Read more about the article The EU Adopts New Sanctions Against Belarus Amid Heightened Tensions on the Belarus-Polish Border
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The EU Adopts New Sanctions Against Belarus Amid Heightened Tensions on the Belarus-Polish Border

On 3 August, the European Union (EU) passed a new round of sanctions targeting individuals and entities in Belarus (European Council, 2023). These sanctions were introduced amid escalating tensions along the Polish-Belarusian border. On 1 August 2023, Poland accused Belarus of violating its airspace south of the Suwałki Gap (Haq et al., 2023). Belarusian helicopters were reportedly spotted flying over Polish territory at low altitudes, making radar detection difficult (Pikulicka-Wilczewska, 2023). This incident led to heightened military activity, with Wagner troops, in collaboration with Belarusian forces, and Polish troops rushing to their respective sides of the border (Pikulicka-Wilczewska, 2023). Additionally, on 7 August 2023, Belarus also started a military exercise, resulting in an even more tense international environment (AP News, 2023).

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8 August 2023
Read more about the article EU Military Mobility: An Obstacle Race To Turn Long-Standing Pledges Into A Defence Policy Flagship
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EU Military Mobility: An Obstacle Race To Turn Long-Standing Pledges Into A Defence Policy Flagship

In the unstable world we live in, military mobility becomes a paramount condition for states to maintain domestic, regional and international security. In the European Union’s case, it enables Member States’ armed forces to respond to crises breaking out at the external borders or beyond; bolsters transport infrastructure’s efficiency; avoids delays in cross-border military transits (displacement of personnel, materiel and assets) in and outside the EU territory; and ensures the alignment of efforts with partners like NATO by increasing inter-state policy synergies.

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8 August 2023
Read more about the article (In)Security Outcomes from the Coup in Niger
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(In)Security Outcomes from the Coup in Niger

On the night of 25 July and 26, Niger experienced a coup which resulted in the arrest of President Bazoum by Chief Abdourahmane Tchiani, the leader of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Nation (CSNP) military junta, who claimed legitimate executive and legislative power in the country. Located in the Sahel region, Niger shares borders with Algeria and Libya to the north, Chad to the east, Nigeria and Benin to the south, and Burkina Faso and Mali to the west.

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7 August 2023
Read more about the article A Ticket For Russians Inside The EU: The Golden Passports
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A Ticket For Russians Inside The EU: The Golden Passports

On 21 March 2023, the European Commission brought an action before the Court of Justice of the EU, claiming that the republic of Malta is in violation of article 20 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and article 4(3) of the Treaty on European Union and compromises the integrity of EU citizenship. This action is a consequence of the Maltese practices of issuing passports to non-EU citizens for which the government receives financial compensation instead. This lucrative business is made possible by national laws; however, the problem lies in the fact that European citizenship is acquired automatically when acquiring national citizenship and, thus, the holder of the national citizenship has access to the entire EU. Moreover, not only the Maltese government uses this practice, but also the Bulgarian and Cypriot governments offered their passports for the right price, although the latter two officially stopped doing so in 2022 and 2020, respectively. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the question must be asked: how desirable it is that access is offered by individual member states to citizens of nations EU member states have sanctions drawn up? Can the EU prevent the issuance of passports and, furthermore, impose a revocation?

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3 August 2023
Read more about the article Overcoming Challenges: Advancing the MGCs Future Main Battle Tank
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Overcoming Challenges: Advancing the MGCs Future Main Battle Tank

On 10  July of this year, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu met in Berlin to discuss the advancement of the long-planned MGCS (Main Ground Combat System) project. The two ministers reinforced the willingness of their respective governments to push forward with the joint procurement of a new generation tank capable of integrating the technologies and characteristics needed on the battlefield of the future, drawing from the lessons of the ongoing Ukrainian war. The cooperation between the two countries on the MGCS tanks was part of a larger package of joint procurements agreed upon between Macron and Merkel's administrations in January 2019. It included a fighter jet (FCAS), an armed drone, artillery systems and a maritime reconnaissance aircraft

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3 August 2023