The EU Is Ceding Influence and Running Out of Time in the South Caucasus

How can the EU project real influence in a region where China, Russia, and Turkey move faster? Can Brussels balance its need for Azerbaijani gas with its own democratic principles? And what will it take for Europe to secure Armenia’s pivot to the West while preventing Georgia’s descent into authoritarian isolation?

Is HYDEF, the EU’s Hypersonic Interception Programme, Still Making Progress?

Russia perpetrated yet another heavy attack targeting Kyiv on May 24th, firing some 600 drones and 90 missiles including hypersonic Kinzhal and Zircon missiles. As EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said, “Russia hit a dead end on the battlefield, so it terrorizes Ukraine with deliberate strikes on city centres.” A tactic made easier by Ukraine’s lack of air defence systems that can reliably intercept hypersonic missiles – Europe has the same problem. Could the EU’s Hypersonic Defence Interceptor Programme (HYDEF) help to solve this challenge?

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