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Swedish authorities seized and boarded a vessel as part of a preliminary investigation into a suspected sabotage incident of a fiber-optic sea cable in the Baltic Sea connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland that occurred on Jan. 26, AP reported the next day. 

Europe: Officials Seize Vessel, Investigate Latest Sea Cable Incident as Sabotage

China

Lithuania

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Finland

The operations of two subsea cables running across the Baltic Sea -- the C-Lion1 subsea cable connecting Finland and Germany and the nearby BCS East-West Interlink cable linking Lithuania to the Swedish island of Gotland -- were disrupted apparently due to physical damage, Reuters reported on Nov. 18.

Europe: Two Baltic Subsea Cables Ruptured in Suspected Sabotage

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The Afghan Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would not honor documents, including passports and visas, issued by diplomats linked to the former Western-backed Islamic Republic of Afghanistan at several missions in Europe and other Western countries, AP reported on July 30. 

Afghanistan: Taliban Disavows Some Afghan Diplomatic Missions in Europe and Other Western Countries

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Several EU countries -- including Estonia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Sweden -- are pushing for sanctions against Georgia, including the suspension of visa-free travel to the bloc, in response to the government's efforts to pass the "foreign agents" bill, the Financial Times reported on May 22.

Georgia: EU Members Push for Sanctions Against Georgia Over 'Foreign Agents' Bill

Sweden formally became a member of NATO after Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson submitted the final documentation to the U.S. government, Reuters reported on March 7.

Sweden: Stockholm Formally Joins NATO

Hungary

Hungary's National Assembly approved Sweden's NATO accession request, and the country's speaker of parliament and president are expected to formally ratify the law in the coming days, Reuters reported on Feb. 26.

Hungary, Sweden: Sweden To Join NATO as Hungary Finally Ratifies Accession Bid

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The European Commission recommended reducing the European Union's net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 compared with 1990 levels, Reuters reported Feb. 6. 

EU: Brussels to Exclude Agriculture from 90% Emissions Reduction Target for 2040

Turkey

Turkey's National Assembly approved Sweden's NATO bid, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will likely sign the law into effect in the upcoming days, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 23.

Turkey, Sweden: Turkish National Assembly Approves Sweden's NATO Bid

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Why is the Baltic such a critical and complex region?

Essential Geopolitics: Remilitarization in the Baltic

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On Geopolitics

Europe

Ukraine

Belarus

A view in Rostock, Germany, of the first exit of warships for the NATO exercise BALTOPS in the Baltic Sea on June 5, 2025. 

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

In response to Russian aggression, NATO is seeking to establish strategic control over the Baltic Sea via rearmament and more assertive posturing, creating an environment where the risk of miscalculation grows exponentially.

Baltic on the Brink: The New Flashpoint in Europe's Confrontation With Russia

Assessments

The Hywind Tampen floating offshore wind farm, situated between energy company Equinor's oil and gas fields Snorre and Gullfaks in the Norwegian North Sea off the coast of Bergen.

Energy

The likelihood of Russian attacks targeting Europe's offshore energy infrastructure is increasing, but Moscow is likely to avoid actions that could cause major disruptions.

Russia's Increasingly Aggressive Sabotage Threatens Europe's Offshore Energy Network

Hungarian police officers check cars at the Nickelsdorf-Hegyeshalom border crossing on the Austrian-Hungarian border on March 18, 2020. 

Increasing levels of migration, terrorism activity and Russian aggression in Europe are driving Schengen countries to tighten their border controls, heralding a more spotty functioning of the passport-free travel zone.

Growing Border Controls Threaten Europe's Schengen Area

Snapshots

An apartment block damaged when a gang-related bomb exploded early Feb. 2 in Sundbyberg, Sweden. Persistently high and increasingly politicized violent crime rates in Sweden could negatively affect the country's political stability, international reputation, social cohesion and economic growth.

If unresolved, rising violent criminal activity could exacerbate social tensions, cause political instability and lead to a gradual deterioration of the country's business environment.

Persistent Gang Violence in Sweden Threatens Political Stability and the Economy

A heavy-lift helicopter operated by the U.S. military flies over a tank in Setermoen, Norway, during a military exercise involving NATO troops and partner countries on March 22, 2022. 

The U.S.'s new pacts with Sweden, Finland and Denmark signal its intent to play a key role in transforming NATO's approach to securing its northern flank against Russia.

The Significance of U.S. Defense Cooperation Agreements in Northern Europe

Members of the European Parliament take part in voting on the Artificial Intelligence Act during a plenary session at the European Parliament.

Cyber

The EU's recently negotiated Artificial Intelligence Act will bolster the European Union's dominance as a regulatory heavyweight in emerging technologies, yet anticipated enforcement challenges and stringent stipulations with the Act risk impeding AI innovation within the bloc.

EU Lawmakers Clinch Agreement on Artificial Intelligence Act 

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Israeli and EU Flags

Israel-Hamas Conflict

A lack of a unified EU response to the Israel-Hamas War highlights divisions among member states' foreign policies, complicating the bloc's plans to play a meaningful role in the conflict, as well as efforts to maintain unified support for Ukraine.

Israel-Hamas War Highlights Divisions Among EU Member States

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

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

Now that Turkey's president has agreed to back Sweden's NATO accession, what does Ankara's relationship with Russia look like?

Essential Geopolitics: What Sweden's NATO Accession Process Says About Turkey-Russia Ties

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a press conference during the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 12, 2023.

The eleventh-hour decision reflects Turkey's careful balancing act as it seeks to secure Western investment and weapons deals without jeopardizing its close relationship with Russia.

What to Make of Turkey's Move to Unblock Sweden's NATO Bid

The Romanian and EU flags are seen at the European Commission's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium in February 2017.

Pushback from other EU members is impeding Bucharest's bid to join the passport-free zone, which would have both economic and political consequences for the country.

The Risks of Romania's Protracted Accession to the EU's Schengen Area

SITUATION REPORTS

Europe: Officials Seize Vessel, Investigate Latest Sea Cable Incident as Sabotage

Europe: Two Baltic Subsea Cables Ruptured in Suspected Sabotage

Afghanistan: Taliban Disavows Some Afghan Diplomatic Missions in Europe and Other Western Countries

Georgia: EU Members Push for Sanctions Against Georgia Over 'Foreign Agents' Bill

Sweden: Stockholm Formally Joins NATO

Hungary, Sweden: Sweden To Join NATO as Hungary Finally Ratifies Accession Bid

EU: Brussels to Exclude Agriculture from 90% Emissions Reduction Target for 2040

Turkey, Sweden: Turkish National Assembly Approves Sweden's NATO Bid

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