STRIKE THE TRUTH

It is hard to escape the fact that the world is being shaped by the great superpowers: Russia, China and America. Despite the European Union being a great economic power, or Africa a mighty continent filled with billions of people, they still don't influence geopolitics as much as the top three mighty countries. Even India, with its 1,47 billion people and expanding economy doesn't have half the clout that the other mighty countries have.  In this blog post, we have a look at a pertinent question for our time: is a new Cold War here? Will things escalate further?    WHAT DEFINED THE ORIGINAL COLD WAR? The Cold War was, at its core, a structured conflict. Two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, dominated a bipolar world. Their rivalry was not just geopolitical, but ideological: capitalism versus communism, liberal democracy versus centralized authoritarian rule. This competition played out across multiple dimensions. Proxy wars erupted in distant regions. ...

Trump's special military operation in Iran has now been going on for almost two months. In this time, not much has been achieved. So what is America's plan with this war? In this week's blog post, I want to explore what is going on in Iran: what America's goals are, and how this conflict might end. THE WAR SO FAR Iran has been going through a very turbulent time over the past year. There were widespread protests, during which many people died. These protests were largely related to the economic situation in Iran. Many people felt that the regime did not support them. Young people in particular felt that they had no opportunities. Trump appears to have seen an opportunity to encourage these protests to grow. Alongside the unrest, he took the chance to launch attacks. Two months on, however, we still do not know exactly why. During the time the war has been going on, Ali Khamenei has been killed and replaced by his son. We have not seen the son publicly since the start of...

This week, I want to take a closer look at the war in Ukraine, with a particular focus on the occupied territories. The situation in these areas remains deeply concerning, and it is important that we continue to talk about it. The war has now lasted for more than a decade since Russia’s initial intervention in 2014, and there is always a risk that people outside the region begin to look away. That must not happen. In this post, I will look at which areas are occupied, how civilians are reportedly being treated, and why the future of these regions remains central to any discussion of peace. UKRAINE’S OCCUPIED AREAS Russia currently controls roughly one-fifth of Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory. This includes most or all of Crimea, large parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and occupied areas in the south, including parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Cities such as Mariupol have also been under Russian control since earlier stages of the full-scale invasion. Life in th...

This weekend, Hungarians head to the polls in a pivotal election with far-reaching implications for Europe. Long-serving Prime Minister Viktor Orbán faces a serious challenge, raising the possibility of a political turning point. Yet the stakes are high, and the outcome remains uncertain. In this week’s blog post, we ask: will voters opt for change and back the opposition leader, Péter Magyar, or will Orbán extend his 16-year grip on power? WHO IS PETER MAGYAR? Péter Magyar has spent the past two years on a relentless campaign that now culminates this weekend, positioning himself as the most serious challenger in years to Viktor Orbán. Born in 1981, Magyar grew up in a well-educated, middle-class family with strong ties to public service, an environment that exposed him early to law, governance, and national politics. He later studied law and economics at leading Hungarian institutions and gained international experience, building a technocratic profile grounded in constitutional think...

With the war in Iran entering its second month, and with renewed talk of Donald Trump ’s ambitions tied to Iran’s oil, we are forced to confront an uncomfortable question: what kind of world are we living in? What does it mean when the leader of the so-called free world appears willing to intervene in nation after nation, driven by access to resources and strategic gain? How might rival powers respond? Countries like Russia and China are always watching, carefully assessing every move made by the United States . And as the saying goes, what is good for one may soon be justified for others. In this week’s blog, I want to reflect on this reality. Is this the kind of world we want—one where power and profit outweigh principle? What has become of alliances, diplomacy, and the shared goal of promoting democracy? NO CLEAR AMBITI ONS IN IRAN Let’s take a closer look at the current state of the war in Iran. At the moment, the primary objective seems to be reopening the Strait of Hormuz...

Several Telegram channels have recently promoted the idea of a “Narva People’s Republic". This campaign closely resembles the messaging used during the occupation of Crimea and Donbas in 2014. While small channels alone may have limited influence, the broader context is concerning. Russian television hosts are also openly discussing the possibility of invading Narva to disrupt NATO, and several high-level European leaders have warned that Russia could test Europe in the near future. Taken together, these signals raise serious concerns about regional security in Europe.  This week’s blog post explores these questions: How capable is Russia of striking Europe, and are the Baltic states at risk of an attack in the near term?   WHAT IS THE NARVA PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC? Over the past few weeks, a number of pro-Russian Telegram channels and social media accounts have been circulating claims about a so-called “ Narva People’s Republic ” in north-eastern Estonia, near the Russian border. T...

Three weeks in, and the war in Iran is only growing more complicated. As noted last week, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, oil prices are still elevated, and questions about America’s intentions in Iran persist—still unresolved after all this time. One notable development in the conversation surrounding this conflict is the comparison being drawn between Iran and Ukraine: which war matters more, and which is more likely to reshape the balance of power on the global stage? That’s the question I want to explore in this post. In the shadow of a new and escalating crisis, are we beginning to forget Ukraine? WHAT IS GOING ON IN IRAN? At this stage, the situation in Iran remains tense but largely unchanged in its broader trajectory. Reports continue to suggest ongoing exchanges between Iran and opposing forces in the region, with military activity contributing to instability across neighboring countries. States such as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are feeling the spillover effects o...