<p>To the west of Eurasia lays Europe, a region predisposed to division. It is surrounded on nearly all sides by islands and peninsulas that make it difficult for Europe to cohere. The northern half of the continent, moreover, sits on a plain whose short, meandering rivers tend to empower countries without forcing them to work with others. The southern half is situated on more mountainous terrain that has historically impeded the creation of strong, unified economies. As a result, Europe is a continent riven by pockets of distinct cultures whose differences are all too often irreconcilable.</p>

Europe is a continent riven by pockets of distinct cultures whose differences are all too often irreconcilable.

Europe

Belize

Andorra

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Holy See

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

North Macedonia

San Marino

Sweden

United Kingdom

Bulgaria

Portugal

Serbia

Croatia

Poland

Romania

Cyprus

Norway

Austria

Slovakia

Albania

Slovenia

Netherlands

Switzerland

Spain

Montenegro

Monaco

Italy

Ireland

Iceland

Hungary

Kosovo

Beyond Quantitative Easing

The Ukraine Conflict

The Politics of Pipelines

EU: Regional Blocs

Divided EU Foreign Policies

Brexit

The Fate of the Eurozone

Banking

Crossing Borders

Globalization

European Disintegration

Echoes of the Cold War

The Fight for Russia’s Borderlands

Assessments

United States

Iran

China

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press Feb. 2 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump will deliver the annual State of the Union address to Congress on Feb. 24.

Economics

Military & Security

Politics

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Trump Threatens Iran, Pledges To Reimpose Tariffs on Different Grounds

U.S.-China Relations

U.S.-Iran Relations

Snapshots

Canada

Mexico

Japan

South Korea

Vietnam

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing at the White House on Feb. 20, 2026, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Trump's use of emergency powers to implement international trade tariffs.

Global Trade

The Trump administration will use other trade authorities to replace many of the IEEPA tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court, meaning U.S. trading partners will remain incentivized to engage on trade matters.

What the Supreme Court Tariff Ruling Means for Trump and U.S. Trading Partners

Columns

On Geopolitics

A digital illustration shows a nuclear launch map of Europe. 

Amid doubts about the U.S. security guarantee, Europe is considering using Franco-British nuclear arms to bolster its strategic autonomy within NATO, though this plan faces significant political and technical challenges.

The European Nuclear Umbrella: A Search for Strategic Autonomy

Ukraine

City authorities and businesses rebuild residential buildings damaged by Russian shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on July 12, 2023.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

While European governments can fund Ukraine's war effort this year and next, securing the investment needed to rebuild damaged infrastructure will face significant political, economic and structural hurdles.

The Challenge of Rebuilding Ukraine's Economy

Israel

Lebanon

Palestinian Territories

Yemen

U.S. Vice President JD Vance's shadow is seen as he speaks during a press conference following a military briefing at the civilian military coordination center on Oct. 21, 2025, in Kiryat Gat, Israel. 

Environment, Science & Technology

Negotiations over a new Israel-U.S. security agreement signal a pivot in the bilateral relationship as Israel increasingly focuses on strengthening its domestic defense industry.

How Israel's Defense Sector Will Evolve Amid the Government's Push for Self-Reliance

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a press conference at the European Commission's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Aug. 17, 2025.

Despite its strategic imperative to secure Ukraine's Western alignment, the EU remains unlikely to grant the country full or partial membership anytime soon due to numerous challenges, with the ongoing war being chief among them.

To Keep the Promise of Ukraine's Accession Alive, the EU Mulls Alternative Options

Indonesia

Russia

India

U.S. President Donald Trump (C) holds up his signature on the founding charter of the Board of Peace among other world leaders at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 22 in Davos, Switzerland.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: The Board of Peace Convenes, Russia-Ukraine-U.S. Talks in Geneva

The U.S. and the EU flags are seen side by side on Nov. 21, 2025, in Brussels, Belgium. 

Energy

By replacing Russian gas with U.S. LNG, the EU risks becoming reliant on another systemically central external supplier at a time of growing geopolitical instability and transatlantic tension.

The Strategic Risks of Europe's Pivot to U.S. LNG

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaves Downing Street on Feb. 2, 2026, in London. 

While the crisis could see Labour elect a new leader in the coming months, broad party consensus and fiscal constraints make sharp policy shifts unlikely, limiting the risk of sustained market volatility.

In the U.K., Starmer's Leadership Struggles Reach a Tipping Point

Turkey

A digital satellite illustration shows Europe at night.

The EU enlargement chief's upcoming visit to Turkey signals an attempt to balance cautious engagement with clear strategic interests, rather than an imminent breakthrough on the country's stalled accession process.

Understanding the EU's Strategic Reengagement With Turkey

The U.S. Department of Defense warned it would retaliate if the European Union amends its defense procurement directive in ways that restrict U.S. arms manufacturers' access to member-state contracts, Politico reported on Feb. 19.

EU, U.S.: Washington Warns Brussels Against Expanding 'Buy European' Defense Rules

Mauritius

U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his opposition to the United Kingdom handing over the island of Diego Garcia, located in the Chagos Archipelago, to Mauritius in a Truth Social post, where he said that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer "should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia," Reuters reported on Feb. 18.

Mauritius, U.K.: Trump Reiterates Opposition to Chagos Island Deal, Contradicting the State Department

Fifteen of 31 lawmakers under the Poland 2050 party, a centrist member of Prime Minister Donald Tusk's ruling coalition, announced that they were breaking away following a contentious party leadership contest concluded on Jan. 31, citing dissatisfaction with newly elected leader and EU funds minister Katarzyna Pelczynska-Nalecz, Notes From Poland reported on Feb. 18.

Poland: Ruling Coalition Party Poland 2050 Splits but Leaves Tusk's Majority Intact

Algeria

Algeria and France agreed to restore security cooperation following the Feb. 16-17 visit of France's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez to Algiers, where he met with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, AFP reported on Feb. 18.

Algeria, France: Governments To Resume Security Cooperation

French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to renew their bilateral defense cooperation framework for another decade, expand joint defense production, deepen interoperability, increase joint exercises and raise defense industrial integration, according to a Feb. 17 joint statement. 

France, Spain, India: Defense and Technology Cooperation Is Set To Deepen

Kremlin aide and Maritime Board chairman Nikolai Patrushev warned that Russia could deploy its navy to prevent European states from seizing Russian vessels and would break any attempted maritime blockade, Kommersant reported on Feb. 17.

Russia: Patrushev Warns Russian Navy Could Counter Vessel Seizures

Australia

The Australian government announced it will provide $2.8 billion to advance construction of a nuclear submarine shipyard in Osborne in the state of South Australia, describing it as an initial installment toward a project projected to cost approximately $21 billion over the coming decades, Reuters reported on Feb. 17.

Australia: Canberra Commits $2.8B to AUKUS Shipyard

Oman

The United States and Iran held the second round of Omani-mediated indirect nuclear talks in Geneva, Switzerland, focused on limitations on Iran's nuclear program and verification involving international nuclear inspectors, Reuters reported on Feb. 17.

U.S., Iran: U.S. and Iran Hold Second Round of Indirect Nuclear Talks in Geneva

Europe

SITUATION REPORTS

EU, U.S.: Washington Warns Brussels Against Expanding 'Buy European' Defense Rules

Mauritius, U.K.: Trump Reiterates Opposition to Chagos Island Deal, Contradicting the State Department

Poland: Ruling Coalition Party Poland 2050 Splits but Leaves Tusk's Majority Intact

Algeria, France: Governments To Resume Security Cooperation

France, Spain, India: Defense and Technology Cooperation Is Set To Deepen

Russia: Patrushev Warns Russian Navy Could Counter Vessel Seizures

Australia: Canberra Commits $2.8B to AUKUS Shipyard

U.S., Iran: U.S. and Iran Hold Second Round of Indirect Nuclear Talks in Geneva

Forecasts

ANALYSES

SECTIONS

Explore

Subscribe

Help & Support