Around eight to 10 million people live in regions of Ukraine close to active hostilities. With Russia’s war still ongoing, the country’s recovery seems improbable to many onlookers: too complex of an undertaking. Even countries at peace struggle to implement reforms, let alone a country at war, writes the UN Development Programme.

Since 2003, Sudan has been trapped in a cycle of armed conflicts, worsened by European, especially German, policies prioritising migration control over accountability. Arms transfers, aid mismanagement, and support to abusive actors indirectly fuelled war. A shift to responsibility and civilian-focused peace efforts is now urgent.

The 'hedgehog' approach of mainly trying to shield the EU against authoritarian influences from abroad also falls short because many authoritarian influences come from within. A hedgehog is no match for a bear.

Legal scholars have dubbed it a "sleeping beauty" — a potent yet practically unused EU Parliament instrument akin to the EU's own Article 7, designed to safeguard the rule of law and the integrity of its institutions.

Today, we kick off an anniversary campaign to convince new supporting members to join EUobserver's mission of providing the information citizens need to safeguard EU democracy.

Russian spies are still active in the EU capital and have a "higher risk appetite" than before the Ukraine war — despite Belgium's efforts to push back against their plots.