New rules are intended to institutionalize and thus consolidate Xi Jinping's power. The “Chairman of Everything” feels so secure in his power that he delegates tasks to close members of the leadership.
By Andreas Landwehr
China aspires to become the global AI leader and overtake the US both economically and militarily. Massive resources are being poured into a national AI stack – with mixed results.
By Julia Fiedler
Phlair, a German startup, wants to filter CO₂ out of the atmosphere using a new, energy-saving approach and build a DAC plant in Canada for this purpose. However, it's unclear whether the process would have a chance in Germany.
By Nico Beckert
The Lithuania Brigade is taking shape, but there is still a long way to go before the next milestone at the end of the year – achieving command capability. A wargame has now revealed weaknesses that need to be addressed quickly.
By Lisa-Martina Klein
In its proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework, the European Commission has earmarked EUR 131 billion for defense and space. That’s nearly five times more than before and represents the single biggest increase of any budget line.
By Stephan Israel and Viktor Funk
In its new medium‑term EU budget, the EU envisions a single financing instrument for international cooperation between the EU and third countries. This could mean that funding for the flagship Global Gateway initiative may be assigned a lower priority.
By Lucia Weiß
With its new 2028–2034 budget, the European Commission plans to allocate EUR 700 billion for climate action and environmental protection. But individual measures will face tougher odds – partly due to a win for nuclear energy advocates.
By Manuel Berkel and Lukas Knigge
At the beginning of July, a Chinese warship aimed a laser at a German reconnaissance aircraft flying over the Red Sea. What was behind this incident?
By Angela Köckritz
Will the EU form a new climate axis with China after the US withdrawal? The chances of a breakthrough before the summit are slim. But there are many areas in which closer cooperation would be in both parties' interests.
By Lukas Knigge, Nico Beckert and Bernhard Pötter
The EU wants to spend significantly more money on defense, security, and Europe's role on the world stage. Almost EUR 400 billion are also new for a crisis mechanism so that the association of states can react better to unexpected events.
By Stephan Israel
