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Laura Dubois

@lauramdubois.ft.com
727 followers 132 following 27 posts

EU correspondent for @financialtimes.com doing investigations and covering migration and internal security

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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 24/09/2026
“The dynamics currently at play in the United States… are likely to compromise several vital interests of Belgium and the European Union," states a leaked diplomatic strategy drafted by the Belgian foreign ministry. www.ft.com/content/bec2...
ft.com
Trump’s US no longer a reliable ally, warns Belgium in leaked document
Dynamics in Washington ‘are likely to compromise several vital interests’ of Belgium and the EU, says strategy document from foreign ministry
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 15/09/2026
Luxembourg’s finance ministry has asked the public prosecutor to look into allegations of sanctions circumvention and possible insider trading by ex-managers of Gazprombank, which we reported last month @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/f00d...?
ft.com
Luxembourg probes Gazprombank ex-managers
Inquiry follows an FT investigation that found four former directors enriched themselves through a sanctions-busting trading scheme
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Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 26/08/2026
FT Exclusive: Four executives at the last major Russian bank still operating in Europe exploited the market chaos unleashed by EU sanctions in 2022 to make millions on their personal accounts. Read more here: ft.trib.al/DtqqHfA
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 26/08/2026
Four executives at the last major Russian bank still operating in Europe exploited the market chaos unleashed by EU sanctions in 2022 to make millions on their personal accounts. Read my investigation for @FT here: www.ft.com/content/3cb4...?
ft.com
How four Russian bankers made millions from EU sanctions
As Moscow reeled from western blowback over Ukraine war, traders at Gazprombank Luxembourg cashed in
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 13/07/2026
💥 Some personal news: From September, I will move on from editing the Europe Express newsletter and focus on reporting on security and migration, and doing investigative stories from Brussels. Very excited for this new chapter - don’t hesitate to reach out with tips.
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 22/06/2026
Tomorrow marks ten years since the Brexit referendum. Here's how Nigel Farage used EU funds to finance rallies to campaign against the bloc: www.ft.com/content/e637...
ft.com
Nigel Farage’s Brexit rallies were funded from the EU budget
European monies paid for anti-immigrant posters during ‘Say No to EU’ tour
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Henry Foy @henryjfoy.ft.com · 01/04/2026
💥 Trump threatened to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine in order to pressure European Nato allies to join a “coalition of the willing” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Nato’s Rutte warned capitals Trump was “rather hysterical” about their refusal w @lauramdubois.ft.com as.ft.com/r/d508debe-f...
as.ft.com
Trump threatened to stop weapons for Ukraine unless Europe joined Hormuz coalition
[FREE TO READ] Nato’s top official urged key alliance members to offer help to US to reopen key waterway
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 30/03/2026
The final piece in our Hungary series came out this morning: Budapest recovered and handed over less than a fifth of the funds flagged by Brussels for potential fraud between 2015 and 2024 @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/8973...
ft.com
How Hungary sidesteps Europe’s fraud watchdog
Viktor Orbán’s government has returned just 18% of funds flagged by the EU’s anti-graft body
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Chris Cook @chriscook.news · 30/03/2026
And our latest: by @lauramdubois.ft.com and Marton Dunai: how Hungary sidesteps attempts to get suspect cash back www.ft.com/content/8973...
ft.com
How Hungary sidesteps Europe’s fraud watchdog
Viktor Orbán’s government has returned just 18 per cent of funds flagged by the EU’s anti-graft body
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Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 23/03/2026
FT investigation finds 13 associates of Hungary’s premier won large share of state works after he took power. Read more here: ft.trib.al/WNoEKXc
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Henry Foy @henryjfoy.ft.com · 26/02/2026
💥 Brussels has requested that the EU’s anti-fraud agency investigate Lord Peter Mandelson’s actions while he was serving the British trade commissioner between 2004 and 2008.  Scoop w @pickardje.bsky.social & @lauramdubois.ft.com @financialtimes.com as.ft.com/r/0542a0fa-4...
as.ft.com
EU’s anti-fraud agency set to investigate Peter Mandelson
[FREE TO READ] Probe into former commissioner for trade is expected to be wide-ranging
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Chris Cook @chriscook.news · 20/02/2026
Two very big things here: 1) since sanctioning of Rosneft and Lukoil, the largest exporter of Russian crude is an entity called "Redwood Global". It SO HAPPENS that they share an e-mail server with a group of Azeri traders who EU sanctions officials believe are pals with the chief exec of Rosneft.
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Chris Cook @chriscook.news · 20/02/2026
one of the world's largest smuggling networks has accidentally exposed itself because of a stupid e-mail configuration blunder, which has revealed around 50 apparently unconnected companies are all sharing back-office functions: www.ft.com/content/4310...
ft.com
Email blunder exposes $90bn Russian oil smuggling ring
Apparent network of companies using same server includes little-known group that has become country’s largest oil exporter
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Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 20/02/2026
FT Exclusive: An IT blunder has revealed an apparent smuggling ring that has moved at least $90bn of Russian oil and is playing a central role in funding the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine. ft.trib.al/cmcaLCc
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Chris Cook @chriscook.news · 18/01/2026
A story from last year that’s more salient than ever by @lauramdubois.ft.com, Davjd Djambazov and me ::: Europe builds for war as arms factories expand at triple speed : www.ft.com/content/ce61...
ft.com
Europe builds for war as arms factories expand at triple speed
FT radar analysis reveals historic scale of rearmament, stretching over 7mn sq metres of new development
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 06/01/2026
Years ago, Denmark's migration minister Rasmus Stoklund was “considered a racist and a controversial figure”, he says. Today, Copenhagen's hard-line stance has become mainstream, and migration figures have dropped. But at what cost, and are these policies effective? www.ft.com/content/0bc9...
ft.com
Has Europe learnt to manage migration?
Policymakers say strict new measures have driven down irregular arrivals, but experts say the underlying factors are little changed
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Alice Hancock @alicemhancock.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
Great piece by @maxseddon.bsky.social @lauramdubois.ft.com @henryjfoy.ft.com laying out the risks of retaliation from Russia if the EU manages to pull off its frozen assets plan -- TBD at a summit today. www.ft.com/content/616d...
ft.com
Putin’s retaliation threat over frozen assets rattles EU capitals
Italy, Belgium and Austria worry about Russia moving against their companies
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 08/12/2025
We tracked down Russia's central bank assets around Europe - and found that France is holding €18bn mostly at commercial banks and has been shielding them from plans to use the funds for Ukraine. @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/fe30...
ft.com
France shielding €18bn Russian asset pot from EU ‘reparations loan’ push
Paris guarded names of private banks holding world’s second biggest accumulation of immobilised Russian state funds
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 13/10/2025
For this story, we used AI to read more than 13,000 documents to identify which MEPs declared a conflict of interest. While dozens have side jobs overlapping with their parliamentary duties, only eight declared a conflict of interest. With @jonathanvincent.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/0466...
ft.com
Scores of MEPs hold side jobs in sectors where they steer EU laws
FT analysis identifies paid work that has not been declared as a potential conflict of interest
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Alice Hancock @alicemhancock.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
Great work by @lauramdubois.ft.com breaking out just how much European MEPs earn in their side jobs — side jobs that often overlap with policy areas they work on in parliament. on.ft.com/4okX8MT
on.ft.com
Scores of MEPs hold side jobs in sectors where they steer EU laws
[FREE TO READ] FT analysis identifies paid work that has not been declared as a potential conflict of interest
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Henry Foy @henryjfoy.ft.com · 03/10/2025
Opposition to the move from capitals that don’t want to reward the oligarch or endorse Russian court rulings could stymie efforts to pass the EU’s next package of sanctions against Moscow Scoop with @lauramdubois.ft.com & @mjruehl.bsky.social on.ft.com/4o7M3i9
on.ft.com
EU plans to hand Deripaska-linked assets to Raiffeisen
[FREE TO READ] Some European officials worry lifting sanctions would bolster Russian retaliation against western companies
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 03/10/2025
EU capitals are discussing a proposal to lift sanctions on assets linked to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska in order to compensate Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank International for damages it had to pay in Russia. With @mjruehl.bsky.social @henryjfoy.ft.com on.ft.com/3WmgCo8
on.ft.com
EU plans to hand Deripaska-linked assets to Raiffeisen
Some European officials worry lifting sanctions would bolster Russian retaliation against western companies
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 01/10/2025
Law enforcement found €2.7mn in cash at a customs broker's office, plus €300k at his house. EPPO believes the seized euro are profits linked to Chinese organised crime groups shipping goods into Europe without paying required duties and taxes. www.ft.com/content/2210...
ft.com
Greek customs broker caught with €3mn cash in China-linked fraud probe
Bloc’s top prosecutor says investigation highlights ‘massive’ criminal effort to avoid taxes and duties
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Henry Foy @henryjfoy.ft.com · 18/09/2025
The EU has styled itself as a world leader in climate change policies and human rights. As we report in this morning’s Europe Express with @lauramdubois.ft.com & @andybounds.bsky.social, Brussels is not living up its own standards on both on.ft.com/4mpUPq9
on.ft.com
Why fighting over climate plans risks leaving the EU ‘impotent’ at the UN
[FREE TO READ] Also in this newsletter: UN refugee agency warns right to asylum is ‘under threat’
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 17/09/2025
Brussels is preparing ways to use Russia’s frozen assets to back €170bn of “reparation loans” to Ukraine, using cash balances from the matured assets. With @paolatamma.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/4585...
ft.com
EU explores using €170bn of Russia’s frozen assets to fund Ukraine
Some capitals remain wary over ‘reparation loans’ plan, as US calls on G7 to tap Moscow’s money immobilised abroad
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Barbara Moens @bmoens.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
Belgium is open to discuss riskier ways to maximise profits arising from Russian immobilised assets, provided the EU shares the legal risks, its foreign minister told @lauramdubois.ft.com and me - an option just suggested by Ursula von der Leyen in her SOTEU. on.ft.com/4m5yFt9
on.ft.com
Belgium to soften stance on frozen Russian assets if EU shares risk
[FREE TO READ] Foreign minister warns bloc not to ‘kill the hen laying golden eggs’
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Robin Wigglesworth @robinwigglesworth.ft.com · 12/08/2025
This piece on the massive scale of European rearmament based on satellite images is so good that some readers think we’re doing the GRU’s work for it. on.ft.com/46OwOFn
on.ft.com
Europe builds for war as arms factories expand at triple speed
FT radar analysis reveals historic scale of rearmament, stretching over 7mn sq metres of new development
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Chris Cook @chriscook.news · 12/08/2025
The two types of reader: those who like the story and those who think we are providing material assistance to the enemy on.ft.com/46OwOFn
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Chris Cook @chriscook.news · 12/08/2025
We wanted to know if the money that the EU has put into rearmament is turning into production capacity — and the answer is: yes. Industry is rearming.
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 16/08/2025
Resharing a story we worked on for several months, taking a closer look at the state of Europe’s defence industry. Our analysis of satellite and radar images shows that Europe’s rearmament is already well under way. With @chriscook.news and colleagues on.ft.com/46OwOFn
on.ft.com
Europe builds for war as arms factories expand at triple speed
FT radar analysis reveals historic scale of rearmament, stretching over 7mn sq metres of new development
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 07/08/2025
Three years ago, the EU criticised the UK's Rwanda asylum scheme as inhumane and said it broke international law. Now, it's resuscitating those plans. Sending asylum-seekers outside the bloc “has so much traction now”, Danish migration minister Kaare Dybvad told me. www.ft.com/content/e38a...
ft.com
The UK ditched its Rwanda plan. The EU is reviving it
Majority of European capitals now back outsourcing asylum outside the bloc
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Paola Tamma @paolatamma.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
How NOT to prepare and present a budget proposal to ensure buy in from colleagues and eventually EU countries — who will have to foot the bill. With @henryjfoy.ft.com and @bmoens.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/c88e...
ft.com
Von der Leyen botches €2tn EU budget proposal with chaotic infighting
Centralised and chaotic process has compromised launch of commission president’s spending plan, colleagues say
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Henry Foy @henryjfoy.ft.com · 27/06/2025
“We take note — with a degree of surprise — of the reported intention of France to sign a bilateral readmission arrangement,” says the letter sent by Spain, Italy & three other Mediterranean countries to @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu’s chief of staff and seen by @lauramdubois.ft.com on.ft.com/4l0D5BQ
on.ft.com
Italy and Spain slam France over proposed migration pact with UK
[FREE TO READ] Rome and Madrid fear they will have to take back asylum seekers who cross the Channel
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Henry Foy @henryjfoy.ft.com · 10/06/2025
💥 EU to present 18th Russian sanctions package this afternoon, including measures targeting Nord Stream, lowering the oil price cap, and giving Belgium legal safeguards over the €190bn in frozen Moscow assets held in the country on.ft.com/3HySGKk w @lauramdubois.ft.com
on.ft.com
EU to target Nord Stream and Russian oil cap in new sanctions package
[FREE TO READ] Commission is due to present its 18th package of measures against Moscow on Tuesday
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 10/06/2025
Trump’s planned cybersecurity cuts have been a wake-up call to the EU - which, like the rest of the world, has been relying on the US for patching vulnerabilities. Now, the EU wants to step up, says its cyber chief. @financialtimes.com on.ft.com/4mVwsSR
on.ft.com
EU to ‘step up’ on cyber security as dependence on US laid bare
Temporary US funding threat to online security programme in April highlighted Europe’s reliance on Washington
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Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 20/05/2025
Israel’s Gaza aid plan could lead to ‘war crime’, UN agency chief says www.ft.com/content/8f080842-1d45-4c…
ft.com
Israel’s Gaza aid plan could lead to ‘war crime’, UN agency chief says
Philippe Lazzarini says ‘primary intent’ of US-backed proposal is to push population south and even out of strip
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 20/05/2025
London's claims that the EU-UK deal paves the way for Brits to use e-gates at airports is not entirely true. They would have been able to anyway under the bloc's new electronic border system, expected to start in autumn. Full story with @pickardje.bsky.social here: on.ft.com/44Nab30
on.ft.com
Deal to let Brits skip EU passport queues would have happened without post-Brexit accord
Broader reform of European border checks that has been planned for years would allow use of ‘e-gates’
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Henry Foy @henryjfoy.ft.com · 20/05/2025
London claimed a deal to let Brits use EU electronic passport gates was a major win from this week's EU-UK Brexit "reset" summit. That's not true - UK citizens would have got that benefit regardless Great story from @lauramdubois.ft.com & @pickardje.bsky.social on.ft.com/4363cRz
on.ft.com
Deal to let Brits skip EU passport queues would have happened without post-Brexit accord
[FREE TO READ] Broader reform of European border checks that has been planned for years would allow use of ‘e-gates’
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 20/05/2025
„The aid plan which is being proposed is a tool which facilitates the forced displacement of the people,” Philippe Lazzarini said. “And ultimately we know that in [the] context of war, forced displacement of people may constitute [a] war crime.” With @jamesshotter.bsky.social on.ft.com/4jm8GN2
on.ft.com
Israel’s Gaza aid plan could lead to ‘war crime’, UN agency chief says
Philippe Lazzarini says ‘primary intent’ of US-backed proposal is to push population south and even out of strip
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 14/05/2025
After the ECJ ruled Malta's "golden passport" scheme is unlawful, @joshspero.ft.com and I spoke to the man who developed it. "Globally, it doesn’t matter at all,” said Christian Kälin about the ruling. @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/7bc6...
ft.com
The man behind the rise of ‘golden passports’
Christian Kälin of Henley & Partners says landmark court ruling against selling EU citizenship scheme will not stop trend
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Paola Tamma @paolatamma.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
#Pfizergate: the court ruled in favour of @nytimes.com saying EU commission did not explain why it could not find medsages von der Leyen exchanged with Pfizer CEO 👏 @matinastevis.bsky.social & @alexfanta.bsky.social for keeping EU commission accountable. ✍️ by @lauramdubois.ft.com shorturl.at/FJoak
shorturl.at
EU court rules against Ursula von der Leyen over missing Pfizer texts
European Commission president exchanged messages with US pharmaceutical CEO during negotiations for Covid vaccines
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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
BREAKING - Pfizergate ruling sees win for transparency - Judges rule that the Commission should not have misled @matinastevis.bsky.social about the existence of Ursula von der Leyen's text messages. More details forthcoming.
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 14/05/2025
The EU's general court ruled against the European Commission in the landmark case about the disclosure of texts between president Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer’s CEO during the Covid-19 vaccine negotiations. An important win for @nytimes.com and other journalists. www.ft.com/content/e928...
ft.com
Court rules against European Commission in Pfizer text messages case
European Commission president exchanged texts with Pfizer CEO during negotiations for Covid vaccines
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 30/04/2025
“He smelled — excuse me — like shit. And he said ‘there are millions of flies in the evidence room.’” My dispatch from Belgium's justice palace on the country's embattled legal system: @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/0b72...
ft.com
‘Millions of flies in the evidence room’: inside Belgium’s rotting Justice Palace
Crumbling courthouse symbolises ‘catastrophic’ legal system marred by lack of funding and staff
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Henry Foy @henryjfoy.ft.com · 29/04/2025
Full story here on ECJ ruling set to force Malta to withdraw its cash-for-citizenship scheme that the EU’s top court says is not compatible with the bloc’s rules @lauramdubois.ft.com @financialtimes.com enterprise-sharing.ft.com/redeem/b13e4...
enterprise-sharing.ft.com
Malta ‘golden passport’ scheme breaks law, EU’s top court rules
[FREE TO READ] Paid-for citizenship offer must be scrapped under European Court of Justice ruling
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Henry Foy @henryjfoy.ft.com · 29/04/2025
BOOM - EU court rules AGAINST Malta's "golden passports" scheme "Such ‘commercialisation’ of citizenship is incompatible with the basic concept of Union citizenship as defined by the Treaties... Malta has infringed EU law" Deep dive on this from @lauramdubois.ft.com here www.ft.com/content/b6ac...
ft.com
Maltese ‘golden’ passports were sold to Russians with Ukraine war links
Paid-for citizenship that could be banned by European court was handed to people who later faced sanctions
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 29/04/2025
It's official: Malta's "golden passports" scheme violates EU law, the European Court of Justice ruled today. "This essentially amounts to rendering the acquisition of nationality a mere commercial transaction,” said the judges. Full story here: www.ft.com/content/a028... @financialtimes.com
ft.com
Malta’s ‘golden passport’ scheme breaks law, EU’s top court rules
Paid-for citizenship offer must be scrapped under European Court of Justice ruling
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Laura Dubois @lauramdubois.ft.com · 27/04/2025
Albert Avdolyan has been sanctioned by the EU but can partially circumvent the bloc’s travel ban thanks to his Maltese passport. He’s one of 16 people who bought Maltese passports despite being politically exposed, or who were later sanctioned or convicted of crimes. on.ft.com/4jCHgmP
on.ft.com
Maltese ‘golden’ passports were sold to Russians with Ukraine war links
Paid-for citizenship that could be banned by European court was handed to people who later faced sanctions
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A Reader of the FT @a-reader-ft.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
Hungary would hurt EU taxpayers by lifting Russia sanctions, warns Estonia—Estonia’s foreign minister Margus Tsahkna told the Financial Times that blocking the renewal of EU sanctions — a threat Orbán has repeatedly made… www.ft.com/content/42df... @lauramdubois.ft.com @financial-times.bsky.social
ft.com
Hungary would hurt EU taxpayers by lifting Russia sanctions, warns Estonia
Foreign minister says unfreezing €210bn of Russian assets would leave Europe footing the bill for loans to Kyiv
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Henry Foy @henryjfoy.ft.com · 23/04/2025
Why Putin’s offer to Trump is a fake concession designed to lure Washington into forcing an unfair peace on Ukraine Plus, @bmoens.bsky.social on boosting EU tech players without harming US rivals All in today’s Europe Express briefing w @lauramdubois.ft.com on.ft.com/3EzEkrO
on.ft.com
Europe panics as US-Russia talks on Ukraine race ahead without them
[FREE TO READ] Also in this newsletter: Netcompany chief urges Europe to take advantage of ‘digital awakening’
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