World
Foreign policy
At Gymnich, Bettel tests Luxembourg's line on a wider EU foreign-policy agenda
The informal EU foreign ministers' meeting in Limassol put Ukraine, India and Saudi Arabia on an agenda where small states still have to be precise.
Ukraine
PoliticsSecurity policyLuxembourg maps a EUR1.67bn defence effort by 2029, while reserving judgment on NATO's 2035 target
Luxembourg plans to lift defence investment to 2.3% of GNI by 2029, estimated at EUR1.665 billion that year, while reviewing later steps toward NATO's wider 2035 commitment.
PoliticsDefence policyLuxembourg defence spending roadmap: 2.3% of GNI by 2029, then a new decision point
Luxembourg will raise defence spending by 0.1 percentage points of GNI each year through 2029. The roadmap translates into estimated outlays of ?1.373 billion in 2027, ?1.513 billion in 2028 and ?1.665 billion in 2029.
PoliticsUkraine WarTrump-Brokered Russia-Ukraine Three-Day Ceasefire Opens With Mutual Violation Claims
A Trump-brokered three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine took effect on 9 May 2026 for May 9 to 11, paired with a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner swap. Within hours of the start, Ukraine's General Staff reported 51 Russian violations while Moscow accused Kyiv of drone attacks.
EuropeUkraineRussia and Ukraine Declare Separate, Competing Ceasefires Around Victory Day
Moscow announced an 8-9 May truce for the WWII anniversary; Kyiv responded with its own 5-6 May ceasefire and rejected Russia's terms, in a choreography that says more about politics than peace.
EuropeEuropeEuropean Political Community Convenes in Yerevan as Armenia Tests Moscow's Patience
The fifth European Political Community summit drew nearly fifty heads of state to Yerevan on 4 May, with Volodymyr Zelenskyy's attendance putting Armenia on a collision course with the Kremlin.
EuropeRussiaRussian Soldiers Are Quietly Trying to Get Out of the Army — and Telling Each Other How
Underground guides circulating among Russian troops detail medical, legal and unofficial routes to exit service, in a war that is now visibly straining the personnel system that sustains it.
EuropeUkraineRussia Loses More Territory Than It Gains in April — First Net Setback Since 2023
Russian forces ceded roughly 120 square kilometres in Ukraine between March and April 2026, the first monthly net loss since the Ukrainian counter-offensive of summer 2023.
EuropeCoalition of the WillingUK and France Pledge 'Military Hubs' in Ukraine Under the Paris Declaration
On 6 January 2026, 35 countries signed the Paris Declaration committing to robust security guarantees for Ukraine, including UK and French deployments and US-led ceasefire monitoring.
PoliticsRussia-Ukraine WarRussia and Ukraine's 32-Hour Easter Ceasefire — Promptly Violated
From 4 p.m. on 11 April through midnight on 12 April 2026, Russia and Ukraine paused fire for Orthodox Easter. Both sides accused each other of hundreds of breaches; US-mediated peace talks have effectively stalled.
LuxembourgMigrationThree Years In, Luxembourg's 3,671 Ukrainians Settle Into a Long-Term Protection Regime
Temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees has been extended to 4 March 2026, with 3,671 people from Ukraine welcomed by Luxembourg as of mid-2025 and clear progress in school enrolment and labour-market integration.