United States

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Spain

Economics

Politics

At the opening of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, U.S. President Donald Trump said he had ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to immediately halt "all trade" with Spain, La Vanguardia reported on July 8.

U.S., Spain: Trump Orders Treasury To 'End All Trade' With Spain

North Korea

Russia

Military & Security

A Russian cargo ship that sank off the coast of Spain in December 2024 may have been carrying submarine nuclear reactor components to North Korea, CNN reported on May 12, citing a Spanish investigation and sources familiar with it.

Russia, North Korea: Sunken Russian Ship Raises Concerns Over Possible Nuclear Technology Transfer

Spain's parliament rejected a government decree aimed at strengthening tenant protections, including extending rental contracts and limiting rent increases for two years, after it failed to secure majority support amid opposition from the People's Party (PP), Vox and the Navarrese People's Union (UPN), joined by Junts per Catalunya (Junts) and the abstention of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), El Pais reported April 29.

Spain: Parliament Rejects Housing Decree Amid Growing Signs of Coalition Fractures

Iran

Israel

Lebanon

Palestinian Territories

Italy

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she would not renew a 2006 defense agreement with Israel that pooled military research and helped cover expenses related to military equipment exchanges, Defense News reported on April 14.

Italy, Israel: Italy Suspends Defense Agreement With Israel

United Kingdom

EU member states formally approved a landmark agreement with the United Kingdom to integrate the British territory of Gibraltar, located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, into the operational rules of the Schengen area, according to an April 1 announcement from the European Commission.

EU, U.K.: EU Approves Gibraltar's Entry Into Schengen Area

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to halt trade with Spain and instructed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to "cut off all dealings" with the country amid tensions over Madrid's refusal to allow U.S. forces to use jointly operated bases for strikes on Iran, Reuters reported on March 3.

Spain, U.S.: Trump Threatens Trade Cutoff After Madrid Blocks Use of U.S. Bases for Iran Strikes

France

India

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to renew their bilateral defense cooperation framework for another decade, expand joint defense production, deepen interoperability, increase joint exercises and raise defense industrial integration, according to a Feb. 17 joint statement. 

France, Spain, India: Defense and Technology Cooperation Is Set To Deepen

Global Elections

The conservative People's Party (PP) won the Dec. 21 Extremadura regional elections with 43.2% of the vote and 29 of the 65 seats in the region's legislature, up one from the 2023 election, El Pais reported the same day. 

Spain: Right-Wing Parties Perform Strongly in Extremadura Regional Elections 

Snapshots

Germany

EU flags are displayed in the EU Council headquarters on July 9, 2026, in Brussels, Belgium.

While the European Union is unlikely to adopt the Spanish plan, it could drive an incremental expansion of common borrowing for strategic priorities like defense and industrial competitiveness.


Spain Broaches EU Taboo With Common Debt Proposal

A National Police van is parked in front of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party headquarters during the Civil Guard's police search on May 27, 2026, in Madrid, Spain. 

Widening inquiries into public procurement and influence peddling will continue to weaken the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

Scandals Linked to Spanish PM Sanchez Point to Continued Political Paralysis 

Assessments

Slovenia

Ireland

Hungary

The EU and Israeli flags in March 2024 in central Berlin's Rotes Rathaus. Although the European Union has sanctioned extremist Israeli settlers, deep-seated internal divisions and a reliance on Israeli defense systems will likely prevent the bloc from imposing comprehensive trade restrictions.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Although the European Union has sanctioned extremist Israeli settlers, deep-seated internal divisions and a reliance on Israeli defense systems will likely prevent the bloc from imposing comprehensive trade restrictions.

Targeted EU Sanctions on Israeli Settlers Unlikely To Broaden Into Wider Restrictions 

Algeria

A worker stands on the uploading dock of Cavaou LNG terminal in Fos-sur-Mer, France, on June 22, 2023, while the tanker boat "Lalla Fatma N'Soumer" arrives full of LNG ready to be delivered. 

Energy

Amid energy supply disruptions in the Middle East, Algeria's ability to capitalize on increased global prices and demand for energy exports will be constrained by limited spare capacity and bureaucratic obstacles.

Structural Constraints Will Limit Algeria's Ability To Capitalize on Tighter Energy Markets

Chile

Colombia

China

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. 

U.S.-Iran Relations

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

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

Portugal

People visit the 1627 Pilgrim Village at "Plimoth Plantation," where role-players portray pilgrims seven years after the arrival of the Mayflower, in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

On Thanksgiving, the United States celebrates the Plymouth Colony. However, few know that New England's colonization was a response to major geopolitical pressures -- particularly England's struggle against the Spanish both on the Continent and in the New World.

Thanksgiving and Puritan Geopolitics in the Americas

Venezuela

Uzbekistan

Ukraine

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Tanks on Sept. 23 in Caracas, Venezuela. The Trump administration has reportedly decided to attack military sites in Venezuela in strikes that could occur at any moment.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: Potential U.S. Strikes in Venezuela, U.S. Outreach in Central Asia

Carles Puigdemont, leader of Catalonia's pro-independence Junts party, delivers a speech in southwestern France on July 27, 2024, during a meeting held to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the party's founding. 

The end of a political pact between the ruling Socialists and Catalonia's Junts party will make it even harder for Prime Minister Sanchez to govern and pass laws, which could open the door to an early election.

Spain's Political Problems Worsen as Government Loses Catalan Support

Mexico

An anti-tourism protest in June in Barcelona, Spain. Anti-tourism sentiment is certain to grow in major tourist destinations, though it will be unevenly distributed globally, particularly as the tourism sector could face potential challenges in the future.

Social Issues

Anti-tourism sentiment is certain to grow in major tourist destinations, though it will be unevenly distributed globally, particularly as the tourism sector could face potential challenges in the future.

The Causes and Implications of the Rise in Anti-Tourism Sentiment

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez addresses lawmakers during a plenary session at the Spanish parliament in Madrid on July 9, 2025. 

The prime minister's Socialist-led government will likely survive in the short term, but ongoing policy paralysis, corruption scandals and public discontent could trigger early elections, potentially bringing the far right to power.

Sanchez's Mounting Political Challenges Spell Trouble for Spain

The entrance of the building where the 2025 NATO summit will be held is seen in The Hague, the Netherlands, on June 22, 2025.

The June 24-25 summit will likely yield a political agreement on higher defense spending and highlight Europe's move toward greater defense autonomy, though structural and financial limitations will make it hard to maintain this shift over time. 

Previewing the 2025 NATO Summit

<p>Spain is located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula and is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, France, the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal. Spain is separated from France by the Pyrenees, a protective mountain barrier between the two countries. The Strait of Gibraltar divides Spain from Africa, which at its narrowest is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) wide. This eased the invasion of the Moors in the eighth century during the rise of the Islamic caliphate. The Arab presence lasted until the end of the 15th century, when Christian Spanish kingdoms unified modern Spain. This unification helped Spain compete with other maritime powers such as the United Kingdom and continental powers like France. Spain&rsquo;s access to the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic, along with its need for natural resources, promoted its consolidation into one of the greatest naval and colonial powers of Europe. While Spain has had external challenges, its main geographic challenge comes from within. Spain&rsquo;s core is Madrid, the country&rsquo;s capital, most populated city and political center. Madrid sits on Spain&rsquo;s Meseta Central and was chosen as the capital in the 16th century to allow more centralized control of the country. But Spain&rsquo;s mountainous terrain has historically determined its political life by hindering communication between different regions within the country. This geography has led to the emergence of regionalist and separatist movements, especially in Catalonia and the Basque Country. Spain&rsquo;s challenge, then, is to bring about a truly united nation with a balance of power between the central government in Madrid and the autonomous regions, especially as Catalonia.</p>

EU: Regional Blocs

Divided EU Foreign Policies

The Fate of the Eurozone

European Disintegration

SITUATION REPORTS

U.S., Spain: Trump Orders Treasury To 'End All Trade' With Spain

Russia, North Korea: Sunken Russian Ship Raises Concerns Over Possible Nuclear Technology Transfer

Spain: Parliament Rejects Housing Decree Amid Growing Signs of Coalition Fractures

Italy, Israel: Italy Suspends Defense Agreement With Israel

EU, U.K.: EU Approves Gibraltar's Entry Into Schengen Area

Spain, U.S.: Trump Threatens Trade Cutoff After Madrid Blocks Use of U.S. Bases for Iran Strikes

France, Spain, India: Defense and Technology Cooperation Is Set To Deepen

Spain: Right-Wing Parties Perform Strongly in Extremadura Regional Elections

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