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Today, let’s turn our attention to the $300 billion in frozen Russian state assets held across Europe and other Western countries—funds that should be redirected to support Ukraine, not returned to the Kremlin. These assets are currently protected under EU sanctions, which must be unanimously renewed by all 27 member states every six months. That includes Hungary and Slovakia—two countries whose leaders have recently taken troubling steps toward aligning with Moscow. In this post, we’ll explore why the question of what to do with these funds has become more urgent than ever, as the war in Ukraine drags on and reconstruction needs continue to grow. Returning the assets to Russia would be nothing short of financing its next wave of aggression.  CAN THE EU HOLD THE LINE? Up to now, the EU has managed to maintain consensus through a mix of creative diplomacy and behind-the-scenes pressure. But that fragile unity is increasingly under threat. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán mainta...

This past week has been dominated by intense debate over the Trump administration’s so-called “final” peace proposal. Unsurprisingly, the deal heavily favors Russia while offering Ukraine little more than vague promises and unworkable demands. P resident Zelenskyy has rightfully rejected the plan, which essentially rewards Russian aggression and compromises Ukraine’s sovereignty. Meanwhile, the Kremlin remains silent—likely because the proposal already gives them everything they want. In this post, we’ll break down what this controversial deal entails, what it means for Ukraine’s future, and the limited but crucial paths still available to President Zelenskyy. WHAT’S IN THE “PEACE” PLAN? After weeks of veiled threats that the U.S. might “walk away” if no agreement is reached, Trump’s team has now presented their “final offer.” But rather than being a fair roadmap to peace, the plan includes: Recognition of Crimea as Russian territory, legitimizing the 2014 annexation Weak and ambiguous...

I wanted to take this week to highlight a lesser-known but remarkable Polish heroine: Elżbieta Zawacka—better known by her codename, Agent Zo. A soldier, resistance fighter, and later an academic, Zawacka’s life unfolded during some of the most turbulent chapters in Polish history—marked by war, occupation, political repression, and ultimately, the reemergence of a free Poland. As the only woman among the elite "Silent Unseen" paratroopers during World War II, Agent Zo shattered the expectations of her era. She devoted her life to the cause of her country’s independence, demonstrating extraordinary courage and resilience. This blog post delves into the incredible journey of Elżbieta Zawacka—not only as a fearless fighter in the deadliest conflict of our time, but also as a trailblazer navigating a world dominated by patriarchy. Elżbieta Zawacka defined gender norms during WWII (Credit: General Elżbieta Zawacka Foundation)   EARLY LIFE Elżbieta Zawacka was born on March 19, 19...

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been writing about Russia’s escalating sabotage efforts across Europe — and the ripple effects they’re having on daily life. These aren’t just isolated acts of aggression; they’re calculated strikes that go beyond the physical, shaking Europe’s psychological resilience and undermining a broader sense of stability. Al ongside these attacks are sharp, hyper-targeted disinformation campaigns, designed to stoke fear, deepen confusion, and pit communities against each other. In this post, I want to dig deeper into why Russia is turning to these hybrid tactics in NATO and EU countries — and why they’re working far more effectively than many expected. WHY SABOTAGE AND DISINFORMATION? Moscow’s playbook here isn’t new. Sabotage and disinformation were key tools of Soviet-era strategy — but today, they’ve been supercharged. The methods are leaner, faster, and harder to pin down. These are low-cost, high-disruption operations with strategic ambiguity built in. The po...

This week, let's dive into a concept that's all too familiar to those affected by the war in Ukraine. It's a dangerous idea—one that kills. It's a stupid concept. One that doesn't make sense. It's called Russkiy mir, or the Russian world. The term started gaining traction in the early 2000s, when Putin began using it to justify his imperial ambitions. In this post, we'll take a look at what this ideology really is, why it's so dangerous, and why those of us in the West need to pay close attention.   WHAT IS RUSSKIY MIR ? At the heart of the Russkiy mir concept is the belief that those who speak Russian, follow the Russian Orthodox Church, and share a common Russian historical narrative are bound together by a deep cultural and spiritual unity. This vision extends beyond Russia’s borders, encompassing people in Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, parts of the Baltics, and other former Soviet states. But this idea often glosses over—or outright denies—the dist...

There’s been a lot of chatter lately about Trump and his tariffs. That’s pretty much the core strategy of the Trump era—grab as many headlines as possible, then constantly shift the narrative. It’s the classic “flood the zone” move. And while the tariff debate is certainly important, we can’t lose sight of the broader picture: we’re living in a world filled with uncertainty and real threats. One threat that hasn’t gone away is Russia—and it remains the biggest danger facing Europe. In this blog post, I want to turn the spotlight on Russia’s sabotage operations across the continent. WE ARE AT WAR, WE ARE JUST NOT SAYING IT Some experts believe that Europe is already at war with Russia. Our governments just don’t want to admit it, because acknowledging it would open a door to a dark and dangerous path—one that most politicians would rather avoid. So instead, we call it hybrid influence, scare tactics, sabotage—anything but war. It’s an interesting idea. Personally, I agree—we are alrea...

The idea that the United States—especially under Donald Trump—wants to weaken Europe might sound like some kind of conspiracy theory at first. But when you zoom out and look at the bigger picture—global power dynamics, long-term strategy, and America’s past behavior across different administrations—it starts to feel a little less far-fetched. Now, to be clear, there’s no official U.S. policy that says “let’s take down the EU.” But, if you’ve been following recent events, like JD Vance’s comments in the Signal app mess or Trump’s famously wild remark that “the European Union was made to ruin America,” you can’t help but notice the tension. In this post, we’ll dig into some key areas where those tensions show up, and why it feels like Trump has it out for European unity.   GEOPOLITICAL FOLLOWERS, NOT PARTNERS Let’s start with the basics: international relations are competitive by nature. Countries don’t operate on friendship—they operate on interest. Even close allies like the U.S. a...

In today’s increasingly tense global landscape, the relationship between powerful nations and smaller, self-governing regions is drawing more attention than ever. One of the clearest examples is the growing strain between China and Taiwan. These tensions have been building for years, with Taiwan regularly facing pressure from Beijing—everything from diplomatic isolation to near-constant military drills by the People’s Liberation Army in the Taiwan Strait. It’s no wonder the region feels on edge. In this post, I’m taking a fresh look at Taiwan and the mounting pressure it’s under from China. Despite its small size, Taiwan plays a massive role in the global tech scene—especially when it comes to producing microchips and other critical components that power our digital world. If the West loses sight of just how important that is, the consequences could be steep. China isn’t just flexing its military strength—it’s rapidly expanding its influence economically and socially, too.    ...