Elena Sánchez Nicolás

“We should not have any illusion … Russia will not stop this war out of mercy,” he told @euobserver.com in an interview.
“They genuinely need to want this peace, and we don’t see this situation so far”.

For the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, I spoke with Ukraine’s ambassador to the EU, Vsevolod Chentsov. His message was clear: don’t mistake fatigue for peace. Moscow hasn’t abandoned its aim, and diplomacy without pressure won’t end the war.

euobserver.com/204122/four-...

How Orbán systematically suffocated the Hungarian media over the past 15 years Viktor Orban has also pledged, in his annual address earlier this month, to “clear out” after the April elections media and civil society organisations deemed to threaten “sovereignty.” Fidesz already...

Viktor Orbán has also pledged, in his annual address earlier this month, to “clear out” after the April elections media and civil society organisations deemed to threaten “sovereignty.” Fidesz already directly or indirectly control 80 percent of Hungary’s media.

euobserver.com/203675/how-o...

EUobserver joins journalist-owned publisher Denník N EUobserver, the independent online media covering European Union affairs, on Tuesday announced that it is joining journalist-owned Slovak publishing house Denník N, in a bid to strengthen its long-ter...

Looking forward to working more closely with Veronika Munk, Tomas Bella, who joins us as our new CEO, and all the other people at Denník N.

euobserver.com/203123/euobs...

For EUobserver, it’s a new beginning. One that feels right and timely. This partnership secures a stable future while preserving what matters most to us: our editorial independence, our critical voice, and our commitment to covering the EU for all Europeans (without pressure, fear or favour).

For our readers, nothing changes. Every day, our reporters (and I) will continue publishing original and in-depth stories about the developments shaping Europe and the world. We’ll also bring more reporting from central and eastern Europe, stories too often ignored by mainstream media.

Today, I’m thrilled to share that @euobserver.com is joining journalist-owned Slovak publishing house @dennikn.bsky.social. A new era. One I hope will bring great stories, more cross-border collaboration, and growth.

Russian chess boss, Central Asia, crypto targeted in new EU sanctions Russia's world chess king and Asian sanctions-busters feature in the draft new round of EU measures, which also cover chemical weapons, killer drones, mercenaries in Belize, crypto, and salt.

What’s in the EU’s new sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine war? From the Russian head of world chess and Central Asian sanctions evaders to chemical weapons, killer drones, mercenaries, crypto, metals, and even salt.

Good intel here:

euobserver.com/202386/russi...

Let's stop overusing the "Exclusive" tag, we’ll all benefit.

⚠️UN expert warns: chemical pollution is a hidden global crisis.

“Forever chemicals,” corporate loopholes & weak policies put human rights and environment at risk.

Science & political will must align to protect human rights.

@euobserver.com @elenasanchez.bsky.social
euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

Tonight the controversial US ambassador to Belgium Bill White was supposed to speak on a Film & Politics panel about European dependence.

He pulled out last minute. So the moderator @elenasanchez.bsky.social asked the panellists what they would have said to him if he was there.

Trump's Minnesota raids couldn't happen in Europe — could they? For Europeans, order is something the police restore under law, not something the army imposes under executive will. Fortunately, EU member states built constitutional architecture to prevent what the US Insurrection Act enables.

For Europeans, order is something the police restore under law, not something the army imposes under executive will. Fortunately, EU member states built constitutional architecture to prevent what the US Insurrection Act enables.

Debt: Europe’s biggest financial advantage over US is also its weakness Europe is the largest holder of US debt, which it could use as leverage. But even if governments could coerce investors into selling trillions in US holdings, Europe would be first to suffer.

Gift link: euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

Debt: Europe’s biggest financial advantage over US is also its weakness Europe is the largest holder of US debt, which it could use as leverage. But even if governments could coerce investors into selling trillions in US holdings, Europe would be first to suffer.

Wondering whether European governments could coerce investors into selling trillions in US holdings? Europe would be the first to suffer, explains my colleague @westervangaal.bsky.social in this excellent analysis

euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

UNRWA on Gaza after the ceasefire: ‘A combination of hope and despair’ In an exclusive interview with EUobserver, Marta Lorenzo, the director of the UNRWA office in Brussels, summarises the situation in Gaza as “a combination of hope and despair”.

Two months into the fragile ceasefire, what is going on in Gaza?

"A combination of hope and despair," told me Marta Lorenzo Rodriguez, the director of the @unrwa.org office in Brussels, in a recent interview.

Read it for free on @euobserver.com

euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

It was great to take part in the #ClimateArena of the @journalismarena.eu . We took part in the pannel on "How to make sense of the Commission's mass deregulation agenda", with @elenasanchez.bsky.social of @euobserver.com and facilitation by @jelena-prtoric.bsky.social

Photos by Raul Duran Giro.

If you're in Budapest at the #ClimateArena of the @journalismarena.eu , join us tomorrow at 11am in Auditorium A for the session "The quiet undoing of the EU: How to make sense of the Commission's mass deregulation agenda" with @elenasanchez.bsky.social and moderation by @jelena-prtoric.bsky.social

Informal EU summits and deregulation This WEEK An informal EUCO will take place in Copenhagen, where EU leaders will focus on Ukraine, defence, and using Russian frozen assets. Also this week, leaders from all of Europe will gather in Denmark for ...

EUobserver's weekly agenda is back.

euobserver.com/agenda/ar058...

Small country, big decision: Moldova faces democratic stress test Moldovan citizens are going to the polls on Sunday, in what is set to be a highly-contested election — with possible fallout for the whole continent. This election is not about left or right; it is ab...

Moldovan citizens are going to the polls on Sunday (28 September), in what is set to be a highly-contested election — with possible implications for the whole continent. This election is not about left or right; it is about a democratic Moldova or Russia.

euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

No new hurdles planned for Russian tourists to EU Russians tourists will be able to keep coming to the EU despite a new sanctions crackdown on the sector, diplomats have said.

Some 541,000 Russians visited the EU last year, compared to 517,000 in 2023, and over four million a year before Russia's full invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Despite a new sanctions crackdown on the sector, Russian tourists will continue to be able to visit the EU.

euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

I spent 10 days in the West Bank, watching the impunity of Israeli settlers In August, I spent ten days in the West Bank, Occupied Palestinian Territories. Here is some of what I saw and heard there during my visit.

"An effective EU policy ... needs to acknowledge that settler violence is state violence, enabled and tolerated by the Israeli regime’s policy of complete impunity". Strong piece by Yoav Shemer-Kunz, co-founder of European Jews for Palestine.

euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

Promotional graphic for the Climate Arena Conference taking place on 10–11 October in Budapest. The session is titled "The Quiet Undoing in the EU: Making Sense of the Commission’s Mass Deregulation Agenda." Four speakers are featured with circular headshots and their names and roles: Elena Sanchez Nicolas – Journalist, EUObserver Hans Van Scharen – Researcher and campaigner, Corporate Europe Observatory Marcella Via – Press Officer, Corporate Europe Observatory Jelena Prtoric – Journalist, Arena for Journalism in Europe The graphic features a green-to-orange gradient background with the event website (climatearena.eu) and the hashtag #CA25. The tagline reads: "Investigating the climate crisis together."

We're very excited to join @journalismarena.eu conference in Budapest in exactly one month to discuss the EU's #deregulation agenda. We'll be joined in the same pannel by @elenasanchez.bsky.social and @jelena-prtoric.bsky.social !

More info:
📅 climatearena2025.sched.com
🎟️ climatearena.eu/register/

EU's Horizon-suspension sanction for Israel 'a bad joke', says Borrell Suspending Israel's access to the bloc’s Horizon research programme is a “bad joke” in the face of the atrocities unfolding in Gaza, the EU's former chief diplomat Josep Borrell told EUobserver during...

I sat down with former EU top diplomat Josep Borrell, who described Europe’s proposal to cut Israel from Horizon as a “bad joke” in response to the atrocities unfolding in Gaza.

“Is that really all they can think to do, with what’s happening?”
Borrell asked.

euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

EU document shows flimsy nature of Israel aid deal A leaked EU document outlines the toothless nature of a Gaza aid "understanding" between the EU and Israel: non-binding, ambiguous, and difficult to monitor.

I got an EU internal document that outlines the toothless nature of a Gaza aid "understanding" between the EU and Israel: non-binding, ambiguous, and difficult to monitor.

euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

Defence vs welfare: what’s at stake in Nato’s new 5% spending target? Nato allies are expected to agree to raise defence spending target to five percent of GDP at the Hague summit. But previous broken promises and Spain’s reluctance highlight growing tensions between mi...

As Nato leaders gather in The Hague this week, attention turns to the proposal to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP (more than double the 2% benchmark).

Our explainer covers:

🧩 5% target explained
🇪🇸 Spain’s stance
💰 Defence vs welfare
📉 Who’s falling behind
euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

Spain is in political turmoil.

But why?

In this explainer, editor-in-chief @elenasanchez.bsky.social explains:

🔹 What happened
🔹 Who is involved
🔹 Why it matters

Catch up here: euobserver.com/rule-of-law/...

Francesca Albanese: 'EU officials must face charges of complicity in war crimes' At the Cannes Film Festival, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, speaks with EUobserver about the genocide in Gaza, and global comp...

“It is genocide. I know people are uncomfortable with that word, but what else can we call it?,” Francesca Albanese told @euobserver.com

euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

Israeli ministers still welcome in EU, despite sanctions talks High-level Israeli visits to the EU capital are becoming more toxic, as ministers prepare first-ever trade sanctions over Gaza "war crimes".

Neither the EEAS nor the Israeli EU embassy would confirm today if Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar would come for a meeting in Brussels on 23 June. But the fact he was invited despite escalating Israeli aggression in Gaza already attracted criticism

euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

Ombudswoman Anjinho in an interesting discussion today with journalists at the dataharvest conference on the role of @ombudsman.europa.eu, the importance of rules on access to EU documents, and on having a culture of integrity in public administrations

Leak of EU's full 2024 Gaza report piles pressure on Israel The leak of an internal EU paper from 2024 spelling out Israel's "war crimes" in Gaza will make it harder to claim Tel Aviv merits keeping free trade perks.

We leaked it, we studied it, and we made it free to read.
euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...