Geopolitical Shifts: EU-Central Asia Partnership and Finland’s Response to Security Threats
This week, we explore the outcome of the first EU–Central Asia Summit, along with Finland’s strategic response to emerging security threats. Enjoy! The First EU-Central Asia Summit in Samarkand On 4 April, EU representatives met with the leaders of five countries from Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – at the first […]
B&K Agency hosted its Annual Aperitif & Dinner reception in Verona
Last week, B&K Agency hosted our Annual Aperitif & Dinner reception alongside the renowned Italian wine fair VinItaly in Verona. Each year, we are delighted to welcome our partners, clients, and distinguished European stakeholders from the realms of business, government and civil society for an exclusive evening of wine tasting and networking. This year’s event […]
Liberation Day Aftermath: The New Reality for European Trade
Today, we look at the new ‘reciprocal’ tariffs announced by the Trump administration, their potential effect on the European Union – focusing on the steel and aluminium industries – and the European response. ‘Liberation Day’ On 2 April, dubbed ‘Liberation Day’, the Trump administration presented a series of reciprocal tariffs on imports in a move […]
Türkiye and the future of European defence
This week, we look at the latest events in Türkiye that have heightened political tensions in the country, and the recently published White Paper that is set to change the future of European defence. Enjoy! Türkiye in turmoil – Protests over the arrest of Erdoğan’s rival Ekrem İmamoğlu On 19 March, Ekrem İmamoğlu, the current […]
Europe’s trade with the U.S. and defence policy have taken a big turn in the past few weeks. The U.S. has been making some tough decisions on tariffs, which suggests it is using economic pressure to try to change trade agreements. At the same time, the European Parliament has just given the green light to […]
German Elections 2025: A Shift in the Political Landscape
The 2025 federal election in Germany marked a significant shift in the political landscape, with the conservative CDU/CSU alliance emerging as the victor. Despite winning the most votes, the mood at the party’s headquarters was subdued. The conservatives managed to secure about 28% of the vote, which fell short of their campaign goal of “30% […]
The Munich Security Conference 2025: A Wake-Up Call for Europe
Last weekend, the world’s leaders, policymakers, and defence experts gathered in Germany for the Munich Security Conference. Europe received a wake-up call as discussions covered the war in Ukraine, NATO’s future, and global power shifts reshaping international security. The overarching message? Europe must urgently reassess its defence strategy, financial commitments, and geopolitical stance. A shift […]
AI Action Summit: Diverging Paths in Global AI Governance
Between Monday and Tuesday, Paris hosted the third global AI Action Summit, a crucial event for governments and stakeholders to discuss the future development of AI technologies and their political, economic and social implications. Hosted by the French government, the Summit provided an opportunity for the EU to demonstrate that it can leverage its potential […]
Trade at risk: What could Trump’s tariffs mean for Europe?
Over the weekend, Trump signed executive orders to impose tariffs on goods imported from China, Mexico and Canada. The countries taken together accounted for 40% of imports into the US last year. The measures, which Trump had already promised during his campaign, were allegedly introduced to boost American industries, protect jobs, and grow the US […]
Easing sanctions? The EU discusses the future of sanctions on Syria
In the past weeks, the EU has been increasingly discussing the possibility of lifting sanctions on Syria. Last Monday during the Foreign Affairs Council meeting, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of EU Member States discussed to gradually ease sanctions on Syria to support economic recovery without finding an agreement. While some Member States have warned […]