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Rail cars loaded with steel sit at the ThyssenKrupp Schwelgern steel plant on May 30, 2018 in Duisburg, Germany. 

Economics

Politics

The European Union and the United States will increase efforts to deconflict their trade and climate policies ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential and EU parliamentary elections, but lingering disagreements will not allow for a complete respite of Trump-era tariffs on EU steel and aluminum.

EU-U.S. Steel and Aluminum Negotiations Make Limited Headway

Assessments

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Russian President Vladimir Putin (C), Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (R) and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hold talks Oct. 31, 2022, in Sochi, Russia.

Military & Security

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

The Weekly Rundown: Armenia's and Azerbaijan's Leaders Meet in Moscow, an APEC Summit in Detroit

U.S.-China Relations

Alexis Tsipras (left), who leads the left-wing Syriza party, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (right), who leads the right-wing New Democracy party, look in opposite directions during a televised debate in Athens on May 10, 2023. 

The May 21 ballot could yield a hung parliament, but despite potential policymaking delays, abrupt economic policy changes are improbable.

How Greece's Election Could Impact Its Economy

Japan

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Chief Economist Pierre Olivier Gourinchas speaks during a media interview at the IMF headquarters in Washington D.C. on July 26, 2022, after the institution downgraded its outlook for the global economy this year and next. 

As the effects of post-COVID reopenings wane, rising interest rates and slower economic growth may prove particularly problematic for highly indebted countries like Italy.

After a Brief Reprieve, Debt Levels in Many Advanced Economies Are Set to Rise

Greece's then-intelligence chief Panagiotis Kontoleon is seen in Athens on July 29, 2022. Several days later, Kontoleon resigned amid a scandal involving the alleged spying of an opposition politician.

If Prime Minister Mitsotakis' government is forced to resign, the political uncertainty could derail economic reforms and jeopardize the disbursement of much-needed EU funds.

A Wiretapping Scandal Rattles Greece's Government

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On Security

North Macedonia

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Kosovo

NATO soldiers patrol a roadblock set up by ethnic Serbs near Zubin Potok, a town in northern Kosovo, on Aug. 1, 2022. 

Social Issues

Despite ethnically-tinged tensions between Kosovo and Serbia that most recently made the news, there appear to be numerous restraints on a potential return to widespread regional conflict. 

The Risk of Another Balkans War, Part 1: Placing Recent Flashpoints in Context

The headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB) is pictured in Frankfurt, Germany, on July 21, 2022. 

The bank’s laser focus on fighting inflation will come at the cost of economic growth, which will force the 19 countries in the currency area to step up fiscal consolidation efforts.

The ECB Tries To Keep the Eurozone From Entering Another Debt Crisis. Will It Succeed?

United Kingdom

Passengers from London arrive at a Eurostar terminal in Paris on Dec. 16, 2021, before France imposed new travel restrictions to and from the United Kingdom in response to the omicron variant of COVID-19. 

Environment, Science & Technology

European Disintegration

Tourism and hospitality sectors will again be hit hardest, as governments prioritize protecting manufacturing and supply chains over business and leisure travel.

In Europe, Omicron Fears Spur More Travel Bans and Lockdowns

COVID-19

Supply Chains

The Fate of the Eurozone

Guidance

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Argentine President Alberto Fernandez speaks during a rally in Merlo, Argentina, on Nov. 11, 2021, ahead of the country’s upcoming midterm elections. 

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

The Weekly Rundown: Midterm Elections in Argentina, a Virtual Biden-Xi Summit

Costa Rica

Israel

Palestinian Territories

People wait to be vaccinated at the COVID-19 vaccination center May 15, 2021, at the Porte de Versailles in Paris. After a slow start, France's COVID-19 vaccination program is gaining traction, and from May 31 vaccines will be available for all adults.

The Weekly Rundown: France Opens Vaccination to All Adults, an Israeli Election Deadline

Mozambique

The Tianwen-1 probe is successfully launched on July 23, 2020, in Wenchang, Hainan, China.

The Weekly Rundown: Cypriot Sovereignty Talks and a Chinese Space Launch

People wait in an observation area at a COVID-19 vaccination site in the Catalonia Railway Museum on April 15, 2021, in Vilanova i la Geltru, Spain. 

With vaccination campaigns now in full gear, the EU should reach herd immunity and reopen its economy by the year’s end.

After a Rough Start, Europe Picks Up the Pace on Vaccines

EU: Regional Blocs

The European Parliament voted in favor of the EU Nature Restoration Law, the European Commission's proposal to restore degraded land and biodiversity within the bloc, with supporters of the law narrowly defeating an attempt by conservative groups to sink it, Euractiv reported on July 12.

EU: European Parliament Backs EU Nature Restoration Law by Narrow Margin

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou formally gave Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis the mandate to form a government, marking the beginning of Mitsotakis' second term, Kathimerini reported on June 26.

Greece: Prime Minister's Reelection Portends Policy Continuity

European Union (EU) member states clashed over how to reform the bloc’s fiscal framework, known as the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP), during a meeting of EU finance ministers in Luxembourg, Reuters reported on June 16.

EU: Member States Divided Over Bloc's Fiscal and Debt Rules Reform

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' center-right New Democracy party won the May 21 general election in Greece with 41% of the vote, although the party still does not have enough seats in Parliament to govern alone, eKathimerini reported on May 22.

Greece: Conservatives Win General Election, But Will Seek Another Vote

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Greek officials for being "hypocritical" as the countries continue to dispute the sovereignty of a handful of islands, Daily Sabah reported June 12.

Turkey, Greece: Erdogan's Comments Threaten to Flare Old Dispute Over Aegean Islands

Negotiations over the future of Cyprus ended on April 29 without an agreement, as the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot delegations failed to reach a deal on how to end almost five decades of division in the island, Bloomberg has reported. 

Greece, Turkey: Cyprus Reunification Talks End Without a Deal

Energy

The presidents of the European Commission met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on April 6 to discuss updating the two sides' customs agreement, as well as extending their migration agreement, Politico has reported. 

Turkey: EU Leaders Offer Greater Cooperation in Meeting With Erdogan

Security

Turkey's Resurgence

Divided EU Foreign Policies

A Greek court ruled on October 7 that the far-right Golden Dawn party operated as a criminal organization, Kathimerini reported Oct. 7. 

Greece: Court Rules Far-Right Golden Dawn Party Acted as a Criminal Organization

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A view of the Register in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

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Covering an area that spans the entire width of the continent beginning at the Sahara Desert and ending at the southernmost tip of South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa is home to countless cultures, languages, religions, plants, animals and natural resources.

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The President palace in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

The administrative center of the Gakh region of Azerbaijan, located at the foot of the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, on the river Kurhumchai.

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Mir Castle in the Minsk region of Belarus.

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A horse grazes in front of Kara-Kul lake in the Chon-Ak-Suu valley, 300 kilometers southeast of Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

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Mongolia

Greece is a mountainous country located in Southeastern Europe. It borders Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey. The Rhodope and Pindus Mountains form natural barriers with its northern neighbors. The Aegean, Mediterranean and Ionian seas surround Greece giving it one of the world’s longest coastlines.     The country has more than 2,000 islands and Greek life has traditionally revolved around the sea. In antiquity, Greek city-states like Athens and Sparta expanded their influence throughout the Mediterranean, with settlements in Italy, Turkey, North Africa and around the Black Sea. Today, the Greek merchant fleet is the second largest contributor to its economy behind tourism.    Athens is Greece's capital and most populous city. Athens, and the Aegean Sea that surrounds it, is the country’s core. Controlling the Aegean facilitates trade, defense and communication. Protecting this core from invasion is Greece's main geographic challenge.    Because of its strategic location in the heart of the Mediterranean, Macedonian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires ruled Greece for more than 2,000 years. After a long civil war, Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830.    The country’s rugged geography makes administration from a central government difficult. A scarcity of arable land combined with poor overland transportation also complicate capital formation, making Greece one of the least developed countries in the eurozone.    Greece joined the eurozone in 2001 and is currently at the center of the European economic crisis. Overcoming the effects of the crisis will be a key feature of Greece's economic, social and political life in coming years.

SITUATION REPORTS

EU: European Parliament Backs EU Nature Restoration Law by Narrow Margin

Greece: Prime Minister's Reelection Portends Policy Continuity

EU: Member States Divided Over Bloc's Fiscal and Debt Rules Reform

Greece: Conservatives Win General Election, But Will Seek Another Vote

Turkey, Greece: Erdogan's Comments Threaten to Flare Old Dispute Over Aegean Islands

Greece, Turkey: Cyprus Reunification Talks End Without a Deal

Turkey: EU Leaders Offer Greater Cooperation in Meeting With Erdogan

Greece: Court Rules Far-Right Golden Dawn Party Acted as a Criminal Organization

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