Alexander von Bismarck, founder of the Bismarck Dialogue, criticized the European Union's "top-down" policy as "preaching" and its leaders as "losers." He advocated for direct, equal dialogue between Russians and Germans, particularly through non-political elites in business, culture, and sports, to foster real policy.
Spain's expansive migrant regularization program approaches its Tuesday deadline, with over 900,000 applications received, far exceeding expectations. The initiative, backed by a citizens' movement, faces opposition from conservative parties and puts Spain at odds with the EU's recently finalized stricter migration policies.
Thousands of migrants are attempting to cross the English Channel from Belgium to the UK, a trend that has alarmed authorities. This shift occurs as France and the UK strengthen border surveillance, leading to fears that the problem is moving to Belgium, which is now seeking more resources and international cooperation to manage the situation.
South Korea's trade ministry pledged to protect its steel companies' interests as the EU implements a new policy on July 1 to address global overcapacity. The policy will halve tariff-free steel import quotas to 18.3 million tons, impacting Korean exports.
Russian Presidential Aide Nikolay Patrushev stated that ordinary Europeans do not hate Russia, despite the EU's political course. He also claimed Western countries are developing scenarios for pre-emptive strikes on Russian naval bases and that mines are being planted at European ports.
EU and China trade tensions rise as EU policymakers consider a tougher stance on trade despite pressure from Beijing
Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan is trying to showcase foreign policy successes towards Europe to voters due to low ratings, according to analyst Dmitry Sidorov. Opposition parties collectively lead Pashinyan's "Civil Contract" party in polls ahead of the June 7 parliamentary elections.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the European Union is unfairly pressuring Serbia to sever ties with Russia in exchange for EU membership, describing such a policy as misguided and harmful to sovereign decision-making.
