The Rest Is Politics)
→Update (04.08.2026): Ceuta demands lasting solutions (Diario de Cádiz)
→Update (04.08.2026): EU calls borders “shared responsibility” (DW)
→Update (04.08.2026): Morocco says it warned Spain after court ruling on migration (Euronews)
→Update (04.08.2026): EPP frames Ceuta crisis as a threat to European sovereignty (La Vanguardia)
→Update (04.08.2026): Rome and Madrid Clash Over Ceuta Migration (ESdiario)
→Update (04.08.2026): Ceuta under pressure from growing child migration (ZEIT)
→Update (03.08.2026): Luxembourg backs Spain's Ceuta response (100,7)
→Update (03.08.2026): Von der Leyen demands tighter border checks (Euronews)
→Update (03.08.2026): Spain seeks EU solidarity (Cadena SER)
→Update (03.08.2026): Morocco blames Ceuta migration influx on social media and human trafficking (New York Post)
→Update (02.08.2026): Death toll from migrant rush into Spanish enclave rises to 72, Morocco speaks of 11 deaths (Reuters)
→Update (02.08.2026): How Spain's migrant crisis created a political storm - whipped up by social media (BBC)
→Update (01.08.2026): The Spanish prime minister accuses EU partners of taking “selfish” and “unlawful” stances (Politico EU)
→Update (01.08.2026): According to authorities, approximately 50,000 migrants have returned to Morocco (Zeit, Reuters)
→Update (31.07.2026): Europe's solidarity questioned (ECFR)
→Update (31.07.2026): 57 migrants die in border rush (Reuters)
→Update (31.07.2026): Gerald Knaus, chair of the European Stability Initiative, a think tank focused on EU enlargement and integration, defends Spain over the Ceuta migration crisis and asks critically about Morocco's part in this (Channel 4)
→Update (31.07.2026): Andy Burnham speaks of a 'concerning situation' of Ceuta's migrants (Sky News UK)
→Update (31.07.2026): Migrants in Ceuta cannot move to other countries, EU says (Euronews)
→Update (31.07.2026): Von der Leyen calls Ceuta migration crisis 'unacceptable' and demands 'swift' returns (SUR in English)
→Update (31.07.2026): European leaders turn on Spain's Sánchez over Ceuta migrant crisis (Euractiv)
→Update (31.07.2026): Ceuta calls for national emergency (Euro Weekly News, SUR in English)
→Update (30.07.2026, 31.07.2026 ): Italy and Denmark call for Schengen closure to Spain, considering the case as a threat to national security (Euronews, Euractiv)
→Update (30.07.2026): Spain mobilises troops to Ceuta (Euronews)
→30.07.2026
→Spanish authorities increased border surveillance and rescue operations
→The incident highlights persistent migration pressures at the EU's southern border
→The crossings are likely to intensify debate over EU migration policy
→Source: Euronews
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
→Here is a briefing by ERA about the topic
