@cmaza
Journalist. Covering foreign policy & defense. Editing @ Euractiv. Founded: https://lazomagazine.com/ Write: https://lazoletters.substack.com/ email: c.maza@protonmail.com cristina.maza@euractiv.com Signal: Cmaza.12
Slowly realising that the scheduled time for a doctor’s appointment in Germany is just a loose idea of when your wait will begin — please arrive around 16h to come hang out in our waiting room for some indeterminate number of hours.
An official with the Iraqi Kurdish Democratic Party told Axios that the Peshmerga, the Kurdish-Iraqi armed forces, stopped Kurdish-Iranian militias from launching an offensive from Iraq into Iran.
www.axios.com/2026/03/07/i...
With Europe rapidly rearming in response to wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, countries in the Western Balkans are also gaining access to new weaponry – @bronwynjones.bsky.social reports
www.euractiv.com/news/eu-rear...
Today’s military strikes on Iran — carried out by the United States and Israel — mark a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression. Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war.
I remember when trying to forgive student loans was massive overreach of Presidential power.
U.S. officials appear to be arguing that Europe should increase defence spending but remain completely reliant on U.S. weaponry, thereby filling the pockets of U.S. defence companies.
To make that an attractive proposition, Washington should perhaps demonstrate that it's a reliable ally.
This messaging from the Trump admin is completely inconsistent.
First, the U.S. complains that Europe isn't taking its defence seriously.
Then, they complain when the EU takes meaningful steps to bolster its domestic defence production.
www.politico.eu/article/why-...
Outside of the attention of the Brussels bubble, SAFE is turning into a fight on the EU's role in defence in Poland.
Despite Poland being the largest single benefitor at €43bn, the opposition PiS party is now heavily campaigning against it, with a veto from President Nawrocki in the air:
When I was a teenager in high school, I took the bus to Washington, D.C. to attend an anti-war protest. The U.S. was about to invade Iraq, and there were at least 150,000 people marching.
That was the first time I heard Reverend Jackson.
gwhatchet.com/2002/10/28/r...
When I was a teenager in high school, I took the bus to Washington, D.C. to attend an anti-war protest. The U.S. was about to invade Iraq, and there were at least 150,000 people marching.
That was the first time I heard Reverend Jackson.
gwhatchet.com/2002/10/28/r...
Employment rates for non-EU born are now *above* those for the UK born.
Gap used be nearly 10 percentage points.
A tribute to the success of UK immigration/immigrants and labour market integration, especially in recent years.
Something government should celebrate..
Whenever someone very famous dies, my mother always shudders and says, "Wow, everyone really dies, don't they?"
That's how I feel today, hearing the news about Reverend Jesse Jackson.
apnews.com/article/jess...
Rubio laid out a vision of the transatlantic alliance as a relationship based on ethno-nationalist civilizational ties, one that can be positive, if Europe follow's Washington's lead.
www.euractiv.com/news/rubio-o...
It's not about Ukrainians fighting for Zelenskyy; it's about whether any other leader could convince the international community to sustain years of military support.
Would someone like Poroshenko succeed in Washington or Munich? This is largely a job that requires strong comms skills.
It's not about Ukrainians fighting for Zelenskyy; it's about whether any other leader could convince the international community to sustain years of military support.
Would someone like Poroshenko succeed in Washington or Munich? This is largely a job that requires strong comms skills.
Imagine if Russia had invaded Ukraine when the country had a less charismatic leader.
Senator Roger Wicker, in Munich, says the Russia sanctions bill (with over 80 bipartisan co-sponsors) could come to a vote as soon as next week.
But we've been hearing that for over half a year now.
Zelenskyy comes out swinging against the Biden administration, arguing that Ukraine had to push for months and months for every new piece of weaponry.
So true.
Rubio laid out a vision of the transatlantic alliance as a relationship based on ethno-nationalist civilizational ties, one that can be positive, if Europe follow's Washington's lead.
www.euractiv.com/news/rubio-o...
Rubio started the morning in Munich by insulting the European welfare state and a so-called "climate cult."
EDIP, SAFE, FCAS....this Macron speech at Munich is just for defence policy nerds.
In Munich, German Chancellor Merz essentially suggested that Montenegro's EU accession hinges on Viktor Orbán losing the April election in Hungary.
The rapid rise of Poland’s far right is pushing Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his Civic Coalition to harden their rhetoric and policy positions to stem an exodus of voters to extreme parties.
www.euractiv.com/news/in-pola...
One proposal would make it easier for EU countries to deport asylum seekers to so-called safe third countries, even if the individual has never set foot there.
The other would create a common EU list of “safe countries of origin.”
The European Parliament is expected to approve two high-stakes migration measures that would harden asylum rules across the bloc, with backing from a centre-right to far-right majority.
www.euractiv.com/news/far-rig...
The EU is considering appointing former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö to open a direct line of communication with Vladimir Putin, according to Italy’s La Repubblica.
www.repubblica.it/esteri/2026/...
Proud of this dispatch in my increasingly sporadic newsletter. At a difficult moment for journalism, especially international reporting, I hope this little editorial project contributes in some small way to making us all more informed global citizens.
lazoletters.substack.com/p/in-myanmar...
Proud of this dispatch in my increasingly sporadic newsletter. At a difficult moment for journalism, especially international reporting, I hope this little editorial project contributes in some small way to making us all more informed global citizens.
lazoletters.substack.com/p/in-myanmar...
