Library blog

The results of the Hungarian elections, Ukraine’s integration into the EU, the EU budget’s new own resources, international carbon credits, the benefits and costs of website-blocking legislation, how Europe should respond to the Iran gas shock, US retrenchment, Europe’s place in the global permacrisis and the issue of the Strait of Hormuz are among the topics discussed in the present issue.

In a complex security environment, reliable information matters more than ever. Council Library guides curate trusted resources on Europe’s key defence and security issues.

Discover our selection of books recently added to the Council Library collection.

With Cyprus holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, it’s the perfect time to shine a light on the country’s remarkable libraries.

The importance of the enlargement process in 2026, the global space economy, the European Green Deal goals alongside the welfare of all European citizens, the Hormuz shock to the EU’s gas security, a new European security strategy, and Operation Epic Fury against Iran and its impact are of the topics featured in the present issue.

The Delta battlefield system being the beating heart of Ukraine’s warfighting capabilities, how Ukrainian media report on public opinion in wartime, how the Iran war highlights Ukraine’s rapid rise to drone superpower status and Ukraine’s post-war recovery with a US-Ukraine free trade agreement are some of the topics discussed in this update.

Discover our selection of books recently added to the Council Library collection.

The evolution of the enlargement process and what can truly be achieved in 2026, the EU’s competitiveness and strategic autonomy, eurobonds for European strategic autonomy, better coordination for a more efficient European energy system, what the EU can do about Trump 2.0, steps for a European defence surge, European and Chinese exports, the status of the US dollar as a reserve currency, and the US-Israeli strikes on Iran are some of the topics discussed in this issue.

Professor of International Politics at the Bundeswehr University in Munich, Carlo Masala, considers not only what would happen if Putin prevailed, but also how that could plausibly occur. 

Several lessons to draw from the Ukrainian battlefield: after four years of war, Ukraine has held its line and now Europe must secure the future; Europe needs a military operations centre in Ukraine; reintegration of Ukrainians and the related cultural-identity and socio-economic aspects of return and the war in Ukraine as a new founding myth for Russian national identity are some of the topics discussed in the present update.