Σάββατο 23 Μαΐου 2026
8 άρθρα
Pentagon cuts US combat brigades in Europe
The US has returned ground forces to pre-2022 levels, reducing combat brigades from four to three. While Donald Trump pledged 5,000 additional troops to Poland, the move follows a pattern of withdrawing hardware and personnel from allies like Germany. In response, European states are accelerating domestic procurement and leaning on France’s nuclear deterrent umbrella to replace American leverage.
Untargeted tax cuts swallow 72% of energy relief
Eurozone finance ministers are calling for targeted support as oil market disruptions push fuel and gas prices higher. However, 72% of the €11 billion committed so far remains tied to regressive measures like VAT reductions. With deficits climbing in 13 countries and subsidies set to expire in June, governments must balance fiscal stability against a looming cost-of-living shock.
Kövesi targets Greece over €2.6 billion obstruction
EU Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruța Kövesi has formally notified the Commission of systemic obstruction in Greece, marking the first time the bloc's fund-suspension tool has targeted a political ally. The move follows Greek legislative changes that fast-track investigations for MPs and shorten prosecutor mandates. With €2.68 billion at stake across 175 fraud cases, Brussels must now decide whether to discipline a government within its own political family.
Hungary nears €10.4 billion EU payout
Péter Magyar is in Brussels to unlock frozen funds, but the deal faces a significant legal threat from the European Court of Justice. While the Commission frames the payout as a reward for democratic renewal, a pending case could rule that releasing money based on political promises rather than implemented reforms violates EU law. Hungary is racing an August 2026 deadline to rescue its allocation.
Romania’s F-16 triggers NATO authority debate
Following the first drone shootdown in the Baltic mission’s history, frontline states are pushing to scrap peacetime protocols that require national sign-off for every engagement. The current authority gap forces a hand-off between NATO and national capitals before a pilot can fire, a delay leaders want resolved by the Ankara Summit as Russia escalates threats against Latvian bases.
Dutch court weighs Shell’s 45% climate order
The Dutch Supreme Court heard arguments on 22 May to decide if judges can mandate specific carbon reduction targets for corporations. While courts in five European jurisdictions have recognized a legal duty for fossil fuel companies to address climate change, none have yet imposed a binding percentage cut. This case fills a regulatory gap left after the EU weakened its corporate sustainability laws in early 2026.
Stellantis cuts 800,000 cars from European production
The world’s fourth-largest carmaker is pivoting its €60 billion strategic plan toward North America, where profit margins double those in Europe. While European capacity drops by 800,000 vehicles, legacy plants in Spain and France will be repurposed to assemble Chinese-engineered EVs. This shift highlights a structural cost gap as the company shelves battery gigafactory plans in Germany and Italy.
Lithuania loses 600,000 property records
The theft of 600,000 files from Lithuania’s property and corporate registries highlights a systemic vulnerability in the digital plumbing of European ownership. While the EU’s NIS2 directive mandates higher security for these essential entities, five member states have now suffered major breaches due to missing anomaly detection. These databases are being drained through compromised credentials rather than direct technical exploits.