EU plus

Speaking at a press conference after the meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussles, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who chaired the meeting, said: “This was not an easy discussion, but that is exactly why it was so important.” He noted that NATO Allies are ready to meet again with Russia to discuss a number of topics in greater detail and to put concrete proposals on the table. “There are opportunities for constructive engagement which should not be missed, in the interest of security in Europe,” he said.

Flags at European institutions in Brussels flew at half mast on Tuesday in honour of the Italian politician who had led the European Parliament since 2019.

A new government for The Netherlands was installed on Monday (10 January) made up of a coalition of four political parties: VVD, D66, CDA, and ChristenUnie. One important feature of the coalition agreement is its positive and optimistic approach towards the European Union. Is this then the end of Euroscepticism in the Netherlands? Maximiliaan van Lange analyses in this article for commonspace.eu the background to the formation of the fourth Rutte Cabinet (Rutte IV) and examines how the Netherlands will now pursue its objectives within the European Union.

NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, warned that the buildup of Russian military forces and equipment along the Ukrainian border is continuing and that Russia has failed to respond to international appeals and pressure for de-escalation in recent weeks. Stoltenberg was speaking after an extraordinary virtual meeting with all NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs, held on Friday, 7 January.

To mark the start of the six-month EU presidency, historic buildings across France were illuminated in the blue of the EU flag on New Year's Eve, including the Elysee Palace and the Eiffel Tower. In a televised address, French president Emanuel Macron said, "You can count on my complete commitment to ensure that this period, which comes around every 13 years, is a time of progress for you."  He listed the top priorities for the French presidency, including border control, European defence, climate change and gender equality.

We wish health, peace, and prosperity to all our readers and subscribers in Europe and Eurasia, the Caucasus Region, the Middle East and world wide. Happy New Year!

Armenia has become a "must visit" destination for those contesting next spring's French presidential elections. Alexandre Petrosyan discusses why, in this oped for commonspace.eu