European Union

In view of their proximity to Russia, the Baltic states are seeking to boost their defence capabilities. Estonia is investing in the modernisation of its armed forces, Latvia is expanding its military infrastructure and debating compulsory military service for women. while Lithuania wants to increase defence spending to more than three percent of its gross domestic product. Mixed reactions in the press.

The Hungarian government has presented a proposal to place a large cross at the base of the Liberty Statue on top of Gellért Hill in Budapest. The statue is visible from almost every location in the city and one of its most prominent landmarks. Commentators' views on the proposal diverge.

Just ten EU countries have submitted their long-term climate action plans to Brussels, with Austria being the most recent, as large countries like Germany and Spain continue to disregard the June 2024 deadline.

President Joe Biden cemented the Democratic Party's elevation of Kamala Harris to lead the fight for the White House against Republican Donald Trump with a convention speech on Monday (19 August).

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about an alleged leftist plot to investigate Meloni's sister, Slovakia's ice hockey team reinstating players competing in the Russian KHL, and so much more.

Nicaragua on Monday (19 August) shuttered 1,500 NGOs, bringing to more than 5,000 the number of such entities scrapped in a crackdown on opponents by President Daniel Ortega.

A European Commission deadline for Hungary to respond to questions about the easing of entry requirements for Russian and Belarusian nationals expired on Monday (19 August).

Cyprus will propose former agriculture minister Costas Kadis as a new EU commissioner, the government in Nicosia announced on Monday (19 August).

Two German warships await orders from Berlin, their commander said, to determine whether next month they will be the first German naval vessels in decades to pass through the Taiwan Strait, drawing a rebuke from Beijing.