Category: Europe
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Tens of thousands of Hungarians demonstrated in Budapest on Saturday, (Dec. 13), calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán over the government’s handling of repeated child-abuse scandals. Protests were led by Péter Magyar, leader of the opposition TISZA party, following fresh allegations at the Szőlő Street juvenile detention centre, where CCTV footage showed…
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signalled readiness to drop Ukraine’s bid for NATO membership in exchange for binding security guarantees from the United States and European partners, as talks intensify in Berlin. “We are talking about bilateral security guarantees between Ukraine and the United States — namely, Article 5–like guarantees . . . as well as security guarantees…
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Migrants were brought into Dover on Saturday (Dec. 13), marking the end of the longest pause in small boat crossings for seven years. Home Office data shows no Channel crossings were recorded for four weeks prior, with the last arrivals on 14 November — the longest uninterrupted period since 2018. December is typically quieter due…
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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has released 123 prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and opposition figure Maria Kalesnikava, following the US decision to lift sanctions on Belarusian potash exports. The move follows two days of talks with John Coale, envoy of US President Donald Trump, and marks the largest prisoner release since diplomatic…
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The European Union has agreed to indefinitely immobilise €210bn in Russian sovereign assets held in Europe, removing the need for six-monthly renewals of the freeze imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. European Council President Antonio Costa said the decision upholds the EU’s commitment to keep the assets frozen until Russia ends its war of aggression…
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Trade unions across Italy staged a large-scale general strike on Friday (Dec. 12), protesting the draft budget proposed by the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Tens of thousands of demonstrators took part nationwide, with rallies highlighting opposition to what unions describe as an unjust fiscal plan. The strike disrupted public services across multiple sectors.…
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Russia’s central bank has filed a lawsuit in Moscow against Brussels-based clearing house Euroclear, seeking damages over the freezing of its sovereign assets and signalling a wider legal challenge to EU plans to immobilise the funds. The Bank of Russia said Euroclear had blocked access to its funds and securities through “illegal actions”. Euroclear holds…
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Ukraine could hold national elections, but only if a ceasefire is guaranteed for the duration of the electoral process, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said. Speaking at a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, the Ukrainian leader stated that Kyiv is not avoiding democracy, but security conditions must be in place. He said the United…
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Denmark’s Defence Intelligence Service (DDIS) warns in its 2025 intelligence outlook, released on Wednesday (Dec. 10),that major powers increasingly prioritise national interests and use economic, technological and military power to influence allies. The assessment states that the United States now employs its economic and technological strength as a tool of power, including toward partners, marking…
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A nationwide strike by Portugal’s two main trade union confederations caused major disruption across transport, healthcare, and public services, marking their first joint action since 2013. The unions, representing almost one million workers, oppose the centre-right government’s proposed labour reforms. They argue the measures would weaken worker protections, while the government says they are necessary…
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