European Union - International Studies of Strategic and Geopolitics

New Political Parties in Europe: Kremlin’s Tactics to Infiltrate Agents into the European Parliament

12Nov

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New Political Parties in Europe: Kremlin’s Tactics to Infiltrate Agents into the European Parliament

By José Carlos Palma* In recent years, Europe has witnessed the emergence of a plethora of new political parties, many of which espouse populist, nationalist, and anti-EU sentiments. While some of these parties stem from genuine grassroots movements, others are believed to be mere fronts for Russian interests aimed at undermining the European Union and its institutions. This article delves into the Kremlin's sophisticated strategies to infiltrate its agents into the European Parliament and influence European politics. The Kremlin's Strategy of Political Influence The Russian government has a long-standing history of employing political influence to advance its interests abroad. In the context of Europe, the Kremlin has forged ties with far-right and Eurosceptic parties, provid...

Hungarian Prime Minister’s Visit to Georgia Raises EU Candidacy Questions

15Oct

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Europe

Hungarian Prime Minister’s Visit to Georgia Raises EU Candidacy Questions

By ISSG with agencies The Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, recently visited Georgia in a show of support, sparking concerns about the impact of Hungary's influence on Georgia's aspirations to join the European Union (EU). Orban's two-day visit on October 11 and 12 marked the strengthening of a partnership between Hungary and Georgia. He has notably formed a close relationship with Georgia's Prime Minister, Irakli Garibashvili. Both leaders have increasingly emphasized social conservatism, embracing the idea of a European identity based on Christianity and traditional values, while diverting from the conventional European emphasis on liberalism and democracy. Georgia and Hungary signed a strategic partnership agreement last year, and Garibashvili was a keynote speaker at the ...

Geopolitical and Technocratic: EU International Actorness and Russia’s War Against Ukraine

16Mar

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Europe

Geopolitical and Technocratic: EU International Actorness and Russia’s War Against Ukraine

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 marked the start of the largest and most brutal war at the heart of the European continent since World War II. It inevitably came as a "cold shower" for the EU and Member States' politicians, demonstrating with absolute certainty the fragility of the international and European security order. The EU responded to the invasion with unprecedented sanctions against Russia and Belarus and multi-faceted resolute support to Ukraine. The latter included the breaking of many previously existing taboos, such as the first ever use of the European Peace Facility to procure weapons for a third country at war or offering collective protection to about 8 million Ukrainian citizens and residents, fleeing the war. The war prompted EU le...

14Jan

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Europe

Europe’s Geopolitical Confusion

Those calling for a more “geopolitical” European Union rarely define exactly what that means. By Hans Kundnani There is a consensus—which has further strengthened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February—that, as the European Union finds itself increasingly threatened, it must become more “geopolitical.” But there is little clarity about what “geopolitics” means. It is used in at least five different ways: Firstly, as a straightforward synonym for international politics; secondly, in the strict, original sense focusing on the role of geography in international politics; thirdly, to refer to the strategic use of military tools (as opposed to “geo-economics”); fourthly, as a synonym for “power politics” (as opposed to rules in international politics); and fifthly, to capture a shif...

EU Global Health Strategy to improve global health security and deliver better health for all

29Dec

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Global Health

EU Global Health Strategy to improve global health security and deliver better health for all

The Commission adopted a new EU Global Health Strategy to improve global health security and deliver better health for all in a changing world. With the Strategy, the EU deepens its leadership and reasserts its responsibility for tackling key global challenges and health inequalities head-on: the unfinished agenda in global health and combatting health threats in the age of pandemics. The Strategy positions global health as an essential pillar of EU external policy, a critical sector geopolitically and central to EU strategic autonomy. It promotes sustainable, meaningful partnerships of equals drawing on the Global Gateway. As the external dimension of the European Health Union, the strategy is designed to guide EU action for ensuring better preparedness and response to health threats i...