Europe Russia Conflict and Instabilityactive

According to Robert Fico, European countries believe that through supporting Ukraine they will weaken Russia

Subscribe now with a one-month trial for only $1, then enjoy the first year at an exclusive rate of just $99. Merz’s paralysis and the EU’s anti-growth orderDiego Faßnacht reports that Chancellor Friedrich Merz is constrained by coalition politics and unable to deliver pro-growth reforms, leaving Germany stuck in stagnation while the EU increasingly functions as […] The post Disrupted supply chains, divided politics appeared first on Asia Times.

Nikolay Azarov emphasized that Kiev is already receiving enormous financial support

Andrey Kelin lamented that London does not want to engage in a dialogue at all

Four years after Berlin's decision to deliver it, it has become clear that the once decommissioned Gepard tank is now a key system in Ukraine's air defence — and one of the most effective "drone killers" in the fight against Russia.

Rising fuel costs have already prompted many airlines worldwide to raise ticket prices, passing the burden on to passengers. But as the crisis drags on and the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, both Europe and Asia are now facing a severe fuel shortage that could lead to widespread flight cancellations ahead of the busy summer travel season. Luke Shrago reports.

Hungary is preparing for a new era, after the centre-right Tisza party of Peter Magyar won a landslide victory over longtime nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Magyar says he'll seek to repair Hungary's confrontational relationship with the European Union, something that could unlock much-needed EU funding for Ukraine and for Hungary itself. Many voters said the stagnating economy was a major factor in their decision to turn against 16 years of Orban's rule.

Former Russian president and incumbent deputy chair of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev warned on X that “the Russian Defense Ministry’s statement must be taken literally: the list of European facilities that make drones and other equipment is a list of potential targets for the Russian armed forces. When strikes become a reality depends on […] The post Will Russia attack Ukraine’s European drone suppliers? appeared first on Asia Times.

A rocket launch from Russia briefly caused alarm in eastern Finland.

German delivery group’s largest shareholder Prosus has agreed to reduce its stake over EU competition concerns

Previous reports said seven drones were downed in the area overnight

The EU is planning its biggest relaxation of corporate merger rules in decades

Considering the salary figures published in job advertisements in January 2021 as a baseline (100), we are currently below that level, at around 90. The United States has fully recovered, while the Netherlands, Germany, and France are almost back to that level. Calculate the appropriate salary.

Interview with climatologist Piero Lionello, author of a study. "There are four strategies to combat rising sea levels, ranging from building a barrier around the lagoon to constructing a dam around the city. And, as an extreme possibility, the idea of dismantling Venice and rebuilding it elsewhere."

Listen on Spotify Apple Music Amazon Music Election night in Hungary was an emotional and teary one … but now, the work begins. The winners — Peter Magyar’s Tisza party — have the daunting task of reversing years of democratic backsliding that went on under Viktor Orbán’s watch. Meanwhile, Fidesz — and far-right parties across Europe — have some intense soul searching to do to figure out what went wrong in Orbán’s campaign. Our panel of guests includes POLITICO’s White House Correspondent Eli Stokols and our Senior France Correspondent Clea Caulcutt in Paris, along with Balazs Kos, a Hungarian consultant and expert on EU affairs. Together with host Sarah Wheaton, they dive deeper into what the outcome means for Brussels and the MAGA movement across the pond. We also speak with Frank Furedi of MCC Brussels, a think tank with links to Orbán’s government. He gives us a breakdown of why he believes the Fidesz campaign failed. Do you have a question or a comment? Send us a WhatsApp message here or dial +32 491 05 06 29.

Victory means Democrats hold on to the 11th district seat in the House, where Republicans hold a thin majority Democrat Analilia Mejia won a New Jersey special election for the US House on Thursday, defeating Republican Joe Hathaway on a message of standing up to Donald Trump. Mejia, a former head of the Working Families Alliance who had support from the senator Bernie Sanders, will fill the seat previously held by the Democratic governor Mikie Sherrill and serve until January. Continue reading...

The launch proceeded normally

A suspect in the 1982 Paris Jewish restaurant attack that killed six people was extradited to France on Thursday by the Palestinian Authority. Hicham Harb, now 72, was detained on arrival in Paris and is due to face formal proceedings over one of the country’s deadliest post-war antisemitic attacks.

A vast majority of EU countries rely on US cloud services for their national defence agencies, putting them at risk of a "kill switch" that shuts down service at any time.

Hicham Harb is accused of coordinating a 1982 attack on a Jewish restaurant in Paris's Marais neighborhood that killed six people and wounded 22 others.

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova added that the contradictions "have gone over the top"

Kyiv is struggling with skepticism of conscription fueled by Russian propaganda.

There are growing concerns in Brussels that sensitive information from the European Parliament could be leaked to Russia by pro-Russian lawmakers and their staff.

Minister of Defense of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov and Diehl Defence CEO Helmut Rauch held talks on concrete ways to reinforce Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will testify before the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday afternoon on the White House’s fiscal 2027 budget request and the Trump administration’s health policy. President Trump requested additional funding for the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda and proposed “eliminating bloated, woke, and inefficient programs…

Outgoing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he sees a place for himself in the reorganization of his Fidesz party that will be required after its landslide defeat at the weekend’s election.

Europe is heading for a demographic downsize, with its population expected to shrink by 11.7 percent or 53 million people by 2100 according to a new Eurostat forecast published Thursday. The decline won’t start right away, as the bloc’s population is even expected to edge up slightly to peak at 453 million by 2029. But after that the EU will enter a prolonged slide to under 400 million by the end of the century, with fewer young people and working-age adults, and more than double the current share of over-80s. The culprit? Europeans are having fewer children. Fertility rates have dropped to around 1.3 births per woman — well below replacement level — and are still falling. In France, where deaths outpaced births in 2025 for the first time since the end of World War II, President Emmanuel Macron has called for “demographic rearmament,” warning that falling birth rates are tied to rising infertility and people having children later in life. In February Paris urged 29-year-olds to have children while they still can, while announcing plans to expand fertility services and increase support for families. The demographic shift will mean fewer workers and more retirees across Europe, putting extra pressure on pension systems and healthcare services as the population ages. Migration has helped to offset the population decline in recent years, but can’t fully compensate for falling birth rates, according to research by the European Parliament. Yet policies are tightening: In Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed last month that around 80 percent of the Syrians currently living in Germany should return to their home country within the next three years.

According to Dmitry Polyansky, Europe has shifted to a strategy of establishing ‘Ukrainian’ companies that manufacture drones and their components in EU member states in order to prevent its Ukrainian partners from losing, or at least from losing quickly

After a year of investigation, authorities arrested a 61-year-old doctor in El Poblado. He is linked to dozens of cases of sexual violence.

The seven-member body, whose ranks are composed of Trump appointees, was expected to approve the arch. The proposed monument strongly resembles Paris' Arc de Triomphe, but almost 100 feet taller. (Image credit: Brendan Smialowski)

In just four days, Peter Magyar has already taken aim at state media structures, criticised senior institutional figures, and signalled a symbolic break with the past by relocating the prime minister’s office away from Viktor Orbán’s former power base, while the opposition has largely collapsed and the political map has been dramatically redrawn. Yet despite promises to restore democratic competition, early indications point to continuity in several nationalist policy areas, leaving Brussels watching closely to see whether Hungary’s reset will bring a meaningful shift in its EU stance or simply usher in a new domestic power configuration.

Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has met European Union representatives to discuss opportunities for cooperation, with the chief executive saying both sides highlighted a shared belief in multilateralism amid increasing tensions and market turmoil. Ambassador Harvey Rouse, head of the EU Office in Hong Kong, called for both sides to work together, describing the 27-member bloc as a “very dependable partner in an increasingly volatile world”. Local officials attending the lunch meeting on...

As France debates a controversial antisemitism bill, Oliver Farry welcomes Renaud Foucart, Economist, Senior Lecturer at Lancaster University, for a nuanced and critical examination of the so-called Yadan Law. Speaking from both an economic and institutional perspective, he evokes three competing imperatives: the urgent need to combat anti-Semitism, the preservation of freedom of expression, and the instrumentalization of legal tools within electoral politics. He argues that while the fear and lived reality of anti-Semitism in France are deeply legitimate, the proposed legislation risks extending far beyond its stated purpose.

U. S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will testify before the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday morning to discuss President Trump’s fiscal 2027 budget request. Trump is seeking to boost investment in U. S. businesses as part of the administration’s “America First” trade agenda. The request also includes a $10 million increase in trade enforcement at the International…

Russian athletes compete at the tournament in Georgia under their flag and to the tune of the national anthem

Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work! Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. Polish arms manufacturer Mesko has announced the best financial results in its 100-year history. It says that record-breaking revenue and profits in 2025 were driven in large part by growing international demand for its flagship Piorun air-defence systems. Mesko, which belongs to the state defence holding group Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ), revealed that its revenue rose 33.2% year-on-year to around 2.28 billion zloty (€540 million), marking the first time it had crossed the 2 billion zloty threshold. The Piorun man-portable system, which has proved successful in Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s invasion, has helped drive international interest in the company’s products and bolstered Poland’s ambitions of becoming a bigger player in arms exports. Przychody @PGZ_MESKO_SA S. A. przekroczyły 2 mld zł. Tak dynamicznego rozwoju spółka nie notowała w swojej ponad 100-letniej historii.@PGZ_pl https://t.co/Dz9BgH3Jmk — PortalObronny (@PortalObronny) April 14, 2026 The firm said in a statement that it “had never recorded such dynamic growth in its over 100-year history”, as its net profit jumped 63.8% year-on-year to roughly 374.7 million zloty. Compared to 2023, it increased more than sixfold. Last year was also record-breaking “in terms of the number of contracts and orders”, the firm said, noting that its Piorun systems have been ordered so far by Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Georgia, Moldova, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, and the United States. In September 2025, Sweden announced the purchase of Pioruns for around 3 billion Swedish krona (1.2 billion zloty) while Belgium earlier in the year said it was buying hundreds of the systems for around €140 million. France has also expressed interest, according to Mesko. Poland’s deputy defence minister, Cezary Tomczyk, revealed earlier this year that Germany was also interested in the systems. Mesko, however, made no mention of Germany in its own press release. Click here to help us continue providing news free from paywalls and ads The Piorun (whose name means “lightning” in Polish) went into service in 2019 as a modernisation of the Grom (meaning “thunder”) man-portable air-defence system. It is designed to shoot down low-flying aircraft such as planes, helicopters and drones. Mesko also said that its production of ammunition increased last year, reaching a capacity of 250 million small- and medium-calibre rounds annually – around one million per working day – following the opening of a new production hall. Poland is seeking to bolster its domestic ammunition production capacity, both to strengthen its own defence and to support exports amid rising demand across Europe driven by a deteriorating geopolitical environment. In 2024, a special law was passed granting defence firms up to 3 billion zloty (€712 million) to invest in the production of artillery shells. Poland has increased the production of small-calibre ammunition fivefold – to one million bullets a day – at state-owned defence firm Mesko following the opening of a new production facility https://t.co/kcGh7EDT54 — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) June 16, 2025 Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland has increased its wider defence spending to the highest relative level among NATO members, with the figure set to reach 4.8% of GDP this year. While Poland still mainly buys equipment from the United States and South Korea, the government has sought to increase purchases from domestic suppliers. It says that almost 90% of the funds that Poland will receive in loans for defence spending from the European Union under the SAFE programme will be spent at home, in a further boost to its arms industry. Poland has been NATO's biggest importer of arms over the last five years, according to new data from @SIPRIorg. Over 90% of Polish imports have come from South Korea and the United States https://t.co/jij0nfbhFc — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) March 9, 2026 ​ Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. Main image credit: Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa / X

Investors Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz gave $25mn to pro-AI Super Pac in first quarter of year

Russia has hardened its restrictions on the use of VPNs to access a host of online services, state and independent media outlets reported Wednesday, as the authorities seek to exert more control over online communications. Virtual private networks (VPNs) allow users to mask the websites they visit, enhancing security. They have boomed in popularity in Russia in recent years as a way to circumvent state censorship and as Moscow bans hosts of critical news sites, Western services, social media platforms and messengers.

Peter Magyar's actions offer a real-time example that Venezuelans can use to learn how to effectively challenge Delcy.

Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work! Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. Poland has received a green light from the European Union to launch the bloc’s first hydrogen transmission network operator, paving the way for investment in infrastructure for the clean fuel. On Wednesday, the Polish energy ministry and Gaz-System, Poland’s state gas transmission operator, announced that the European Commission has approved the certification of Gaz-System to also operate as a hydrogen transmission network operator Hydrogen is seen as an important element of the green transition, offering a clean, flexible and scalable way to cut emissions in sectors, such as transport and industry, that are difficult to decarbonise using electricity alone. 📢 GAZ-SYSTEM pierwszym w Europie operatorem systemu przesyłowego wodoru na drodze do otrzymania certyfikatu niezależności. 🇪🇺 Komisja Europejska (@EU_Commission) wydała pozytywną opinię w procesie certyfikacji spółki, potwierdzając zgodność z unijnymi regulacjami. ✔️ 💬… pic.twitter.com/VboP0KZ2ma — GAZ-SYSTEM (@GAZ_SYSTEM) April 15, 2026 Polish energy minister Miłosz Motyka described the decision as a breakthrough for the country’s energy market, saying it offers “a concrete tool that will help accelerate investment in this area and strengthen the competitiveness of the Polish economy”. His ministry noted that Gaz-System is the first company in Europe to go through the certification procedure, placing “Poland at the forefront of change” and making it “one of the leaders of the energy transition in Europe”. Poland remains one of the most emissions-intensive economies in the EU relative to its size, relying heavily on coal for electricity and having one of the bloc’s lowest shares of electric vehicles. Click here to help us continue providing news free from paywalls and ads However, state energy giant Orlen has been gradually shifting its focus away from oil and towards greener alternatives. In 2024, it opened its first publicly available hydrogen refuelling station for cars and buses. In February this year, it opened its fifth such facility. Last year, Orlen secured 1.7 billion zloty (€400 million) in EU funds for to expand its hydrogen projects. The company aims to build capacity to produce 0.9 gigawatts of hydrogen by 2035, most of it in Poland. While hydrogen cars are still rare due limited infrastructue, several Polish cities, including Poznań, Gdańsk and Płock, have already introduced fleets of hydrogen-fueled buses. By the end of this decade, Orlen aims to have 111 hydrogen refuelling stations operating in Poland (57), the Czech Republic (28) and Slovakia (26), making it the regional leader in hydrogen infrastructure. Polish state energy giant Orlen has secured 1.7 billion zloty (€400 million) from EU post-pandemic recovery funds to expand its hydrogen energy projects. The company is aiming to have enough facilities to produce 0.9 gigawatts of the fuel by 2035https://t.co/V4anTTuAa4 — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) June 17, 2025 Gaz-System does not yet own a hydrogen transmission network, but the company noted in a statement that the European Commission does not see it as an obstacle to granting it certification, given the current stage of the hydrogen market’s development. The certification confirms compliance with EU rules requiring the separation of transmission system operators from energy production and sales activities, in line with a positive assessment issued last month by the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). The next steps include Gaz-System submitting a ten-year network development plan and securing a final decision from Poland’s Energy Regulatory Office (URE). The firm also says that it hopes its certification will “enable future operators to plan, finance and build hydrogen networks, which is crucial for the rapid growth of this sector in Europe”. Uruchomiliśmy stację wodorową w Pile. Z możliwości tankowania niskoemisyjnego paliwa skorzystają zarówno klienci indywidualni, jak i flota autobusów Miejskiego Zakładu Komunikacji. W ramach umowy ORLEN dostarczy przewoźnikowi 219 tys. kilogramów wodoru. To druga – po Poznaniu -… pic.twitter.com/tILuoGCEgI — ORLEN (@GrupaORLEN) February 2, 2026 ​ Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. Main image credit: Orlen press materials

Officers of the Federal Security Service have detained a 52-year-old resident of the Zaporozhye Region on suspicion of high treason for transferring data to the Ukrainian side about the deployment locations and movement of the Russian Armed Forces

The number of casualties resulting from the Russian military’s attack on Kyiv has risen to 62, with four people killed.

Valentina Matviyenko stressed that Russian-Azerbaijani relations "have enormous potential for mutually beneficial cooperation"

Subsequent UAV monitoring confirmed the destruction of the target, as well as the elimination of the Ukrainian militant artillery crew

Valentina Matviyenko mentioned the development of both countries' inter-parliamentary cooperation

At least 26 people were injured in Odesa as a result of an overnight Russian attack on April 16, with reports of people still missing.

There are no Russian citizens among the Deyna tanker's crew

Russia is due to open its own pavilion at the renowned Venice Biennale event for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

In Ukraine, a large-scale attack by Russian forces occurred during the morning of the 16th, resulting in at least 15 deaths across the country, making it the worst attack since the beginning of the year, according to reports. President Zelenskyy urged all countries to fulfill their commitments to provide military assistance to Ukraine, even amidst the escalating tensions in Iran.

GFCN experts referred to a fabricated video that circulated on social media in which Tisza party leader Peter Magyar allegedly calls US President Donald Trump "a senile grandpa" and declares his intention to sever agreements on nuclear energy and defense with the United States in the event of his election win

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, emphasized this Thursday that "there cannot be a normalization with Russia" following a "massive attack" that has left at least 15 people dead in the capital, Kyiv, and other provinces. He then insisted that the intensity of these bombings "demonstrates that Russia does not deserve any easing of global policy or a lifting of sanctions." "There cannot be any normalization of Russia in the current situation. The pressure on Russia must have an effect, and it is important to fulfill all promises of aid to Ukraine on time," he said in a message on social media, recalling that "there are numerous political commitments from partners that have already been announced but have not yet been implemented, both within the framework of the Ramstein format and at the bilateral level." "I have instructed the commander of the Air Force to contact those partners who previously committed to supplying missiles for the Patriot system and other systems," Zelenskyy said, emphasizing that "Russia is betting on war, and the response must be exactly that." Therefore, he argued that it is necessary to "defend lives with all available means" and to "apply pressure, in the name of peace, with the same force." "I thank those who work with us in this way and who help Ukraine in a proper and comprehensive manner, fully aware that every act of support truly matters to the..."

The death toll from a Russian overnight attack on the city of Dnipro has risen to three.

“This is a new reality for the government and for business alike,” Elvira Nabiullina said at an economic forum in Moscow.

Since the launch of the government’s SvitloDIM program, more than 2,500 applications have been submitted in Kyiv and Kyiv region. The initiative has now been expanded to Kharkiv region.

Russian strikes hit Kyiv’s Podilsky district, injuring dozens and damaging homes, as part of a wider wave of deadly attacks across Ukraine.

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, April 16: We take a look at the latest coverage from the Russian independent papers. Next: a story about how new technologies are helping the elderly to combat loneliness. Also: a baby elephant has a similar story to that of Punch the monkey. Finally, why did a British tourist pay $1,500 for a kebab in Rio de Janeiro?

Evidence presented at multiple war crimes trials point to the deep involvement of two Bosnian Serb men in the persecution and murder of Bosniaks in the Kalinovik region of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992. Neither has ever been charged and Serbia, where they live, has refused to pursue the case.

Earlier reports said power outages hit Nikolayev and the Kiev-controlled city of Kherson

KYIV — At least 16 people were killed and more than 100 injured as Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with nearly 700 drones and 44 missiles. Ukrainian air defense forces shot down most of the drones, but intercepted only eight of the 19 ballistic missiles that entered the country’s airspace. Kyiv, Dnipro, and Odesa were the main targets of the Russian strikes. “We managed to shoot down 636 drones and part of the missiles. Unfortunately, not all. There are hits and damage to ordinary houses,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X on Thursday. Ukraine has shot down 90 percent of the killer drones and almost 80 percent of the cruise missiles that Russia has launched against the country in the past six months, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Berlin on Wednesday. He added that between last November and March of this year, the Kremlin launched 462 ballistic missiles, nearly 600 cruise missiles and 27,000 Shahed-type drones against Ukraine. But Kyiv still has a shortage of anti-ballistic capabilities, relying on Western supplies. There is an extreme shortage of PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptor missiles, a scarcity that has become all the more acute since the U. S.and Israel launched its war on Iran in late February. Kyiv has started searching for alternatives to the PAC missiles, and continues to push partners to stick to their commitments to Ukraine. “There are many political commitments from partners that have already been voiced but not yet implemented, including in the ‘Ramstein’ format and on a bilateral basis.” Zelenskyy said on Thursday. “I have instructed the commander of the air force to contact those partners who previously gave promises regarding missiles for ‘Patriots’ and other systems.”

Corruption and economic mismanagement led to the downfall of Hungary's authoritarian leader. Will his political followers avoid those same mistakes?

An effort to privatize the facility is a key test of whether Kyiv can overcome concerns about Russian attacks and corruption to attract foreign investment.

Ukraine is experiencing a trend of rising fuel prices, which in the second half of the year could lead to food prices increasing by approximately 10%.

Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work! Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. Poland’s economy did not become the 20th largest in the world last year – and is not expected to reach that position until 2028 – new figures from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) indicate. Last October, the IMF’s regularly published World Economic Outlook forecast that the size of Poland’s economy would reach €1.04 trillion by the end of 2025, overtaking Switzerland’s (€1.00 trillion) to become the world’s 20th largest. However, the IMF’s latest figures indicate that, while Poland’s GDP did reach $1.036 in 2025, that was slightly lower than Switzerland’s $1.044. The IMF forecasts that Switzerland’s economy will remain larger than Poland’s in 2026 and 2027, but that Poland will then overtake it in 2028. However, Poland will remain significantly behind the 18th and 19th largest global economies, Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands. Poland and Switzerland’s GDP (source: IMF) Those data relate to the overall size of a country’s economy and do not take into account population size. Switzerland, with a population of around 9 million, will continue to have a much larger GDP per person than Poland, with a population of around 37 million. In terms of GDP per capita, Poland ranks 47th in the world ($31,340), according to the IMF’s estimate for 2026. That places it just ahead of Slovakia ($31,240) and Croatia ($30,030) and behind Portugal ($35,430), Japan ($35,700), Lithuania ($36,540), Estonia ($37,720) and the Czech Republic ($39,800). Click here to help us continue providing news free from paywalls and ads When the IMF last year forecast that Poland would in 2025 join the world’s top 20 economies, it drew enormous attention, with many media outlets and politicians treating it as an established fact rather than a prediction. The figure also led to renewed calls for Poland to be granted membership of the G20, a group of leading global economies. Membership of the G20 is not, however, decided by whether a country ranks among the world’s 20 largest economies. This year, Poland will attend the G20 summit as a guest after being invited by the United States, which is hosting the event. After the IMF’s latest update to its figures, finance minister Andrzej Domański told the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that it does not change Poland’s ambition to become a full G20 member. The US has invited Poland to attend next year’s G20 summit in Miami, saying it has earned a place there after recently joining the world’s 20 largest economies. G20 member South Africa, meanwhile, will not be invited amid ongoing tensions with Washington https://t.co/3imjZ4VsJg — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) December 4, 2025 Regardless of Poland’s position in the ranking, however, the IMF’s figures confirm that the country is continuing to enjoy rapid economic growth and that its economy last year surpassed the $1 trillion mark for the first time. The IMF notes that the Polish economy grew 3.6% in 2025. That was the fourth-highest rate in the European Union, behind Ireland (12.3%), Malta (4.0%) and Cyprus (3.8%). Ireland’s growth figure, however, is distorted by the activities of multinational companies, while Malta and Cyprus both have relatively small economies. The IMF forecasts that Poland’s economy will grow 3.3% in 2026, well above the figure of 1.3% for Europe as a whole. Figures released by Eurostat last month showed that Poland’s economy has moved closer than ever to the European Union average. Its GDP per capita adjusted for differences in cost of living (so-called purchasing power standard, or PPS) reached 81% of the EU-wide figure in 2025. Poland’s economy has moved closer than ever to the EU average, new @EU_Eurostat data show. Its GDP per capita, adjusted for cost of living, reached 81% of the EU average in 2025. That is Poland's highest ever figure, and up from 44% three decades ago https://t.co/DCTyps6uDT — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) March 26, 2026 ​ Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. Main image credit: Jakub Żerdzicki/Unsplash

Hungary’s premier-elect Péter Magyar said he would relocate the prime minister’s office in Budapest once he is sworn in. “Under the Tisza government, the Prime Minister’s Office will not be based in the Carmelite Palace in the Castle District, which Viktor Orbán had set up for himself, but in one of the ministry buildings near parliament,” Magyar wrote on X on Thursday. The baroque Carmelite Monastery in Buda, on the western side of the Danube, historically served as a Catholic monastery and later as a theater before being converted into Prime Minister Orbán’s office in 2019 at a cost reported to be more than €50 million. Hungary’s parliament building, one of Budapest’s most iconic landmarks, is located on the eastern bank of the river. The move marks another effort by Magyar to distance himself from his predecessor, after he appeared on Orbán-affiliated state television to announce that he would suspend their operations. In an interview Wednesday, Magyar described the broadcaster as a “factory of lies” and said he would “immediately suspend the false news service.” Magyar’s Tisza party won a landslide victory in Sunday’s parliamentary election, drawing congratulations from most European leaders. He is expected to be installed as prime minister by parliament in early May.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has instructed the commander of the Air Force to contact partners who had earlier committed to providing missiles for Patriot and other systems.

Implementation of resilience plans for protecting energy facilities has exceeded 50% nationwide, with Kyiv, Cherkasy, and Kharkiv regions performing best in developing alternative energy sources.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that nearly 700 Russian drones and 19 ballistic missiles primarily targeted Kyiv, Odesa, and Dnipro. He said that Russia "does not deserve any easing... or lifting of sanctions" following an overnight attack that killed 16 people and wounded 100 in Ukraine. He added: "Russia is betting on war, and the response must be exactly that: we must defend lives with all available means, and we must also apply pressure for the sake of peace with the same full force." There can be no normalization of Russia as it is today. Pressure on Russia must work. Continue reading...

The 2026 state budget may face a funding shortfall of up to UAH 4 billion for supporting the agricultural sector.

Russia unleashed its deadliest attack so far this year on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and other cities overnight, killing 16 people, including a 12-year-old child, and wounding scores, in drone and missile strikes, officials said on Thursday. Fires burned out of control in parts of the capital, sending black smoke billowing ‌into the night sky, as firefighters struggled to control multiple blazes. The morning saw residents and emergency crews cleaning debris scattered around heavily damaged...

Military expert Boris Rozhin believes that NATO member states are trying to find a cheap way of resolving the problem resulting from the US move to reduce funding for Ukraine

A total of €5 billion is required to finance resilience plans, and work is underway to identify funding sources.

Former Bulgarian President Rumen Radev extended his lead before Sunday’s snap parliamentary election, an opinion poll showed.

According to preliminary reports, two adults suffered injuries

Russia carried out one of the largest attacks on Ukraine so far this year, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens in an overnight onslaught of missiles and drones targeting Kyiv and the cities of Dnipro, Odesa and Kharkiv.

In appearing to call time on Nikola Gruevski’s refuge in Hungary, election-winner Peter Magyar has put North Macedonia’s government in a tight spot.

Russian strikes killed seven people in Odesa, and at least four people in Ukraine's capital, including a 12-year-old boy, according to local officials.

A 12-year-old was among those killed as Russian missile and drone attacks hit Ukrainian cities of Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro.

Seven people were killed and 11 others were injured as a result of a nighttime attack by Russia on Odesa.

More than a dozen people, including at least one child, has been killed in Russian missile and drone attacks on residential buildings in Kyiv and in other Ukrainian cities like Odesa and Dnipro overnight to Thursday. Several dozens of civilians were also injured in the assaults.

Listen on Spotify Apple Music Amazon Music Viktor Orbán may be out — but his man in Brussels is not. Today on the pod, Ian and Sarah discuss how the Hungarian Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi is expected to stay on in the Berlaymont after his Fidesz party’s landslide election loss back home. They explain why neither the Commission nor the new Hungarian government are in a rush to get rid of the Orbán ally. Next, they talk about the frontrunner in Bulgaria’s upcoming vote — an ex-fighter jet pilot. It’s the eighth election in five years and voters are hoping for the country to regain political stability. Plus, chaos has hit airports around Europe as the EU rolls out its new digital border control system. People are missing their flights and waiting in queues for hours. Has your flight travel been disturbed by this new Entry/Exit system? We want to hear from you! You can contact us on WhatsApp here or on +32 491 05 06 29.

The core of the disagreement lies in the practice of purchasing US weapons using EU funds.

Riding a powerful wave of opposition to the outgoing government, Hungary's new prime minister, Péter Magyar, now has to balance the expectations of both left- and right-wing voters while clarifying his positions, especially regarding Ukraine.

Two killed, including a child, in Kyiv with another death in the city of Dnipro amid strikes across the country Russian forces attacked Kyiv and other cities early on Thursday, killing three people, including a 12-year-old child, injuring more than 20 and badly damaging buildings, officials said. Moscow has fired hundreds of drones on its neighbour almost nightly since the beginning of the four-year war, and recently expanded daytime strikes. Continue reading...

With Viktor Orban's defeat in the legislative elections, Moscow is losing a key ally in Europe. The Kremlin now hopes to maintain its influence in Hungary through the country's energy dependence and by appealing to the new prime minister's 'pragmatism.'

Apart from that, falling drone fragments damaged one multi-apartment and five single-family houses

Pavel Kuznetsov said there are no signs that Finnish authorities are ready to resume constructive dialogue on the normalization of bilateral relations

SOFIA — Bulgaria’s former president and air force chief, Rumen Radev, is on course to win a general election on Sunday with promises to combat the all-pervasive “mafia state” that he accuses of undermining the EU’s poorest country. Roiled by incessant political crises and weakened by fragile coalitions, the Balkan nation of 6.7 million is becoming close to ungovernable. It has had seven prime ministers since 2021 — none of them serving a full term — and this weekend’s vote will be the eighth election in five years. It is far from clear, however, whether former MiG-29 fighter pilot Radev, a skeptic on support for Ukraine and on Bulgaria’s accession to the euro this year, will be able to break this deadlock. According to POLITICO’s Poll of Polls, his newly founded Progressive Bulgaria movement is set to win only 31 percent of the vote, meaning he will face the same struggles as his ill-fated predecessors in forging a stable governing coalition. His political agenda is also cryptic, and Brussels has grounds to be wary. Radev has long taken Kremlin-aligned positions on Ukraine and has hinted he wanted to import Russian oil. And despite his pledge to crack down on the country’s ubiquitous top-level graft, his critics point out that Progressive Bulgaria is attracting support from parties with their own checkered histories of nationalism and corruption. As centrist opposition leader Assen Vassilev, of the We Continue the Change party, asked reporters earlier this year: “Does he seek a strong Bulgaria in a strong Europe? 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From president to prime minister? Radev has drawn on his daredevil flying skills to build his political brand. Before Radev gunned for the presidency in an election in 2016, the air force’s PR department heavily promoted his loop-the-loops in a high-profile air show. Similarly, in this year’s general election a campaign video showed him in the cockpit of his MiG-29, narrating a vertical takeoff. “Incredible power,” he gasps against the G-forces. A…

BRUSSELS ― The populist Brussels think tank favored by Viktor Orbán is facing a struggle for survival after incoming Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar pledged to cut its funding, but its leaders say its work will continue. The organization is prepared to withstand political pressure, supporters and detractors of MCC Brussels told POLITICO, with alternative funding sources, potential legal options, and continued demand for its conservative, Eurosceptic agenda expected to sustain it. “Without a doubt, they’ll try and shut it down,” said Frank Furedi, its executive director, at an MCC Brussels event two days after Hungary's Sunday election, which saw Orbán lose power after 16 years as Budapest's premier. But “I’m fairly certain that if we put our minds together, we can ensure that our existence will continue no matter what the Magyar government is trying to do.” Armed with a strong parliamentary majority, Magyar — whose new administration is aiming to reset its relationship with Brussels — has promised to dismantle the previous government's close ties with conservative think tanks and to reduce state funding to the network of right-wing groups that thrived under his predecessor. This includes MCC Brussels' parent organization, the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, a Budapest-based educational institution controlled by close political allies of Orbán. “The state is not going to finance CPAC [Conservative Political Action Conference] events, o…

The first review of Ukraine’s program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is scheduled for June 2026. If successful, Ukraine will receive USD 686 million (SDR 503 million).

A Netherlands-based initiative is offering European users a homegrown alternative to Big Tech's social media offerings.

The victory of Péter Magyar and his Tisza movement could mark a turning point in Hungary. After 16 years of concentrated power under the ultraconservative Viktor Orbán, the result opens up an opportunity for structural change. However, the initial enthusiasm is tempered by a more complex reality: the extent of the institutional and economic decline necessitates caution. Beyond its domestic impact and the anticipated restructuring in Europe, the Hungarian case confirms a central premise of the 2024 report on the Global State of Democracy by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA): elections remain an effective mechanism for citizen oversight. The high voter turnout and the defeat of the incumbent party reflect a broader trend in the recent "super-election cycle," where incumbent governments have lost power in highly competitive environments. Hungary now becomes a key piece of comparative evidence, demonstrating that even under unequal conditions, voters can punish corruption, economic stagnation, and abuse of power. There are still avenues for change that might seem irreversible from a pessimistic perspective. However, a change in government does not guarantee democratization. The critical question is whether the new government will be able and willing to reverse more than a decade of institutional erosion. The concentration of power, the weakening of the judiciary, and the capture of the media do not automatically disappear with an election. On the contrary, as...

The leader of the Mi Hazánk party, a rising political force that won a victory in the Hungarian parliamentary elections this month, stated that the new government will be formed by mid-next month. He also indicated plans to swiftly implement reforms in order to secure funds that the European Union (EU) has frozen due to concerns about corruption and other issues.

The discovery of a 6,000-year-old megastructure in northeastern Romania, linked to the Cucuteni-Trypillia culture, opens a new chapter in the history of the origins of power and social interaction in Europe. The structure, covering 350 square meters and partially excavated at the Stăuceni-'Holm' site – located in the Botoșani county, in northeastern Romania – challenges traditional ideas about authority in early civilizations. There are no traces of palaces, opulent tombs, or signs of ruling elites: only the faint imprint of a society that, according to a study published in PLOS One and international reports, flourished without the hierarchies and displays of wealth that characterized other major settlements of antiquity. The discovery suggests that around 4000 BC, in the lands watered by the Prut River, a society thrived that was capable of organizing itself without the presence of visible leaders or the ostentation of riches. The monumental structure, tentatively interpreted as a communal building, points to a form of social organization where decision-making and community life did not depend on established hierarchies. This evidence challenges the belief that every prehistoric urban center needed a center of power or dominant figures, and opens the possibility that complex civilizations emerged in the heart of Europe, choosing a path different from that of palaces and dynasties. This society, without a defined…

The first all-electric vehicle designed exclusively by Volkswagen was the ID.3, which has now received an update and a new name: the ID.3 Neo. This is a significant evolution of the compact car, marking a new era for the ID family, encompassing design, technology, digital experience, and perceived quality. On the exterior, it adopts a more modern and defined design, with a completely redesigned front end, new headlights with an integrated light bar, and a redesigned rear that reinforces its visual identity within the brand's electric vehicle lineup. The interior also takes a significant leap in quality and functionality. The cabin features improved materials, a more intuitive layout, and the return of physical controls for key functions, addressing one of the main criticisms of the original model. This will be repeated in the upcoming launches of the ID. Polo and ID. Cross. In addition, it incorporates a central display of up to 12.9 inches and a 10-inch digital panel, optimizing the interaction with the driver. One of the pillars of this renewal is technology. The ID.3 Neo integrates a new generation of software with improved responsiveness and an expanded digital ecosystem. Highlights include a digital key, an integrated app store, and new driver assistance features, such as advanced driver-assistance systems and more efficient driving modes. It also includes innovations such as…

A Ukrainian unit said on Wednesday that it has carried out more than 100 attacks on the front using ground robots, after President Volodymyr Zelensky recently hailed the capture of a Russian position thanks to this new method. “In total, there have already been over 100 such operations,” said a source within the NC-13 company, which specialises in the use of these combat machines and is part of Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade. “These operations include the elimination of enemy personnel, the...

Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko is leading the Russian parliamentary delegation

The presumptive prime minister is attacking from public platforms. The appointment is expected to take place at the beginning of May.

The defeat of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the polls is fueling questions about what's in store for far-right movements in other countries that exploit extremist conspiracies to win.