As Qatar’s gas stops flowing to Europe and Iran chokes the Strait of Hormuz, energy prices are surging and tensions have spiked. US threats raise the stakes — but reopening this vital artery is far from simple, with risky military options, asymmetric warfare, and the looming threat of mined waters hanging over global trade. Here are some basic questions and answers.
While diplomatic efforts by the Lebanese government are failing, authorities are reporting further attacks on civilian infrastructure as well as on central Beirut. We summarise what is happening in the south of the country, the current chances for a ceasefire, and how the war in Lebanon is linked to Syria.
Europe is about to spend billions of euros on defence. But what happens if citizens later discover that part of that money was lost to corruption, problematic procurement chains, or poorly supervised contracts?
EU will sign defence partnership with Ghana, after a series of coups reduced European power in west Africa.
“As the [Middle East] region enters a period of religious holidays, I think everyone should calm down and the fighting should stop,” said French president Macron in Brussels.
Hungary’s veto on Ukraine money is to hijack the spotlight at Thursday’s EU summit in Brussels, alongside disagreements over Europe’s carbon market — overshadowing what was meant to be a key debate on turning Europe into a truly economic powerhouse.
The Polish government is reaching for a workaround to access European loans for rearmament after president Karol Nawrocki vetoed a historic law enabling the EU’s SAFE programme. Meanwhile, an information campaign is spreading narratives of a ‘Narva separatist republic’ in Estonia, and a spy scandal is unraveling Slovenia’s election campaign.
Trump pressures allies as tensions rise over the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran restricts oil flows and prices surge. Europe resists Nato involvement, urging caution and clarity while weighing limited action. Will the EU support US calls or chart its own course amid escalating geopolitical stakes and fragile energy security?
All 27 EU leaders meet on Thursday in Brussels to discuss Ukraine support, energy prices, security risks from the Iran war and competitiveness. At the start of the week, foreign affairs ministers will address Iran sanctions, maritime security and Lebanon. Also this week, the EU commission will unveil its “EU Inc” proposal, while MEPs are expected to finally vote on the US-EU trade deal from July. Slovenia has national elections on Sunday.
Amid concerns about waning US aid and shortages of air‑defence systems for Ukraine linked to the Iran war, there are expected to be renewed calls during Monday’s foreign affairs council meeting for increased bilateral military support for Kyiv alongside the stalled €90bn in EU funding that Hungary is currently blocking.
As European energy ministers meet on Monday (16 March) to discuss Europe’s new Energy Package, the continent faces a strategic choice. At a time of renewed geopolitical instability, with the illegal war in the Middle East that is shaking global energy markets, we must use the Green Deal to strengthen competitiveness, boost energy sovereignty and affordability, and lead in the industries of the future, write the Socialists & Democrats.
The EU’s bodies on oil and gas supply held meetings on Thursday morning following the International Energy Agency’s decision to open access to 400m barrels of reserves.
The EU’s defence industry needs to be fully integrated into the bloc’s single market, MEPs said in a new report approved on Wednesday.
Global arms flows are surging to Cold War levels, fuelled by European rearmament and the war in Ukraine. Ukraine, Poland, and the Czech Republic are reshaping Europe’s defence landscape, while a Czechoslovak Group’s record-breaking IPO exposes links between business and politics. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia eyes Ukrainian weapons amid drone threats, highlighting a defence boom that is both highly profitable and increasingly entangled with geopolitics.
Mojtaba Khamenei’s election as Iran’s new supreme leader signals a hardline turn, stronger Revolutionary Guards, and rising risk of civil conflict. Experts warn his ascension marks the dynastisation of the Islamic Republic, exposing contradictions at the heart of the regime. “There is an alarming abundance of negative scenarios,” says Iranist Lenka Hrabalová.
Some EU member states have defence agreements with Gulf countries, requiring mutual assistance in case of attack. That’s why several EU countries have announced military deployments to the region, including France and the Netherlands. But what is the scale of European forces sent to the region?
“If any [European] country joins in the aggression against Iran … they will be also legitimate targets for Iranian retaliation,” Iran’s deputy foreign minister warned on French TV.
The European Commission’s remarks follow the threat by Donald Trump to halt all trade with Spain, following PM Pedro Sánchez denial of the use of military bases in the peninsula for further attacks against Iran.
Iran is now blocking the Strait of Hormuz, through which one in five barrels of oil and a quarter of the world’s liquefied natural gas transit. As oil and gas prices rise, should Europeans be worried about a new energy crisis?
Historically, the EU has placed crucial importance on upholding international law. But after the US and Israeli strikes in Iran, the EU is turning a blind eye to the violation of the principles of the UN charter. Are we witnessing an erosion of this principle within the EU?