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1. Russian nuclear weapons at Europe's doorstep

Russia has deployed tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, marking the first time its nuclear arsenal has been stationed outside Russian territory since the Cold War....

2. Politico: Cypriot firm linked to Belarusian leader exploits sanctions loophole

A recent investigation by Belarusian journalists has uncovered that a company based in Cyprus is profiting from inflated contracts related to the export of potash, a key ingredient in fertilizer, from Belarus....

3. Poland's big parade shows readiness

Poland held its largest military parade in decades on Tuesday, in a flex of defensive muscle that comes as tensions rise on the border between the NATO nation and key Russian ally Belarus....

4. Prigozhin meets Putin after failed mercenary march on Moscow

The Kremlin has said the Wagner group head, Yevgeny Prigozhin, met Vladimir Putin on 29 June, five days after his mercenary fighters marched towards Moscow in an aborted rebellion....

5. Russia to close investigation into mercenary-led rebellion

Russian authorities said Tuesday they have closed a criminal investigation into the aborted armed rebellion led by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and are pressing no charges against him or his troops....

6. Belarus receives Russian tactical nuclear weapons

Belarus has started to receive tactical nuclear weapons from Russia, its leader has said....

7. More ‘Golden Passports’ revoked

The Council of Ministers decided last week to revoke the citizenship of four more Russians, including their family members, who obtained ‘Golden Passports’ under the island’s disgraced Citizenship by Investment scheme that was brought to an abrupt end in November 2020....

8. Russia targets new cities and calls on foreign ‘volunteers’ to join fight

Russia launched airstrikes deeper into Ukraine and called on foreign “volunteers” to join its war on Friday as Moscow stepped up unfounded allegations over chemical weapons threats. ...

9. Facebook allows war posts urging violence against Russian invaders

Meta Platforms will allow Facebook and Instagram users in some countries to call for violence against Russians and Russian soldiers in the context of the Ukraine invasion, according to internal emails seen by Reuters on Thursday, in a temporary change to its hate speech policy....

10. Ukraine’s Foreign Legion Is Ready for Battle

Resistance against Russian President Vladimir Putin is growing as foreign fighters start trickling in to join forces with Ukrainians on the ground and those returning home to fight for their nation....

11. Lukashenko may have mistakenly revealed plans for the Russian invasion

12. EU bans all Russian owned aircraft from EU airspace, private and commercial

EC President Ursula von der Leyen announced today a ban on all Russian-owned aircraft, including commercial airlines and private jets owned by oligarchs...

13. Delegations from Kiev and Russia to meet at Belarus border for peacetalks

Volodymyr Zelensky today confirmed negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow would be held at the border with Belarus - as Vladimir Putin ordered the forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent to be on alert amid simmering tensions with the West....

14. Immigration: Anastasiades' five requests to the EU

"The country is in a state of emergency in terms of migration flows, and there is absolutely no chance of accommodating more migrants,"...

15. The Evros example

The West, particularly Europe, is faced with a dilemma. It is challenged by tough players that casually utilize threats and blackmail....

16. Dozens of migrants pushed their way into Poland from Belarus

Two large groups of immigrants crossed the border into Belarus and entered the territory of Poland, the Polish news agency PAP reported late last night....

17. Cyprus airs migration grievances at divided Europe

Interior Minister Nicos Nouris wants strong EU awareness on external borders to be shown in Cyprus as well, in remarks he made near the buffer zone on Sunday, just two days after the European Commission president signaled there would be no funding for barbed wire and walls...

18. NATO must 'stand together' in Afghanistan

The political and military leadership of the Afghan Army must shoulder a significant part of the blame for its swift collapse...

19. Greek on ‘highjacked’ plane draws attention

Many questions remained unanswered in the aftermath of the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Belarus, including the identity of five passengers that got off at Minsk and a report saying one of them was a Greek national...

20. West furious over Belarus ‘hijacking’ plane

A passenger plane flying from Athens to Lithuania was diverted to Belarus on Sunday, with reports suggesting secret foreign agents in the Greek capital took part in a plot described as a 'state hijacking' by Minsk to arrest a political dissident on board...

21. What Berlin made clear to Nicosia

German officials coordinating with Nicosia, after the Republic of Cyprus told the foreign affairs council that it would use its veto power if sanctions against Belarus are not linked with those against Turkey, said that the prospect of sanctions against Turkey is a distant scenario....

22. The four scenarios after the 'veto'

The decision on EU sanctions has been postponed for the meeting of the 27 leaders of member states, likely to take place on October 1 and 2 due to a case of coronavirus. At that meeting, it will become clear whether the case of Belarus will be linked with whether sanctions will be imposed on Turkey for its provocations in the Cyprus EEZ or not. Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides made it clear to the Council of Foreign Ministers that what was agreed in Berlin should be respected, in essence using his veto. Whether Nicosia will maintain this position until the end will be seen at the summit of the 27....

23. EU fails to unblock sanctions due to lack on unanimity

European Union foreign ministers failed to overcome a diplomatic standoff over Belarus on Monday despite an appeal by the country's main opposition leader to approve sanctions on officials accused of rigging the election last month....

24. Sanctions unfeasible and ineffective

Nathalie Tocci was a close adviser to former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, during the years when the Cyprus Problem came – according to many - closer than ever to a solution. Today, she is a close advisor to Josep Borrell and, having monitored the Cyprus Problem for many years and having played a central role in the effort to formulate a European strategy for foreign policy, she has a strong view not only on Cyprus but also on the Greek-Turkish conflict. At the same time, she takes a critical approach to the efforts exerted by Athens and Nicosia to link sanctions against Turkey with those against Belarus. ...