Πέμπτη 11 Ιουνίου 2026
8 άρθρα
Iran closes Hormuz as oil hits $93
Following new US strikes, Tehran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed to commercial traffic, immediately pushing Brent crude toward $93 a barrel. While European storage remains the primary buffer, the loss of Qatari LNG flows is forcing a global bidding war that has already raised benchmark gas prices by 35%. Brussels now faces a winter supply gap as injection rates fall behind the 90% mandatory target.
Hungary bids for €16.4 billion under August deadline
Budapest submitted a revised recovery plan on 10 June to release frozen post-pandemic funds before a critical 31 August cutoff. The package includes anti-corruption overhauls and a plan to route €4 billion through the state development bank to bypass long-term oversight. While Hungary unblocked €6.6 billion in military aid for Ukraine to gain leverage, the European Commission faces intense legal pressure from MEPs to verify reforms strictly.
Romania reports 40 drone breaches to NATO
After 40 airspace incursions and a drone strike on a Galati apartment block, Bucharest is pressing NATO to fill a critical low-altitude defense gap. While the alliance effectively monitors high-altitude threats, it currently lacks the specific radars and jammers needed to intercept cheap drones hugging the terrain. Necessary hardware upgrades are not expected to reach the southeastern flank until at least 2027.
Russia builds capacity for 115,000 border troops
Satellite imagery shows construction accelerating at 16 bases from the Arctic to the Baltic Sea, creating infrastructure for a massive troop increase once the war in Ukraine ends. While NATO has activated new forward forces in Finland, the alliance faces a logistics bottleneck in Germany. The physical build-up suggests Moscow is preparing for a long-term presence of 80,000 soldiers near the Finnish border alone.
Berlin and Warsaw clash over €6.6bn fund
With Hungary’s veto finally lifted, EU defense ministers are divided over whether to use the released €6.6 billion to repay frontline donors like Poland or buy new equipment for Ukraine. Warsaw is demanding full reimbursement for past shipments, while Berlin argues that wartime funds must prioritize immediate battlefield needs over settling old accounts among member states.
Ukrainian anti-drone experts head to Latvia
Latvia is bypassing slow NATO procurement by signing a bilateral deal with Kyiv for battlefield-tested technology and specialists. As Baltic states race to build a defensive drone wall this June, nations like Romania struggle with airspace incursions and legal paralysis, exposing a fragmented European response to low-altitude Russian threats.
Europe needs 1.3 extra LNG tankers daily
EU gas storage currently sits at 42% capacity, trailing the seasonal average by 14 percentage points. To reach the mandatory 90% target by November, the bloc must secure extra shipments amid fierce global competition and a ban on Russian short-term contracts. While Spain remains well-stocked, Germany and the Netherlands are relying on state-backed financing to bridge the supply gap.
Cyprus offers €2,000 for Syrian returns
The voluntary program targets families by offering cash incentives and a two-year work permit for one remaining spouse, bypassing the strict EU legal requirements for forced deportations. Because the move is voluntary, the government avoids the need to prove Syria is safe under the Qualification Directive. The scheme highlights a shift toward pragmatic workarounds as EU return rates remain stuck at 28%.