As real foreigners test their limits in perilous interference and soon-to-be ex-foreigners face decisive evaluations, the EU finally strikes a long-awaited but important deal. Meanwhile, this week’s star is New York’s next mayor — showing Europe’s progressive forces the way forward.
Ten Million Fireflies
The airspace above Brussels Airport and several other Belgian aviation hubs was temporarily shut down on Tuesday evening after multiple drone sightings forced flights to be cancelled or diverted, raising concerns over national air-security preparedness and the possibility of hybrid threat operations. According to the Brussels Times, air traffic at Brussels Airport was suspended twice in one night after drones were detected near the airport perimeter; smaller regional airports such as Liège Airport and Charleroi Airport either experienced shutdowns or precautionary suspensions. Sightings also extended to military installations, including Kleine‑Brogel Air Base where US nuclear weapons are reportedly stored, and Florennes Air Base, the future home of Belgium’s F-35 fleet. Defence Minister Theo Francken described the pattern as “clearly not the work of amateur drone pilots,” suggesting organised operations and raising the possibility of espionage motives. While authorities have not publicly confirmed the origin of the incursions, Belgian officials have pointed to Russia as a potential actor, though Moscow denies any involvement. In response the government plans to convene the National Security Council and has authorised the fast-track acquisition of counter-drone technology, detection systems and jammers, and to operationalise the national air security centre at Beauvechain air base. Interior Minister Bernard Quintin emphasised that Belgium “requires a coordinated, national approach” to the incidents. Analysts cited by the article note that the recent wave of drone activity across multiple Member States is testing EU and NATO readiness, especially in countries hosting strategic military assets and financial infrastructure. The disruptions pose not only operational and civilian-travel consequences but also underscore the urgency of developing aerial defence capabilities tailored to unmanned systems.
The annual enlargement report published by the European Commission delivers a mixed verdict on candidate countries from the Western Balkans, commending Montenegro for “significant progress” and positioning it as the most advanced state on the path to EU accession, while sharply criticising Serbia for backsliding on reforms and lagging implementation of commitments, reports Balkan Insight. In Montenegro the Commission found that legal, economic and governance-reform benchmarks had been met at pace, noting that the country could potentially conclude negotiations sooner than others; in Serbia the report said that despite formal declarations of EU alignment, authorities have slowed down the pace of reform, with particular concern in areas such as the judiciary and the rule of law. Commissioner Marta Kos stated that while Montenegro has a realistic chance to complete its accession process, Serbia must “deliver credible reforms, most importantly in the area of fundamentals”. The report also points to wider enlargement dynamics, saying the EU must prepare for future members and ensure the process remains credible and sustainable. The article highlights how the divergent fortunes of the two candidates underscore the geopolitical urgency of enlargement given Russia’s war in Ukraine and the strategic significance of the Balkans for EU security. It further notes that while Montenegro’s progress is being used to build momentum, Serbia’s stalled reform process threatens to stymie enlargement efforts and raise questions about political will.
As the European Union heads to COP30, Público reports that its once-celebrated reputation as a global climate leader is now under strain, with its credibility “somewhat scorched” by uneven progress and policy fatigue. After years of ambitious rhetoric under the European Green Deal, the EU is struggling to maintain momentum amid internal divisions, industrial pushback and a shifting global energy landscape. Several Member States have slowed implementation of emissions-reduction measures, while political changes in others have weakened commitments to climate neutrality. The EU’s climate diplomacy, long viewed as a model, is also facing scepticism from developing countries that accuse Europe of failing to deliver on its pledges for climate finance and technology transfer. The report points to recent decisions to postpone or dilute key environmental directives, such as those on energy efficiency and carbon border mechanisms, as evidence of a political retreat. Meanwhile, record heatwaves and wildfires across southern Europe have heightened pressure on Brussels to act decisively rather than symbolically. Analysts quoted by Público warn that COP30 will test whether the EU can reconcile its green ambitions with economic realism, especially as other major emitters like the United States and China compete to shape global standards. With credibility on the line, European negotiators are expected to arrive in Brazil facing not only calls for stronger emissions targets but also scrutiny over domestic follow-through. At this stage, the EU risks entering the summit as a diminished moral authority; no longer the undisputed leader of international climate action.
An editorial in Luxembourg’s Tageblatt uses Zohran Mamdani’s stunning win in New York City’s mayoral race as a lens through which to reflect on the future of left-wing politics globally, arguing that the 34-year-old underdog, once dismissed as too leftist, too Muslim, and too “pro-Palestinian”, among other terms, has shown what a movement grounded in grassroots energy and concrete social agendas can achieve. Mamdani, born to parents from India and Uganda and only recently naturalised, mobilised young voters, immigrants and working-class New Yorkers by focusing sharply on everyday issues such as affordable housing, free bus transport and child-care; promises he financed with higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations. The piece suggests that his rise echoes broader political undercurrents in Europe and beyond, where suspicion of the traditional political class, combined with lived economic fear, is driving change. While the editorial notes that his success will not be easily replicated, it underscores that the European left should take note: “no more fake debates, no pandering to forgotten voters through the right-wing zeitgeist; instead we need a clear agenda to improve the lives of ordinary people”, the author writes, stressing that Mamdani’s victory is less about symbolism and more about substantive policy priorities. Despite his lack of experience and the challenges ahead, the article claims that his win signals a shift away from insider politics and towards a politics of impact; it also warns, however, that scaling such a model outside New York’s unique context will require enormous adaptation.
