The European Commission wants to present draft legislation by the end of the year to help protect women from violence. It therefore has the same objective as the Istanbul Convention, which was also rejected in Slovakia. The Commission now has the difficult task of identifying areas where a common European policy would not only be necessary and helpful, but also passable.

As the migratory wave from Afghanistan intensifies and may intensify further in the coming months, the European Union is carefully assessing its response options. It wants to avoid the disastrous déjà vu of 2015, when the basic principles of European and international law were not respected.

Before the pandemic, the European Union was preparing to repair relations with Russia. But the repression of the Kremlin's opposition, complications with the recognition of the Sputnik V vaccine, as well as intelligence information regarding the explosion in Vrbětice, have slowed down the agenda.

NATO attempted so-called “Trump-proofing” before the US election, but its results are questionable. In addition to securing continued support for Ukraine, allies have emphasised the issues that are the biggest thorns in the side of the new US administration.

The plan to build a European Defence Union faces both criticism and challenges, but Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius warns that preparing for worst-case scenarios is essential. “The Kremlin's attacks may soon cross the EU borders,” he said during his hearing. The European Commission is hence enhancing investment in defence and military capabilities.