<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

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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

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European Disintegration

Echoes of the Cold War

The Fight for Russia’s Borderlands

Snapshots

Geert Wilders (left), leader of the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV), addresses the media after attending the weekly coalition talks in The Hague, the Netherlands, on June 3, 2025.

Politics

The far-right party's exit from the ruling coalition will likely trigger early elections, leading to a prolonged period of political uncertainty amid complex coalition-building and months of caretaker governance.

The Netherlands Descends Into Political Crisis After Government Collapses

Right-wing opposition candidate Karol Nawrocki waves to supporters in Warsaw, Poland, following the presidential runoff election on June 1, 2025.

Economics

Military & Security

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The incoming conservative president will likely veto many of the centrist government's domestic reforms, while his euroskeptic views will sustain foreign policy incoherence, potentially undermining Poland's economic outlook and its credibility as a regional leader.

Poland Braces for More Political Gridlock Following Nawrocki's Presidential Victory

Global Elections

Assessments

Mexico

South Korea

Ukraine

Russia

Ukrainian, U.S. and Russian delegates meet for peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 16, 2025. 

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

The Weekly Rundown: Ukraine-Russia Talks, Mexico's First-Ever Judicial Elections

Canada

United States

China

Japan

A U.S. courthouse facade with columns in lower Manhattan, New York.

Global Trade

The court ruling nullifies most -- though not all -- of the Trump administration's tariffs, giving U.S. trading partners temporary breathing room in negotiations while the White House searches for alternative trade measures.

The White House's Tariff Ambitions Bend -- But Do Not Break -- Under the Weight of a Court Ruling

A digital illustration of the U.K. and EU flags.

The agreements will institutionalize defense cooperation and ease trade frictions, though lingering political constraints will limit deeper integration in the near term.

The U.K.-EU Deal Signals a Strategic Recalibration of Post-Brexit Trade and Defense Relations

South Africa

Taiwan

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on May 21 during an official trip to the United States.

The Weekly Rundown: South Africa's U.S. Reset, Three European Elections

U.S. President Donald Trump -- flanked by Vice President JD Vance (left) and Peter Mandelson, the U.K. ambassador to the United States (right) -- holds a phone call with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the Oval Office of the White House on May 8, 2025. 

The agreement's narrow scope and quota system suggest the White House remains intent on restricting imports, meaning tariff relief for most other countries reaching deals will also be limited.

Trump Reaches First Post-Tariff Trade Deal With the U.K.

Supporters of the PiS party demonstrate April 12 in Warsaw, Poland. Poland will hold a presidential election May 18 and runoff June 1 if no candidate obtains more than 50% in the first round.

Social Issues

The outcome of Poland's election will determine whether Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist government will coexist with a cooperative president or continue to face institutional constraints from an ideologically opposed president.

Poland's Election: Potential Outcomes and Their Implications

Presidential candidate George Simion is shown on a screen addressing his supporters at the campaign headquarters of their candidate after polls closed on May 4, 2025 in Bucharest, Romania.

Far-right candidate George Simion's first-round win in Romania's presidential race highlights rising anti-establishment sentiment and uncertainty over the country's political and Western trajectory ahead of a tense May 18 runoff.

Romania Faces Turmoil After Far-Right Win in Presidential First Round

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Niger

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Senegal

Togo

Algeria

Morocco

A Gabonese brigade participates in a training exercise as part of a military program linked to the Franco-Gabonese partnership at the French military base Camp de Gaulle in Libreville on March 19, 2025. 

France's reduced influence in Africa will create space for local and foreign actors to take on greater leadership roles, but their inability to fill the security vacuum left by France's withdrawal would threaten to destabilize the region.

France, Africa and the Future, Part 2: The Age of Multi-Alignment 

British Defense Secretary John Healey presented the strategic defense review in the House of Commons, the BBC reported on June 2.

U.K.: British Government Unveils Strategic Defense Review

Indonesia

Energy

French President Emmanuel Macron and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto signed 27 cooperation agreements during the former's state visit to Indonesia, deepening collaboration in defense and energy, among other areas, the Indonesia Business Post reported on May 29.

France, Indonesia: Paris, Jakarta Deepen Defense, Energy Ties

During consultations on May 28, Romanian President Nicusor Dan and representatives from the three parties in government (the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians) agreed to create a technical working group to explore ways to reduce Romania's fiscal deficit, Romania Insider reported the next day. 

Romania: Mainstream Parties Agree To Reduce Large Fiscal Deficit 

At a press conference in Berlin with visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that his government would help Ukraine build long-range missiles without range restrictions, though he declined to provide specifics, Bloomberg reported on May 28.

Germany, Ukraine: Berlin Pledges New Military Support, Joint Missile Development With Kyiv

EU member states approved the Security Action for Europe, or SAFE, a 150 billion euro ($170 billion) joint loan program for the bloc's defense sector, the European Council announced on May 27.

EU: Bloc Approves Joint Loan Program for Defense Sector

Vietnam

Environment, Science & Technology

France and Vietnam signed 14 cooperation agreements during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit in Hanoi, covering defense, satellite technology, transportation, vaccine production and a $10.25 billion Airbus aircraft deal, Bao Chinh Phu reported on May 26. 

France, Vietnam: Countries Deepen Partnership With Defense and Investment Deals

U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 50% tariff on all EU imports starting June 1 in a post on Truth Social, arguing that negotiations with the bloc are "going nowhere."

U.S., Europe: Trump Threatens 50% Blanket Tariff on EU Goods Amid Stalled Talks

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government said it supported including the Nord Stream pipeline ban in the European Union's next sanctions package against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, the Financial Times reported May 23, citing officials familiar with the matter.

Europe, Russia: Germany Backs EU Sanctions on Nord Stream Pipelines 

Europe

SITUATION REPORTS

U.K.: British Government Unveils Strategic Defense Review

France, Indonesia: Paris, Jakarta Deepen Defense, Energy Ties

Romania: Mainstream Parties Agree To Reduce Large Fiscal Deficit

Germany, Ukraine: Berlin Pledges New Military Support, Joint Missile Development With Kyiv

EU: Bloc Approves Joint Loan Program for Defense Sector

France, Vietnam: Countries Deepen Partnership With Defense and Investment Deals

U.S., Europe: Trump Threatens 50% Blanket Tariff on EU Goods Amid Stalled Talks

Europe, Russia: Germany Backs EU Sanctions on Nord Stream Pipelines

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