European shuttle diplomacy
On 7 February President Macron travelled to Moscow and then to Kyiv, to meet the presidents of Russia and Ukraine and seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis. At the same time, German chancellor Olaf Scholz…
Bosnia: ghost of nationalism returns
Bosnia's political class has failed to short-circuit its dysfunctional governance. Serb strongman Milorad Dodik is raising ghosts of the past. UK ambassador Matt Field’s recent blog condemned deep-seated corruption, ‘consequence-free’ politics and the way powerful individuals…
France: new Omicron sub-variant
Studies are underway to find the precise characteristics of the latest Covid-19 variant, BA2. Accounting for over half of sequenced Omicron cases in 57 countries, it appears more transmissible than the original strain and more able…
EU considering nuclear and gas as sustainable
Nuclear and natural gas energy plants could be counted as ‘green energy’ under new controversial EU plans. The European Commission has decided that both types of energy can classify as ‘sustainable investment’ if they meet certain…
