Home 7 - The Long Brief

Protestors at the Russian Pavilion during 2026 Venice Biennale opening day, May 6, 2026.

Culture, Sport and Religion: The Russian Whitewashing Tactics

Russia uses “soft power” tools – such as the media, culture, education, and religion – to advance its own geopolitical goals and spread disinformation. The ...

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Longreads

Are Chips the Past, and Will Algorithms Shape the Next World Order?

In May 2026, while Donald Trump prepared for his visit to Beijing, many expected tense discussions about tariffs, Taiwan, military deterrence, and trade imbalances. However, ...

Crowd taking photos of Donald Trump on their phones at CPAC 2025. Photo source: Xuthoria / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Commentary

State Sovereignty: A Shield, a Tool, or an Obstacle?

State sovereignty is paramount in international relations, yet its definition remains elusive. The lack of a clear definition allows each country to relativize how it understands sovereignty and what it allows as ...

The Liberian-flagged oil tanker MV Sirius Star is at anchor off the coast of Somalia in 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 2nd Class William S. Stevens

Commentary

Somali Piracy is Back – Fuelled by Political Turmoil, Aid Cuts and the Iran War

On the evening of April 26, the Egyptian merchant vessel Sward was hijacked by armed men a few miles off the Somali coast. It was ...

Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro Project. Photo source: Wilfredor / Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain.

Commentary

Cooling Poverty is Making Extreme Heat More Dangerous for Millions

Imagine walking along Ipanema beach on a summer afternoon. The sand is golden, there’s a cooling sea breeze, the shade of a parasol and a ...

Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for a bilateral meeting at the G20 Summit. Picture by Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street

Longreads

Why the Iran War is Breaking the US-European Strategic Alliance

Days after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began on Feb. 28, 2026, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez denied American forces the use of the ...

António Costa, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ursula von der Leyen at a Special meeting of the European Council, 2025. Photo source: Dati Bendo / © European Union, 2026 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Commentary

EU Enlargement is Often Deeply Political – as Ukraine and Montenegro Show

The EU formally unblocked a €90 billion (£78 billion) loan for Ukraine on April 23 after Hungary and Slovakia dropped their opposition. This move came ...

Silvia Uscov speaking at George Simion’s press conference, May 4, 2025. Photo source: AUR România / Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain.

Interviews

Romania: What to Expect After AUR’s Motion of No Confidence – An Interview with Silvia Uscov

Romanian politics shows no sign of letting up, and political instability has returned once again. The rifts caused by the annulment of the presidential election, ...