European Union

After weeks of protests following the Belarusian elections, Aleksander Lukashenka asked Russia for help. Putin has now set up a reserve force for the neighbouring country. Commentators fear a Russian invasion and demand that the EU take a more decisive stand to defend the Belarusian opposition against Kremlin intervention.

In Switzerland, a referendum will be held at the end of September on an initiative launched by the right-wing populist Swiss People's Party (SVP) that aims to end the country's Freedom of movement agreement with the EU so that Switzerland can manage its immigration policy independently of the bloc. If the initiative is accepted, six other agreements would also be terminated, including the agreement on single market access. How dangerous is this course?

Swedish battery maker Northvolt says Europe is catching up with Asian rivals in the manufacturing of car batteries but warns that more efforts are needed to build a complete supply chain “ecosystem” in the EU.

The European Commission has secured at least 300 million doses of AstraZeneca's potential Covid-19 vaccine, as member states seem to be facing the much-feared second wave of the pandemic.

Nordic and Baltic states need alternatives to their current security architecture, as events in Belarus and beyond show fragility of Nato structures.

The European Commission has made a €336 million downpayment to British drug maker AstraZeneca to secure at least 300 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine, a spokesman said on Thursday (27 August).

Not only must the issue of missing persons be understood as a moral and social catastrophe - which it certainly is - but as a threat to global security.

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about Hungarian top government officials having to quarantine after Fidesz's Communications director tested postive for the virus, Spanish students planning to strike as soon as school starts, and so much more.

Greece ratified an accord on maritime boundaries with Egypt on Thursday, Reuters reported. In the meantime, Turkey extended the operation of a seismic survey vessel in the eastern Mediterranean and said it will hold firing exercises in the region next month. Nato allies Greece and Turkey have locked horns over the rights to potential hydrocarbon resources in the area based on conflicting claims over their maritime zones.

Russian prosecutors said on Thursday there was no need for a criminal investigation into the sudden illness of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who his supporters suspect was poisoned, Reuters reported. The prosecutors said they had found no sign that any crime had been committed. German foreign minister Heiko Maas said, however, that the EU expects Russia to join in efforts in an investigation. Navalny is currently being treated in Germany.

Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Thursday the Kremlin had set up a police unit to support Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko at his request. Mass demonstrations have taken place in Belarus since a 9 August election that the opposition says was rigged. Putin said he agreed with Lukashenko the police force would not be used unless the situation "got out of control". The opposition said Moscow's plan violated international law.

Belarusian police detained about 20 journalists planning to cover a protest in central Minsk on Thursday and confiscated their telephones and documents, Reuters reported. The interior ministry said the journalists had been driven to a police station for officers to check if they had valid accreditation. It added that all those with official accreditation would be released. Journalists had been preparing to cover an evening anti-government protest.

EU justice commissioner Didier Reynders said that he was looking into the possibility of legal action against Cyprus over the country's citizenship-through-investment scheme, Al Jazeera reported. Talking to the broadcaster, Reynders also called for changes in citizenship-through-investment schemes in Europe and said he preferred to completely phase them out. Al Jazeera recently leaked documents showing that Cyprus sold passports to criminals, fugitives, and people involved in corruption.

British street artist Banksy has financed a boat to rescue refugees attempting to reach Europe from north Africa through the Mediterranean, the Guardian reported. On Thursday it rescued 89 people, including 14 women and four children and is now looking for a safe port to disembark. The vessel, named Louise Michel after a French feminist anarchist, set off on 18 August from Spain with a crew of European activists.

Irish airline Ryanair has challenged the state aid Brussels approved for European airlines due to the COVID-19 crisis before the European Court of Justice. Ryanair also challenged Portugal’s TAP bailout. According to official information to which Lusa had access on...