Foreign fighter diaries

Until now, I was not sure I would have the courage to enlist. On top of this, I found it particularly difficult to explain my intentions when confronted with the emotion of the people I love.

Seven volunteers from Belgium were travelling to Ukraine as Russian forces began to encircle and bombard Ukrainian cities in the north, south and east of the country.

We are witnessing the emergence of the EU as a military power. We see Finland and Sweden consider joining Nato. We see Germany increasing its defence spend. We see Hungary, long Putin's puppet-state in the EU, breaking with its master.

In this episode Thomas and his unit arrive in Kyiv, as part of efforts to try to stop Putin's army from taking the capital.

Latvia has assured citizens their nationality won't be revoked for fighting in Ukraine. But it's an exception that proves the rule. States should cease stripping citizenship in the first place.

Could Françafrique — the French sphere of influence that outlived the end of French colonialism — still be revived on a European scale, as Eurafrique?