Finance
EU Institutions
Ireland’s Presidency pledges to strengthen EU’s competitiveness, security and resilience
On July 1, Ireland formally assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the eighth time as the bloc faces significant...
Global Economy
Economic storm clouds gather as Trump declares Iran ceasefire is over
U.S. President Donald Trump would have dominated the July 7-8 NATO Ankara Summit in almost all circumstances but renewed high intensity U.S. military activity...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
In the UK’s defense…
With all the current political upheaval in the UK, it is almost easy to forget that what prompted the current turmoil was a row...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Baltic Ambition: How Lithuania and Latvia Are Building Europe’s Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
There is a Latvian saying that the slower you go, the further you will get. This is a reminder to take your time and...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Brussels wants more tax power – again
European institutions are aligning behind a major expansion of EU-level fiscal powers in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028-2034). Alongside a larger budget, Brussels...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Summer madness
As the days get longer and the chill of early spring starts to melt into much needed warmth around the world, so our mood...
Climate Diplomacy
Kazakhstan spearheads ecological collaboration across Central Asia and beyond
Addressing climate and environmental challenges across Central Asia, the Regional Ecological Summit RES 2026 in Astana on April 22-24 hosted by the Government of...
Global Economy
IMF warns of global downturn risk from continuing Iran conflict
It should surprise no one that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) - World Bank Spring meetings in Washington D.C. on April 13–18 were overshadowed...
Transport
U.S. launches maritime reinsurance plan to reopen Persian Gulf shipping
The Trump administration’s March 6 plan to reopen shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will require some time before it can be activated and...
Sanctions and related policies
New U.S. Iran sanctions for recent violent repression and corruption
After the reimposition of United Nations “snapback” sanctions on Iran on September 27, 2025, in connection with unfulfilled Iranian nuclear program control and inspection...
Global Economy
Davos 2026 — threats, climbdowns and false constructs
The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (#WEF26) convened nearly 3,000 leaders from government, business, civil society and academia under the theme...
The Negroni Diaries
Another Trump Iran pronouncement – tariff details to follow
In typical Trump style, U.S. President Donald Trump’s January 12 announcement of stiff new tariffs on Iran’s trading partners was devoid of almost all...
Finance
Bulgaria quietly enters the eurozone
Bulgaria officially adopted the euro on January 1, 2026, becoming the 21st member of the eurozone. The transition began with the lev circulating alongside...
Invasion of Ukraine
EU writes itself out of the Ukraine war peace drive
By settling for a “Plan B” style Ukraine relief loan using the EU’s financial creditworthiness instead of making a politically decisive but risky decision...
Finance
Greek Minister Pierrakakis takes the helm of the Eurogroup
Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of Economy and Finance of Greece, was elected President of the Eurogroup on December 11 in line with Protocol 14 of...
Connectivity
A new EU and U.S. critical minerals project takes shape along the Lobito corridor
Despite Trump-fueled spats with the EU occurring regularly, key decision makers on both sides of the Atlantic have agreed on a joint declaration to...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
After the chaos of an utterly confused UK Budget
The Chancellor has finally delivered her much-delayed Budget. The verdict? “Après Le Deluge” – or in this case, “after the chaos of an utterly...
Global Economy
Washington takes the reins of the G20 for 2026
Starting on December 1, the United States took the reins of the Group of 20 major economies (G20) for the first time since 2009,...
The Negroni Diaries
Another Russia-tilting Trump peace proposal emerges
President Donald Trump apparently has no more refined strategy than to disrupt the flow of world business/diplomacy with an outrageous opening salvo to make...
Russia Sanctions
As Trump’s Ukraine peace initiative fades, new U.S. sanctions unleashed
The war in Ukraine is again front and center in the White House. While U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace drive had started to...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Take a deep breath — the UK Budget is on its way
We have been softened up for what is going to be bad news, although no doubt there will be some sweeteners snuck in. So,...
IMO
The IMO gets a taste of Trump’s “America First” foreign policy
After failing to reach consensus on an emissions reduction measure amid strong U.S. pressure, a majority of countries at the UN’s International Maritime Organization...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Solidarity or strategic interest? Qatar’s role in the future of least developed countries
At the recent High-Level Meeting for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), held in Seville on the sidelines of the Fourth International Conference on Financing...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Fourth estate’s useful idiots: Cases from Albania in which international media should have known better
The cashless dreamThis July, a Politico Europe journalist texted me about comments regarding Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s recent statement that he would abolish...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
The glitter is coming off gilts
Trust, confidence and expertise - these three words must be at the heart of the job description for any of the three high offices...
Disasters and Reconstruction Initiatives
Washington kickstarts the U.S. – Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) announced on September 17 a $75 million equity commitment to the U.S.- Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund that...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Government and money
Autumn: a season of mellow fruitfulness, or of storms, shorter days and financially darker nights? Either way, it’s when Rachel Reeves’ next Budget is...
Russia Sanctions
EU finally clears the roadblocks, adopts new Russia sanctions package
On July 18, the EU finally adopted its long-delayed 18th package of sanctions on Russia, focusing heavily on the oil trade, but which also...
The Middle East
In search of jobs and treasure: Trump’s first overseas jaunt takes a distinctly commercial angle
U.S. President Donald Trump completed a four-day tour of the Middle East on May 13-16, visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates....
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Back to the 1970s: Flared trousers and tank tops. Is this the result of Trump’s tariff tantrums?
There are somewhere some dreadful photographs of this author wearing what we all once thought were the height of fashion and style. Generally, that...
Economy & Business
Doom, gloom or boom?
While it is an almost painful daily task to ascertain where the Trump administration is positioned on the question of tariff policy, and traders...
Germany
Germany removes key debt brake budget limits in historic move
Rushing to arrive at a workable arrangement before the new post-election German parliament convened on March 25, Friedrich Merz’s victorious CDU/CSU bloc and the...
Kazakhstan
EU signs critical raw materials, energy and infrastructure deals with Kazakhstan
As part of the visit of EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela to Astana, the European Union and Kazakhstan signed on March 13...
Invasion of Ukraine
EU leaders in Kyiv back Ukraine, but Trump won’t blame Russia
On the three-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European leaders travelled to Kyiv to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky and to declare their...
USA
Donald Trump is inaugurated amidst promises of security, stability and prosperity
After storming a frigid Washington D.C. during his extended inauguration festivities on January 20, Donald J Trump, America’s 47th and 45th President, launched a...
Russia Sanctions
The Biden administration’s parting gift to Russia: Still more sanctions
Clearly working overtime to underscore the Biden administration’s desire to inflict maximum economic pain on Moscow and its coterie of Ukraine invasion supporters outside...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Stock Market or Not Market
So, what is a market? Obviously, it is somewhere where you can buy and sell “stuff.” In a successful economy having a market to...
Zero Tolerance
Is there any hope for a democratic and peaceful Syria?
Most observers will argue that a democratic and peaceful Syria is just a pipedream, but at least in the first weeks since Bashar-al-Assad’s rushed...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Resources for the Common Good: New Taxation in Times of Crisis
Do you wonder whether the world is crumbling before your eyes? If so, you are not alone. The global human rights map is alarming:...
Zero Tolerance
Lula’s G20 Rio Summit: Forgettable but not inconsequential
Seen from the perspective of a week after the November 19-20 Rio de Janeiro Summit, but before the event has completely receded into the...
Russia Sanctions
U.S. sanctions Russian banks, finance officials and securities registrars
The U.S. announced on November 21 new sanctions targeting Russia’s largest remaining non-designated bank (Gazprombank), as well as dozens of other financial institutions and...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
The Key Issue for a new Government
After 14 years in the political wilderness, the new UK Labour government could be excused for being somewhat rusty when it comes to running...
Zero Tolerance
IMF pronounces victory over inflation while sounding debt and tariff warnings
The 2024 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) took place in Washington D.C. from October 21...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
EU must strengthen financial protections for Hong Kong activists
Imagine leaving your homeland to escape tyranny, only to find the oppressive regime you fled can still reach you, manipulating your financial lifelines. This...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Living on the Fulcrum Point
In the summer of 2024, we are on a fulcrum point, namely, the key balancing point of a vital situation, and if we were...
Sanctions and related policies
U.S. Targets ISIS Facilitation Network across Africa
On July 23, the U.S. Government announced new sanctions against a network of three individuals associated with the expanded activities of the Islamic State...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
The UK Economy – Another Twist in The Tale
Around the world most nations have been trying to recover their financial strength and where possible find some growth. Above all, they have been...
Invasion of Ukraine
G7 Summit focuses on Ukraine support and shattering Russia’s wartime economy
Despite last week’s expert punditry (itself almost indistinguishable from AI) on the latest G7 decisions as exhibited by the “instant experts” on global issues...
China
Can Central Asia escape China’s debt trap?
While Washington focuses on the war in Ukraine, Russia and China seek to expand their influence in regions where the US is not sufficiently...
Zero Tolerance
Silicon Valley Bank financial contagion contained – for now
The world’s top policymakers and international financial leaders acted effectively in the days following the collapse of California’s Silicon Valley Bank. They appear to have dealt positively with the risk of wider global financial contagion.
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