Diplomacy 101: Undiplomatically Speaking
Where Beliefs Clash and Stories Flash
Border Walls and Red Lines
Finland formally sealed all land border crossings with Russia, citing a deliberate influx of asylum seekers as part of Moscow’s hybrid pressure campaign. NATO expressed support, while the Kremlin called the move “Russophobic theater.” The Baltic states followed suit with joint military readiness drills along their eastern frontiers.
In the Middle East, ceasefire talks stalled again after Israel demanded full disarmament guarantees from Hamas, which negotiators say are unrealistic in current conditions. The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with UNRWA facing funding cuts from major Western donors over disputed internal reviews.
Elsewhere, the African Union mediated an urgent summit between Ethiopia and Egypt over tensions related to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. While no agreement was reached, the AU declared both sides committed to avoiding military escalation—at least for now.