The number of irregular border crossing in the European Union increased by 64% last year. This is the highest level since 2016 according to the EU’s border and coast guard agency on Friday. The agency’s preliminary calculations found 330,000 entries, with 45% of these entries in the Western Balkan region. 

The European Union member states have begun planning for the implementation of coordinated controls on passengers arriving from China. This could include mandatory pre-travel testing to avoid consequences of China’s sudden reversal of its zero-Covid policy. The decision will likely be finalized on Wednesday and would follow in the path

The European Union and Western Balkans leaders met in the Albanian capital Tirana for a summit to reassure the region of a future amid fears of increasing Russian and Chinese influence. The leaders of Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia have expressed concern that negotiations have not started

Global climate talks are on the final scheduled day of negotiations. Chances of a deal remain unclear. The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt was expected to go past the deadline on Friday and into the weekend. Nations have been deadlocked over creating a fund for countries impacted by

The European Parliament has passed a movement to allow Croatia to the Schengen zone, a passport free portion of the EU. The vote was a 534-53 majority to lift the border controls between the Schengen area and Croatia. A final decision will be made by the EU’s government leaders on

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni confirmed Italy’s support for the European Union, NATO and Ukraine in her first address to parliament. The speech comes one month after her party won a historic election. Meloni was sworn in on Saturday as Italy’s first female leader and on Tuesday, rejected any links

Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to a civilian EU mission along their border, where the worst fighting between the two countries since 2020 killed over 200 people last month according to the EU. The mission will start by the end of the month and aims to help delineate the border

The European Union has announced emergency measures that will allow them to charge energy firms on their record profits. These windfall taxes will be applied on certain companies and there will also be mandatory cuts in electricity use.  The proposed plan also includes a levy on fossil fuel firms’ surplus

The EU has stated that leaks in two major gas pipelines from Russia to Europe were caused by sabotage, but did not directly accuse Russia. The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen stated that if there was deliberate disruption, there would be the strongest possible response from

There is little doubt that cyber attacks are used by both state and nonstate actors a medium to support their geopolitical views and positions during times of regional and global crisis.  The Ukraine conflict has underscored what has been going on for several years – actors resorting to offensive cyber operations to register their displeasure against an offender and his allies.  In the early days, such as when NATO erroneously bombed the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia in 1999, or ongoing clashes over disputed territories like Kashmir, foreign policy decisions have been protested via an onslaught of cyber malfeasance.  Fast forward to today, and this type of hacktivism has greatly evolved, moving from primarily the work of aggrieved nonstate politically-minded online activists, to more organized groups, sometimes sponsored by a nation state, and even in some cases, directed by them or state agents.