The EU’s Ukraine policy is currently underpinned by two key beliefs. First, Vladimir Putin is a predatorial, rapacious ogre who is hell-bent on destroying the EU. Second, this monster should agree to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy – whose country he is viciously attacking – and sign a lasting peace agreement (presumably, …

Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, cut a lonely figure in Beijing this week as the only EU leader to attend China’s World War II anniversary events, standing in a line-up alongside Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un and other authoritarian rulers – an image analysts described as a snapshot of …

Ilham Ahmed, co-chair of the AANES foreign relations department, met with Syrian Foreign Minister Assaad al-Shibani, signalling potential progress in negotiations, Al-Hal reports. Efforts to bridge divisions in post-conflict Syria gained momentum this week as representatives from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) entered high-level talks with …