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Stories in this section cover the EU-27 countries plus the UK, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Andorra and the Balkan Countries (Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia).

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Editor's choice
News
Russia and Ukraine agree prisoner exchange but no progress made in peace talks
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Russia and Ukraine agree prisoner exchange but no progress made in peace talks

17 May 2025
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a large-scale prisoner exchange but failed to reach a breakthrough during their first direct peace talks since 2022, held in Istanbul without either Vladimir Putin or Volodymyr Zelensky. Sitting down under pressure from the US president, Donald Trump, Ukraine had pushed for a 30-day ceasefire before the talks. Moscow rejected this, appearing to stick to its maximalist demands, including sweeping restrictions on Ukrainian sovereignty.
commonspace.eu
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News
Leaders meet in Albania to debate European security concerns
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Leaders meet in Albania to debate European security concerns

16 May 2025
The leaders of 47 European countries and organizations are gathering Friday 16 May for a one-day summit in Albania’s capital Tirana to discuss security and defense challenges across the continent, with the Russia-Ukraine conflict at the top of the agenda. The theme of the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Tirana is “New Europe in a new world: unity - cooperation - joint action.” The gathering will also address ways to improve the continent’s competitiveness and tackle unauthorised migration.
commonspace.eu

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Editor's choice
Commentary
Commentary: State-building cannot be imposed from outside; the EU and others must learn lessons from Afghanistan
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Commentary: State-building cannot be imposed from outside; the EU and others must learn lessons from Afghanistan

23 August 2021
A state cannot be built from outside, with a foreign army standing on top of it to supervise the process, argues Dennis Sammut in this commentary. As the EU expands its global ambitions, it must be aware of the risks of "mission creep" and make sure the mistakes in Afghanistan are not repeated.
Dennis Sammut
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News
EU to hold a meeting of Home Affairs to discuss migration issue at the Lithuanian-Belarus border
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EU to hold a meeting of Home Affairs to discuss migration issue at the Lithuanian-Belarus border

8 August 2021
In July, Lithuania declared a state of emergency due to the sudden increased influx of migrants from Belarus. According to Lithuanian politicians, the number of flights between Belarus and Afghanistan has increased as part of a strategy to push more migrants towards Lithuania.
Editor's choice
Opinion
Opinion: Azerbaijan expects the EU to be more balanced in its policies toward the South Caucasus
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Opinion: Azerbaijan expects the EU to be more balanced in its policies toward the South Caucasus

5 August 2021
Whilst the EU is seen as a valuable partner for Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus, Baku has several concerns over perceived inconsistencies. In this op-ed for commonspace.eu, Vasif Huseynov says Azerbaijan welcomes Brussels playing a more active role in the region but argues that it must maintain balance in its relations with each of the countries.
Vasif Huseynov
Editor's choice
Commentary
Commentary: The EU reinforces its position in the South Caucasus before the upcoming EaP Summit
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Commentary: The EU reinforces its position in the South Caucasus before the upcoming EaP Summit

29 July 2021
In preparation for its Eastern Partnership Summit (EaP) in December, and after drastic regional shifts, the EU is trying hard to improve its position in the South Caucasus. In this commentary for commonspace.eu, Mahammad Mammadov unpacks the EU's strategy in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, looking at what can be gleaned from its recent high-profile visits to the region and billions in newly declared financial assistance.
Mahammad Mammadov
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