France

Politics

French Pacific territory New Caledonia's Congress elected a government with six members from a pact between centrist and pro-France parties and five independence supporters, Radio New Zealand reported on July 31.

New Caledonia, France: New Government Dims Independence Prospects

United States

Europe

Ukraine

Russia

Economics

Military & Security

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Leaders of the "coalition of the willing" for Ukraine are meeting in Paris, France, on July 13, with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also attending, to discuss air and missile defense, missile production, joint exercises and Russia's shadow fleet, Le Monde reported the same day. 

Europe, Ukraine: Coalition of the Willing Meets in Paris, Set To Declare Postwar Force Ready

The Paris Court of Appeal upheld far-right National Rally party leader Marine Le Pen's conviction for embezzling European Parliament funds but reduced the timeline of her electoral ineligibility, clearing her to run in the 2027 presidential election, Le Monde reported on July 7.

France: Appeals Court Upholds Le Pen Conviction but Clears Her To Run in 2027

Slovakia

India

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on June 14 and 15, respectively, The Hindu reported the same day.

India: Modi Meets With France's Macron and Slovakia's Fico Amid G7 Summit

Germany

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom, France and Germany, known as the E3, plan to use meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump at the Group of Seven summit on June 15-17 to seek U.S. backing for a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire proposal that would use the current front line as the starting point for negotiations and include robust security guarantees for Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on June 11.

EU, Russia, Ukraine: Europe Sees Narrow Opening for Ukraine Talks as Russia Targets Kostiantynivka

Energy

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit France and then Slovakia from June 13-16 to hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Reuters reported on June 10.

India: Modi To Visit France and Slovakia Ahead of G7 Summit

Japan

Sweden

Italy

An Airbus-led alliance of eight defense companies will launch Team Gen 6, a German-led sixth-generation fighter project intended to replace the collapsed Franco-German Future Combat Air System program, during Berlin's ILA air show on June 11, Euronews reported on June 10, citing Airbus. 

Germany, France: Airbus-Led Consortium To Launch Sixth-Generation Fighter Initiative After FCAS Collapse

Indonesia

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived in France for a state visit that Indonesia's foreign ministry said would conclude with the two countries upgrading ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the Jakarta Globe reported on May 27.

France, Indonesia: Paris, Jakarta Likely To Upgrade Ties

Assessments

Spain

Firefighters spray water along the edge of a forest during a wildfire in southwestern France on July 25, 2026. 

While unlikely to be electorally decisive in either country, the crisis will heighten scrutiny of both governments' crisis management and elevate climate adaptation, emergency preparedness and civil protection as key national and EU policy priorities.

The Political and Security Impact of the Wildfires in France and Spain

A 20 euro note.

The European Union is likely to advance banking reforms in 2027 that reduce internal barriers to cross-border banking, boosting its financial competitiveness by freeing up funds tied up in savings, but will stop short of significantly greater fiscal and financial risk sharing.

Brussels Seeks To Boost the EU Banking Sector's Competitiveness

Iran

Israel

Lebanon

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

ASEAN leaders hold hands for a group photo during the opening ceremony of the 48th ASEAN summit in Cebu, central Philippines on May 8, 2026. 

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

The Weekly Rundown: U.S.-Iran Tensions Remain High, ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meet With Myanmar

Journalists surround French far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen (center) as she arrives with National Rally president Jordan Bardella (third from right) for a campaign rally in La Fleche, France, on July 8, 2026.

With the launch of Le Pen's campaign, the National Rally appears set to win France's 2027 presidential election, signaling a coming policy shift toward EU confrontation and weaker NATO integration, though various constraints would temper implementation.

As Le Pen Returns to the Race, What Would a Far-Right Presidency Look Like in France?

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a meeting with leaders of the G7 Engagement Groups ahead of the upcoming G7 summit at the Elysee Palace in Paris on June 10, 2026. 

U.S.-Iran Relations

The Weekly Rundown: U.S.-Iran Talks Continue, France Hosts G7 Summit

Kenya

China

Boats on April 28, 2026 on Qeshm Island, Iran, in the Strait of Hormuz. Tensions between the United States and Iran will remain elevated, especially around the strait, following the May 7 U.S.-Iran exchange of attacks and Iranian attacks against the United Arab Emirates.

U.S.-China Relations

The Weekly Rundown: Elevated Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, France Convenes an Africa Summit

Media

Sub-Saharan Africa

Podcasts

How have dynamics evolved since France and the United States withdrew from the region? 

The Decision Advantage: Jihadist Insurgency in the Sahel and West Africa

Denmark

The European Parliament building in 2019 in Strasbourg, France. Parliament is set to hold a plenary vote March 26 on implementing the 2025 EU‑U.S. trade framework agreement.

The Weekly Rundown: A Vote on the EU‑U.S. Trade Framework, the Iran Conflict Continues

Chile

Colombia

Greece

Cyprus

Netherlands

Plumes of smoke rise following reported explosions in Tehran on March 2, 2026, after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top military leaders, prompting a new wave of Iranian retaliatory missile attacks across the region. 

The Weekly Rundown: War in the Middle East, U.S.-China Trade Talks

The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) on Feb. 25 at the quay of the North Port in Malmo, Sweden. A prolonged conflict in the Middle East would increase Europe's exposure to security risks, including potential attacks on European-linked assets, renewed migration pressures and an elevated terrorism threat, particularly if European capitals assume a more active military or diplomatic role against the Iranian regime.

A protracted regional war threatens to expose the Continent to risks ranging from cyberattacks against critical infrastructure to a renewed influx of asylum seekers.

Prolonged Conflict in Iran Would Elevate Security, Migration Threats Against Europe

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

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu speaks in parliament after surviving two no-confidence votes in Paris, France on Jan. 23 23, 2026. 

The budget's likely adoption will keep the minority government in office, but deep political fragmentation will limit policy action and sustain the risk of early elections, keeping France's fiscal trajectory uncertain.

The Risks to France's Fiscal Outlook Beyond the 2026 Budget

<p>France is a country in Western Europe bound in the south by the Alps, Pyrenees Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. To the west and north is the Atlantic Ocean, and on its eastern border lies the river Rhine and the low mountains of the Ardennes, Vosges and Jura. Mountains, rivers and seas help protect France at all points but one: the North European Plain. As a result, France&#39;s main geographic challenge is safeguarding its eastern border on the path of this historic invasion route. The lack of internal geographic barriers contributed to France&#39;s social cohesion, which in turn led France to become one of the world&#39;s first modern nation-states. The Beauce region represents France&#39;s core. Its navigable rivers, warm climate, sufficient rainfall and fertile soils have made France one of the world&#39;s leading agricultural powers. At the extreme northern border of the Beauce region, where the rivers Marne and Seine meet, lies Paris &mdash; France&#39;s economic and political center. Paris&#39; strategic location on these rivers gives it administrative control of trading routes from the Beauce region to the rest of France and Europe In modern times, the most existential threats to France have come from its powerful eastern neighbor, Germany. Between 1871 and 1945, France and Germany fought three major wars &mdash; all on the North European Plain. After World War II, France attempted to contain Germany largely through the creation of the European Union. The economic and political crisis plaguing Europe has put France&#39;s containment strategy into question.</p>

EU: Regional Blocs

Divided EU Foreign Policies

The Fate of the Eurozone

European Disintegration

SITUATION REPORTS

New Caledonia, France: New Government Dims Independence Prospects

Europe, Ukraine: Coalition of the Willing Meets in Paris, Set To Declare Postwar Force Ready

France: Appeals Court Upholds Le Pen Conviction but Clears Her To Run in 2027

India: Modi Meets With France's Macron and Slovakia's Fico Amid G7 Summit

EU, Russia, Ukraine: Europe Sees Narrow Opening for Ukraine Talks as Russia Targets Kostiantynivka

India: Modi To Visit France and Slovakia Ahead of G7 Summit

Germany, France: Airbus-Led Consortium To Launch Sixth-Generation Fighter Initiative After FCAS Collapse

France, Indonesia: Paris, Jakarta Likely To Upgrade Ties

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