The size and composition of Vladimir Putin's delegation, including Roman Abramovich and the head of the Central Bank, and their red-carpet reception in Bishkek shows accelerating rapprochement between Bishkek and Moscow — and casts ominous doubt over future respect for human rights in what was once Central Asia’s most promising democracy.

Even before the publication of the defence white paper, EU member states’ military spending for 2024 was €343bn, 2.7 times that of Russia, its stated main adversary, which spent €126.9bn. Meanwhile Britain, spent €69.6bn in 2024 and combined Nato spending was at €1,281bn — more than ten times that of Russia. 

EU leaders decided to use joint borrowing instead of Russian frozen assets to support Ukraine, in a big win for Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever, who had long opposed the idea of a reparations loan amid fears of retaliation from Russia.

Across Europe, mayors and local councillors are facing a disturbing rise in harassment, threats, disinformation, and even physical violence. These aren’t isolated incidents — they are a growing pattern. And they’re not 'just politics'. They are deliberate attempts to silence, intimidate, and push people out of public life, warns the Council of European Municipalities and Regions.

A French banker inside Euroclear, who flew to Russia 155 times for "private" reasons, allegedly tried to connect the company's CEO, Valérie Urbain, with Russian spies and threatened her when she declined, according to an investigation by EUobserver, Humo, De Morgen, and Dossier Center.

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