<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

Honduras

China

Ukraine

Russia

India

Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their bilateral meeting during the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit.

Economics

Energy

Global Trade

Military & Security

Politics

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

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

The Weekly Rundown: Putin-Modi Meeting, Honduras General Election

United States

People visit the 1627 Pilgrim Village at "Plimoth Plantation," where role-players portray pilgrims seven years after the arrival of the Mayflower, in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

On Thanksgiving, the United States celebrates the Plymouth Colony. However, few know that New England's colonization was a response to major geopolitical pressures -- particularly England's struggle against the Spanish both on the Continent and in the New World.

Thanksgiving and Puritan Geopolitics in the Americas

Smoke rises in the background as a Ukrainian flag flutters in the wind following a mass overnight Russian drone and missile attacks, in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Nov. 19, 2025. 

European efforts to adjust core elements of Trump's plan won't shield Ukraine from his latest threat to withdraw support, and Europe's limited leverage and internal constraints mean it is unlikely to sustain Kyiv's defense alone if talks with the White House fail.

What To Make of Europe's Counterproposal to the U.S. Ukraine Peace Plan

Angola

South Africa

Japan

South Korea

Banners bearing portraits of leaders of the G20 on Nov. 20 in Johannesburg. The South African government has focused the G20 summit's agenda on issues key to African countries.

The Weekly Rundown: A High-Stakes British Budget, South Africa Hosts the G20

Italian Minister of Economy and Finance Giancarlo Giorgetti and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on March 18 in the Italian Senate in Rome. Smaller fiscal deficits are unlikely to cut government debt in the medium term given Italy's modest economic growth outlook and significant social and defense spending pressures.

Smaller fiscal deficits are unlikely to cut government debt in the medium term given Italy's modest economic growth outlook and significant social and defense spending pressures.

Modest Growth and Spending Pressures Will Limit Italy's Debt Reduction Efforts

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Nov. 12 at 10 Downing Street in central London. Growing internal divisions within the ruling Labour party over fiscal policy and declining popularity are increasing the likelihood of a leadership challenge against Starmer following the November budget or May 2026 local elections.

Growing internal divisions within the ruling Labour party over fiscal policy and declining popularity are increasing the likelihood of a leadership challenge against Prime Minister Keir Starmer following the November budget or May 2026 local elections.

Painful Upcoming Budget Likely To Amplify Starmer's Leadership Woes

A screen is seen during the International military anti drone exercise Baltic Trust 25 (BATT25) at the Selonia (Selija) military training ground near Viesite on Aug. 27, 2025.

The European Union is pushing to develop continent-wide anti-drone capabilities, but financial, political and legal fragmentation will significantly slow progress and leave the bloc's defense vulnerable.

Despite Political Enthusiasm, EU Drone Defenses Face Obstacles to Implementation

South Sudan

Burundi

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ethiopia

Kenya

Malawi

Mozambique

Rwanda

Tanzania

Uganda

Zambia

The Geopolitics of Trade

Over the next decade, Kenya and Tanzania will compete for the title of East Africa's leading trade gateway, particularly as global demand for Central Africa's critical minerals grows. 

The Geopolitics of Trade: The Race to Unlock East Africa, Part 1 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni addresses the Senate in Rome on Oct. 22, 2025. 

Despite Prime Minister Meloni's success in achieving rare political and financial stability, Italy's weak economic growth and the expiry of EU recovery funds in 2026 may compel her to abandon fiscal prudence ahead of the next election cycle.

Italy Struggles To Translate Political Stability Into Economic Growth

Venezuela

Uzbekistan

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Tanks on Sept. 23 in Caracas, Venezuela. The Trump administration has reportedly decided to attack military sites in Venezuela in strikes that could occur at any moment.

The Weekly Rundown: Potential U.S. Strikes in Venezuela, U.S. Outreach in Central Asia

NATO is reassessing its posture toward Russian hybrid activities like cyberattacks, sabotage incidents and repeated airspace violations, and is weighing more assertive and proactive responses, particularly on cyber, the Financial Times reported Nov. 30, citing the Western security alliance's top military officer, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone.

Europe, Russia: NATO Weighs More Proactive Action Amid Intensifying Russian Hybrid Activity

British Chancellor Rachel Reeves presented her Autumn Budget to Parliament on Nov. 26, outlining tax rises totaling 26.1 billion pounds (about $30.3 billion) a year by 2029-30, The Guardian reported.

U.K.: Chancellor Reeves Unveils Tax Hikes in Budget to Restore Stability Amid Weak Growth 

Lebanon

Lebanon and Cyprus agreed to a final maritime demarcation agreement, nearly two decades after an initial deal determined maritime zones in 2007, Reuters reported Nov. 26.

Lebanon, Cyprus: Maritime Demarcation Agreement Reached

Environment, Science & Technology

South Africa signed a memorandum of understanding with the European Union on the formation of a Clean Trade and Investment Partnership, or CTIP, and another on the development of critical mineral supply chains, Daily Maverick reported Nov. 21.

South Africa: Pretoria Strikes Clean Trade and Energy Partnership, MoU on Critical Minerals With EU

The European Commission announced on Nov. 21 that it had opened a case against Slovakia for allegedly breaching EU law via a constitutional change adopted in September that said Slovak laws would take precedence in matters regarding "national identity," such as family and gender issues.

Slovakia: European Commission Begins Infringement Procedure Over Contentious Constitutional Amendment

Cyber

The European Union's digital "Omnibus" simplification package called on the bloc to delay the implementation of Artificial Intelligence Act rules for high-risk systems from August 2026 until December 2027, streamline cybersecurity incident reporting and ease data privacy protections for training AI models, according to the European Commission on Nov. 19. 

EU: Commission Releases Proposal To Simplify and Delay Aspects of Digital Rules

The German government approved its first national space security strategy as part of the country's plan to spend about 35 billion euros (about $40 billion) on military space capabilities by 2030, the Financial Times reported on Nov. 19.

Germany: Cabinet Approves First German Space Security Strategy

On Nov. 19, the European Commission released the Military Mobility Package, which is a plan designed to more quickly and easily move military personnel, equipment and other assets across the bloc.

EU: Commission Unveils Plans To Improve Military Mobility, Reform Defense Industry

Europe

SITUATION REPORTS

Europe, Russia: NATO Weighs More Proactive Action Amid Intensifying Russian Hybrid Activity

U.K.: Chancellor Reeves Unveils Tax Hikes in Budget to Restore Stability Amid Weak Growth

Lebanon, Cyprus: Maritime Demarcation Agreement Reached

South Africa: Pretoria Strikes Clean Trade and Energy Partnership, MoU on Critical Minerals With EU

Slovakia: European Commission Begins Infringement Procedure Over Contentious Constitutional Amendment

EU: Commission Releases Proposal To Simplify and Delay Aspects of Digital Rules

Germany: Cabinet Approves First German Space Security Strategy

EU: Commission Unveils Plans To Improve Military Mobility, Reform Defense Industry

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