Belgium’s PM Bart De Wever has thrown quite a spanner into the EU’s plans to use frozen Russian state assets to fund Ukraine. But what’s really behind Belgium’s resistance and could one country derail Europe’s entire Ukraine strategy?

Belgium needs to let Europe use immobilised Russian funds to buy arms for Ukraine before Kyiv runs out of ammunition in spring, defence chiefs have said.

Critical infrastructure experts have highlighted to MEPs current gaps in the EU's ability to protect itself from foreign influence — finding blindspots in foreign procurement of critical infrastructure components, and managing social media's algorithmic manipulations.

EU states are struggling with upcoming border rules that critics say could led to detention-like centres. Under the new regime authorities will have only seven days to screen a prospective asylum seeker.

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.