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German firm Metro loses control of Russian business after Putin decree
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered that the assets of German retailer Metro AG be placed under temporary administration. The move comes amid escalating tensions between Germany and Russia over the Ukraine war.
The Russian Prison That Evan Gershkovich Carried Home
In an interview, Mr. Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter who was imprisoned in Russia for 16 months, described his ordeal and the moment that nearly broke him.
Europe Condemns Russian Strikes on Kyiv Science Academy and Medical Center
European leaders condemned Russian attacks on Kyiv that hit the National Academy of Sciences, a medical center and other civilian sites.
Kyiv Science Academy hit, 10 dead as Russian jet-drones strike across Ukraine
Kyiv Science Academy hit, 10 dead as Russian jet-drones strike across Ukraine
Kyiv Science Academy hit, 10 dead as Russian jet-drones strike across Ukraine
In recent weeks, Russia has begun hitting Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with faster, high-flying jet drones.
Russian strikes hit science academy and medical facility in Kyiv
Russian strikes struck a science academy building and a medical facility in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, killing at least one person and injuring six others, including three children, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy said on Monday that the casualties were reported at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine building, which sustained a direct hit. […]
Two Scientists Killed in Russian Strike on Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences
The death toll from a Russian strike on the National Academy of Sciences in Kyiv has risen to two scientists, with several colleagues still missing,
Kremlin transfers control of German retailer Metro's Russia business
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian assets of German retailer Metro AG placed under temporary administration. The step comes against a background of tension between Germany and Russia over the war in Ukraine.
Fire, Smoke and Desperation After a Strike in the Heart of Kyiv
A Russian jet-powered drone hit Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences, the source of almost all of the country’s major scientific discoveries.
Kremlin transfers control of German retailer Metro's Russia business
President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian assets of German retailer Metro AG placed under the temporary administration.
Russian attack on Ukrainian Academy of Sciences
Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, responds to the attack on the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences.
Staff killed and wounded in Russian strike on Kyiv’s science academy
Moscow’s jet-powered drones pummel Ukraine’s capital in switch to daytime attacks
Russian drones hit Kyiv science academy and hospital
One person killed and six injured in attack on capital, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy urges countries to do more to protect Ukraine
Kyiv Science Academy hit as Russian jet-drones strike across Ukraine
KYIV, Sept 28 () - At least one person was killed when a drone hit the National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv on Monday, as Russia pounded the centre of the Ukrainian capital. Kyiv Mayor Vitali...
Russian strikes on Ukraine kill at least 7, including woman at Kyiv's National Academy of Sciences
Deadly strike on Kyiv Science Academy as Russian jet-drones hit Ukraine
The Ukrainian capital’s mayor said 19 people had been injured in attacks on the city.
Russia attacks scientists in strikes on Kyiv
A Russian drone hit Ukraine’s science academy in the heart of Kyiv, killing a woman and causing a large fire.
Russian drone ‘hits National Academy of Sciences’ in central Kyiv
A Russian drone slammed into a building belonging to Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv on Monday, causing a fire local media reported.
Kremlin pressures Russian businesses to pay for drone defences
Vladimir Putin backs army and spy agencies’ push to make businesses defend themselves from Ukrainian strikes
Trump declines to say if Ukraine can manufacture Patriot missiles to fend off Russian attacks
President Donald Trump declined to say if he agreed to allow Ukraine manufacture Patriot missiles a day after Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky reported he would.
Bipartisan group of senators urge Trump to disinvite Putin from G-20
Top senators on the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees argue the invitation legitimizes the Russian assault on Ukraine.
‘Tone deaf’: Rep. Moore backs Sen. Curtis’ call to investigate Trump Jr. gift from Russian oligarch
Utah Rep. Blake Moore said on Thursday that he “absolutely agrees” with Sen. John Curtis’ call to investigate Donald Trump Jr.’s lavish, private-island wedding after-party that was bankrolled by a Rus...
Top Russian banker says state asset grabs are spooking big business
Russian state asset seizures are deterring big businesses from investing in core operations due to fears of confiscation, senior state banker Andrei Kostin said on Thursday.
China-Russia space camp in Malaysia opens to youth in Southeast Asia
Private initiative brings together a Russian astronaut trainer and a Chinese science museum to teach ethics and space science in Penang.
Trump Invites Putin to Attend Group of 20 Summit in Miami
Many leaders are unlikely to welcome the Russian leader’s presence at the event because of his country’s war against Ukraine.
The An-124 Charter Business: Antonov, Volga-Dnepr, SALIS
How NATO ended up renting Soviet-designed freighters from a Ukrainian and a Russian airline — and what happened to the An-124 charter market after 2022.
Russian drone hits business center in central Kyiv
Russia pounded Kyiv with drone strikes on Sept. 23, 2026, hitting business centers, railway infrastructure, warehouses and fuel stations.
GOP senator calls for investigation into business dealings of Donald Trump Jr. and Hunter Biden
A Republican senator is calling for an investigation into the business dealings of Donald Trump Jr. and Hunter Biden following the revelation that a Russian oligarch paid for Trump Jr.’s post-wedding festivities in the Caribbean earlier this year. Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, sent a letter Monday to the leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee requesting that the panel subpoena the president’s eldest son as well as former President Joe Biden’s son for testimony. NBC News' Ryan Nobles reports.
Republican senator calls for probe of Trump Jr. after wedding party bankrolled by Russian oligarch
Republican Sen. John Curtis of Utah wants the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate and subpoena Donald Trump Jr. after his wedding party was partially bankrolled by a Russian oligarch.
Russians have a pragmatic approach to politics
Letter: There has never been a real rebellion for the Kremlin to squelch, writes Mergen Mongush
EU removes two Russian oligarchs form sanctions blacklist
Latvia will abstain on the decision after a row that took EU sanctions regime to the brink of collapse
Republican calls for Senate investigation of Trump Jr wedding paid for by Russian oligarch
Putin ally helped cover cost of renting private island in the Bahamas for wedding of Trump Jr and Bettina Anderson
GOP Sen. calls for probe of Trump Jr. wedding party bankrolled by Russian
He is calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate whether Donald Trump Jr. used his proximity to the presidency for financial benefit
GOP Sen. calls for probe of Trump Jr. wedding party bankrolled by Russian
He is calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate whether Donald Trump Jr. used his proximity to the presidency for financial benefit
GOP Sen. calls for probe of Trump Jr. wedding party bankrolled by Russian
He is calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate whether Donald Trump Jr. used his proximity to the presidency for financial benefit
GOP senator calls for subpoena of Trump Jr. over oligarch-funded wedding report
Republican Sen. John Curtis of Utah wants Donald Trump Jr. subpoenaed over a report a Russian oligarch funded his wedding.
Putin’s ‘war heroes’ form new political elite in Russian parliament
Many of the men served in units that Kyiv has accused of war crimes
Trump administration gave firm with ties to ballroom donor the green light to do business with a sanctioned Russian bank
Private equity investor Konstantin Sokolov was also appointed to run a government enterprise fund.
Trump set to press Zelenskyy at UN to agree energy ceasefire with Russia
President to meet Ukrainian counterpart in New York as Ukraine steps up attacks on Russian energy sector
Zelensky said Trump agrees to speak in New York for diplomatic meeting
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans for a high-stakes meeting with President Donald Trump in New York. As the Ukraine-Russia war continues for more than four years, the U.S. has provided support valued at billions. Zelensky and Trump have had a strained relationship as the U.S. president balances relations with Ukraine and Russian leader Vladimir […]
Main Kremlin party keeps control of Russian parliament after a carefully orchestrated vote
At a polling station in the Russian-held part of the Donetsk region, voters dropped their ballots in a box under the gaze of an armed Russian soldier.
‘No legal effect’: Poland condemns Russian ‘sham elections’ in occupied Ukraine
The Polish foreign ministry also condemned the voting held in breakaway regions of Moldova and Georgia.
Russians vote on last day of parliamentary elections
The results are unlikely to bring many surprises, with Putin’s party expected to win
Russian election observer loses consciousness during arrest by police, opposition party says
The three-day election, which began Friday and ends Sunday, features virtually no opposition and is all but certain to secure the Kremlin’s political dominance.
Trump Says His Son Will Pay Back Russian Businessman for Wedding Party
The president said his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., had decided to return the money, but defended the gift worth hundreds of thousands of dollars as “totally allowed.”
Russia cannot sway French through 'intimidation', Le Pen says
Her comment comes after the Kremlin this week ordered the seizure of Russian subsidiaries of several major French businesses,
Nestlé Loses the Keys to Its Russian Business
The food giant fell after Moscow placed its local operations under temporary external administration, reviving fears that another Western company could ultimately lose control of its Russian assets.
Trump says his son paid back Russian billionaire who funded parts of wedding celebration
President Donald Trump on Friday claimed his son, Donald Trump Jr., paid back the Russian billionaire who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund parts of Trump Jr.’s wedding celebration in the Bahamas.
Trump signs sweeping Russia sanctions bill, aiming to choke off funds for Moscow in Ukraine war
President Donald Trump has signed a major sanctions package targeting Russian officials and key sectors of its economy
Trump signs sweeping Russia sanctions bill, aiming to choke off funds for Moscow in Ukraine war
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday signed into law a sweeping sanctions package targeting Russian officials and key pillars of its economy that
Kremlin takes temporary control of Nestle, Auchan units
Russia placed Nestle and Auchan operations under temporary control, a step that has previously led to forced sales to Russian owners.
Trump says son has paid back Russian for wedding party
The president defended Donald Trump Jr.’s decision to take a large gift from Umar Kremlev, saying that such presents are “common.”
Trump says his son told him he will pay back Russian oligarch for wedding contribution
WASHINGTON, Sept 18 (Reuters) - U.S.
Kremlin orders Russia businesses of Nestle, Auchan seized
The Kremlin ordered the Russian businesses of Swiss-based food and beverage company Nestle and French retailer Auchan placed in temporary administration.
Zelenskyy welcomes leaders from 7 countries for a regional summit
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hosted leaders and representatives from seven regional countries for talks on deepening cooperation on Friday, as overnight Russian strikes in multiple regions sparked fires and caused several deaths and injuries. The inaugural summit of the so-called “Carpathian Eight” brings together Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech […]
Russia begins 3 days of voting in a parliamentary election set to cement the Kremlin's power
Russians on Friday began three days of voting in the country’s first wartime parliamentary election, which features virtually no opposition and is all but certain to secure the Kremlin’s political dominance.
Kremlin orders businesses seized
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The Kremlin has ordered the Russian businesses of Swiss-based food and beverage company Nestle and French retailer Auchan placed in temporary administration, procedure that previously has led to the forced sale of Western businesses to Russian owners at knockdown prices.
Kremlin orders Russia businesses of Nestle, Auchan seized
The Kremlin ordered the Russian businesses of Swiss-based food and beverage company Nestle and French retailer Auchan placed in temporary administration, in a procedure that previously has led to the sale of Western businesses at knockdown prices.
Kremlin orders businesses seized
The Kremlin ordered the Russian businesses of Swiss-based food and beverage company Nestle and French retailer Auchan placed in temporary administration, in a procedure that previously has led to the sale of Western businesses at knockdown prices.
Kremlin seizes Nestlé’s assets in Russia as crackdown on private business grows
The Kremlin has moved to seize the Russian assets of Nestlé and French retailer Auchan amid a broader nationalization drive in the country that has seen a surge in seizures of private assets.
Putin targets Nestle's Russian business as Kremlin tightens grip on Western assets
Nestlé is assessing its options after Russia placed the Swiss food giant’s local assets under temporary external administration.
Nestlé Weighing All Options After Kremlin Takes Control of Its Russian Business
Nestlé said Friday that it was weighing all options to protect its rights after the Kremlin decided to take control of the Swiss food maker's Russian business, the latest move against a Western company since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Nestle reviewing options after Russia business seized by Putin
Vladimir Putin made a presidential decree to take control of Nestle’s Russian assets, alongside those of French supermarket chain Auchan.
Nestle weighing all options after Kremlin moves to seize Russia business
By John Revill ZURICH, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Nestle said on Friday it was weighing all options to protect its rights after the Kremlin's decision to take control of the Swiss food maker's Russian
Nestle weighing all options after Kremlin moves to seize Russia business
By John Revill ZURICH, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Nestle said on Friday it was weighing all options to protect its rights after the Kremlin's decision to take control of the Swiss food maker's Russian business, the latest move against a Western company since ...
Nestle responds to Putin's decision to put its Russian business under external administration
Nestle on Friday responded to the Kremlin's decision to take control of the Swiss food maker's business in Russia, saying it was assessing its options.
Russians begin voting in controlled election as war drags
It will be Russia's first parliamentary election since Moscow sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022
Alex Ovechkin on Russian political ad appearance: 'I support my country'
Alex Ovechkin was asked about his appearance in a political video in his native Russia. "They asked me to do that and I said yes," he said.
The Strange New Politics of AI. Plus. . .
It’s Thursday, September 17. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Douglas Murray asks, why do we allow terrorists to die of old age? The American nonprofits backing Hamas. A conversation with Dara Horn and Coleman Hughes. And much more. But first: inside the unlikely coalition warning that AI may kill us all. Last week, an AI researcher named Jacob Coxon made headlines around the world after saying that he had resigned from Anthropic because he believes AI might cause human extinction—and his co-workers do, too. Unlike the rest of us, potentially, the story just won’t die. The Pro-Human Assembly, a conference held Tuesday in Washington, D.C., about the existential dangers of artificial intelligence, couldn’t have come at a better time—or with a more eclectic coalition. The Archbishop of San Francisco was there. So was Steve Bannon, screaming about the Chinese. Bernie Sanders did a quasi-dramatic reading of messages posted to an online forum by rogue AI agents. Ashley Judd paraphrased a graphic Andrea Dworkin quote for reasons that remain a mystery to me still. It was odd. People in the AI industry have talked openly about the possibility of this technology causing human extinction for years, but it hits differently in the wake of the Hugging Face incident. If you don’t know what that is, all the more reason to read my dispatch today. As the doomers see it, the best-case scenario is a future in which humans are basically kept as pets: well cared for, but with zero autonomy. The worst-case scenario, obviously, is the everyone dies thing. What should be done? I heard lots of ideas but no easy answers. There are currently zero federal regulations on AI, which is sort of strange even to think about. After all, we regulate microwaves, and the people running the microwave industry have never once refused to rule out the possibility that their products will end all human life on Earth. What I saw in D.C. left me even more convinced that you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who believes nothing should be done. You know, except for President Trump. — River Page River Page • Tech and Business [ The AI Doomers Have a Plan to Save Us. I Went to Find Out What It Is. ](https://www.thefp.com/p/the-ai-doomers-have-plan-save-bernie-sanders-bannon) Read story How Robert Kraft Made Macklemore a Martyr—and How to Better Fight Antisemitism On Monday, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and a group of other NFL owners banned Macklemore from performing at their stadiums after the rapper delivered a “Free Palestine” speech while opening for Ed Sheeran. Kraft cited the rapper’s “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.” Once multiple venues refused to host shows with Macklemore on the lineup, the tour’s promoter officially dropped him. Today, Josh Kaplan says that the move was counterproductive, arguing that though well-intentioned, Kraft’s decision turned an irrelevant footnote into a martyr. “You cannot cancel people into liking you,” Josh writes. Read his column on what a better response to Macklemore would have looked like. Read [ Robert Kraft Made Macklemore a Martyr ](https://www.thefp.com/p/robert-kraft-made-macklemore-martyr-antisemitism-palestine) This raises the question: What actually works against antisemitism? On the latest episode of Conversations with Coleman, recorded in front of a live audience in New York, Dara Horn joins Coleman Hughes to talk about her new book The Final Solution to the Jewish Question. She argues that antisemitism is a script that has repeated itself across countries and ideologies, and that most people don’t understand that well enough to fight it. Don’t miss their conversation. Watch [ The Lie at the Center of Antisemitism, with Dara Horn ](https://www.thefp.com/p/the-lie-at-the-center-of-antisemitism-coleman-hughes-dana-horn) Listen now Douglas Murray • U.S. Politics [ Douglas Murray: The 9/11 Failure That Still Haunts America ](https://www.thefp.com/p/douglas-murray-911-failure-justice-terrorist-guantanamo-bay) Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, the men who planned them have still not faced trial. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and most of the accused have been locked up in Guantanamo Bay since 2002. Judges have retired, and plea deals have collapsed. Today, Douglas Murray examines how this happened and argues that a justice system that allows terrorists to die of old age in an interminable pretrial process is one that has failed. Read his latest column on what that failure says about our unpreparedness for the era we are now living in. Read story The Editors • U.S. Politics [ When Nonprofits Support Terrorists ](https://www.thefp.com/p/when-nonprofits-support-terrorists) A newly declassified CIA brief from 1998 found that Osama bin Laden used nonprofit shell organizations—including U.S.-based Islamic groups—to fund his terror plots. Today, a similar story is unfolding as multiple organizations on American soil present themselves as nonprofits, taking advantage of tax-exempt status while seeking to advance the ideological mission of terrorist groups like Hamas. Read our editorial on the latest evidence of this dangerous trend—and why there’s no excuse for making the same mistake the CIA revealed 28 years ago. Read story Simon Sebag Montefiore and Bari Weiss Live in New York For decades, the Middle East has shaped American foreign policy and loomed large in the public consciousness. Few understand its influence on our politics better than Simon Sebag Montefiore, who argues that America’s quagmires in the Middle East stem from a deep misunderstanding of the region—on both the left and the right. Join him October 1 as he sits down with Bari Weiss live in New York City to kick off his U.S. book tour for The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East. Get Tickets Now MORE FROM THE FREE PRESS [ Sydney Sweeney’s Naked Truth ](https://www.thefp.com/p/sydney-sweeneys-naked-truth-caitlin-flanagan) Caitlin Flanagan Read story [ I Thought Ukraine Was Losing. Then I Was Almost Hit by a Russian Drone. ](https://www.thefp.com/p/elliot-ackerman-ukraine-drone-gas-station-train) Elliot Ackerman Read story [ The Dangerous Ideology Behind the AI Warnings ](https://www.thefp.com/p/dangerous-ideology-effective-altruism-artificial-intelligence) Shyam Sankar Read story [ Amanda Knox: Patrick Clancy Can’t Win ](https://www.thefp.com/p/amanda-knox-patrick-clancy-grief-internet-crime) Amanda Knox Read story THE NEWS The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter point, its first hike since 2023, signaling that another increase could follow as the central bank tries to bring inflation under control. President Donald Trump fired back by demanding that rates be cut sharply, though he stopped short of criticizing Fed Chair Kevin Warsh by name. The Houthis fired drones and missiles at Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, including a major oil port on the Red Sea, and Saudi jets struck back with air strikes across Yemen in an escalating front of the Middle East war. (For more on the Houthis, read Zineb Riboua’s column from earlier this week.) A sweeping Russia and Iran sanctions bill passed the House in a 262–159 vote and is now heading to Trump for his signature. Named after the late senator Lindsey Graham, the legislation would hit countries that purchase large volumes of Russian oil and gas with tariffs of up to 100 percent, and is aimed at cutting off revenue that funds Russia’s war in Ukraine. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada the European Union’s first-ever “associate member,” drawing a standing ovation from European lawmakers. The proposal, framed as a response to a world grown more hostile, faces an uncertain path as EU member states would have to approve it, and one diplomat said that “nobody really knows what it means.” The House voted unanimously to send billionaire Leon Black a criminal contempt referral after he defied a congressional subpoena to testify and hand over documents related to his connections to Jeffrey Epstein. Black chose to fight the subpoena in court rather than comply. Charlie Kirk’s family filed a wrongful death notice Wednesday against Utah Valley University, alleging that a series of security failures left him exposed to a rooftop sniper. The notice is a required legal step before the family can sue. Merriam-Webster added 1,400 words and definitions to its dictionary, including looksmaxxing, vibe coding, and cuffing season. The publisher said the new entries offer “a window into the world today.” The Free Press earns a commission from any purchases made through all book links in this article.
Short-seller puts spotlight back on Raiffeisen's ties to Russia
Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) is facing renewed scrutiny as the biggest Western bank still operating in Russia, after a short-seller alleged it was a key channel enabling more than $1 billion of Russian trade to circumvent sanctions.
Capitals address Ovechkin’s role in Russian political ad
The Washington Capitals said Alex Ovechkin was asked to appear in a new ad for Russia’s ruling United Russia party while in Moscow this summer, emphasizing he is a Russian citizen focused on the upcoming NHL season and his community role in D.C.
Ukrainian defence tech seeks new ways to scale up
Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine's defence sector has expanded several-fold, becoming a significant source of military innovation, especially in unmanned systems, counter-drone technologies, electronic warfare and AI-driven combat systems. But finding the funds and personnel to scale up and to reach international markets remains a challenge.Spurred on by the demands of the front-line, Ukrainian defence companies say they can develop a minor component in a couple of weeks, or major hardware or software solutions within a year. This is several times faster than the usual development cycles in the sector. Tencore, founded in 2024, is now one of Ukraine’s largest providers of unmanned ground vehicles, well exceeding the production of NATO members in this category. Odd Systems, a Ukrainian combat cameras developer founded in 2023, launched its first thermal camera in 2024. Less than two years later, it is developing the fourth generation of the product, one that has evolved into a full vision system.According to Michael Singer, managing partner at Verne Capital, a venture capital fund supporting defence companies in Europe, this speed is down to the short feedback loop between the developer and the end user. “Ukrainian companies develop technologies in close interaction with soldiers and military units, test them under real combat conditions and rapidly incorporate feedback into the next generation of the product,” he says. “Sometimes we need to react to feedback and deploy an upgrade within hours,” says Polina Tymchenko, the spokesperson for Himera, which develops electronic warfare-resistant walkie-talkies. “It means that, as a company, you have to have a higher tolerance for risk, and also design your products in a way that fosters those quick changes.”Getting a product deployed by a combat command involves no paperwork other than a purchase order, says Perry Boyle, co-founder and chief executive of Mits Capital, a Ukrainian-US investment group focused on attracting capital for Ukraine's defence tech sector. “New weapons can be developed and deployed based largely on handshakes.”Nevertheless, the speed of development is largely subject to the level of funding, says Iryna Sukhomlyn, head of business development at RMachine, a developer of unmanned ground systems. “Financial support needs to start much earlier, particularly at technology readiness level 3-5, not only when most of the technological risk has already been removed,” she says.In 2025, Ukrainian defence tech companies attracted about $129 million in investment, with the true figure likely higher given the share of undisclosed security-sensitive deals, according to a report published by the Kyiv School of Economics. These investments were primarily concentrated in the AI and software segment, as they are considered a lower financial risk.Scaling production is a major barrierAccording to Iryna Supruniuk, business development director at Odd Systems, proving a defence product in Ukraine is not the end of the development process, but the beginning of a continuous evolution, since operational requirements change rapidly. “Continuous iteration remains our highest priority,” she says.It's also when production must scale up, which represents a major hurdle. “Scaling production requires capital, manufacturing capacity, components, certification, procurement access and reliable supply chains,” Singer says. Scale-up is also hampered by demographic pressures, especially a shortage of young specialists needed to expand engineering teams. Companies have reported struggling to replace specialists lost due to Russian attacks, mobilisation and emigration. In order to meet this scale-up challenge and finance arms production, begun allowing defence technologies to be exported, assuming it has an excess capacity. It has also announced the creation of ten defence and weapons export centres across Europe by the end of 2026.According to Singer, a technology that has demonstrated its value under real combat conditions has a fundamentally different credibility than a product that has only been tested in a laboratory or training environment. But combat validation alone doesn’t automatically create an international business. “Companies still need access to foreign defence ministries and procurement organisations, international certification, financing for production scale-up and, in many cases, local industrial partners,” he says.Already in 2026, the EU has signed several agreements with Ukraine that aim at joint defence technology development and production. These include allowing Ukraine to join the European Defence Fund, signing a financing agreement under the European Defence Industry Programme, and setting up the EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance.For Singer, it is important that European defence companies don’t just see their Ukrainian partners as technology suppliers, but rather as potential innovation partners. “Ukrainian companies bring speed, operational experience and an exceptional ability to iterate. European partners can provide industrial capacity, capital, established supply chains and access to European procurement markets.”Procurement possibilitiesWhen it comes to exports, the procurement and compliance processes involved require time, taking months or even years, and money. In other words, resources that small defence tech companies need if they are to improve and scale up their technologies. According to Sukhomlyn of RMachine, if the priority is to rapidly increase available defence capabilities, then the processes need to reflect that urgency. “If Europe wants defence innovation at wartime speed, its administrative processes also need to operate much closer to wartime speed,” she says, highlighting a need for support with certification, market access and mutual recognition of relevant testing. “Otherwise, we risk having excellent technology available but spending years making it administratively eligible to be purchased.”Related articlesRussia widens targeting of European research centresEU must support research managers in central and eastern Europe, says Visegrad fund headThis is a lesson Europe’s defence sector would do well to learn, Singer says. “Defence innovation needs to be organised around the speed and requirements of the end user, not around the speed of the bureaucracy.”Supruniuk says the European defence sector should rethink the balance between quality and quantity. “In many cases, a good-enough system available in thousands of units creates greater operational value than a perfect system available in dozens.”“For decades, everyone has been looking for that all-powerful, exquisite system that can protect everyone,” adds Tymchenko. “We see in crime that only scalable, dedicated, affordable solutions can actually defend democracies.”
EU membership bid gives boost to Moldova’s fledgling R&D landscape
Moldova’s push to join the EU is having the spillover effect of helping to improve the country’s R&D landscape, which in recent years has suffered from fragmentation, decreasing personnel and a lack of research infrastructure.The country became an EU candidate country in 2022, alongside Ukraine, and officially began accession negotiations in 2024. With a pro-EU government, Moldova has been actively carrying out reforms to align with EU standards. This has helped accelerate the development of R&D, said Igor Chiosa, acting head of the Research and Innovation Policy Directorate at Moldova’s Ministry of Education and Research. “Our R&D landscape is moving up, and we are more and more involved in the European Research Area,” he said. “The support we receive from the EU is very important, not only financially, but also because of incentives, consultation and capacity building.”The R&D landscape in the former Soviet republic is still relatively underdeveloped, despite attempts at improvement going back to a 2004 law on science and innovation and later reforms in 2017 and 2018. But the system remains in a “precarious situation” and “in the process of contraction,” according to an assessment carried out by the government for the current National Programme for Research and Innovation, which runs from 2024 to 2027. The analysis highlights in particular the declining number of researchers and PhDs, which has been continuously falling, as well as limited research funding. This is around 10 times lower than the EU average and “insufficient to maintain a level of research activity that supports higher education and meets the needs of the economy.” The mechanisms for allocating research funds are also described as inefficient, as well as the general fragmentation of the landscape, with research and innovation activities being carried out in 67 different places. The lack of strategic vision for research infrastructure is also noted. The strategy sets out to address these issues and is being fuelled by reforms linked to EU accession. Moldova now has a regulation on open science and gender equality. There is also a new support mechanism for technology transfer offices and a business-academia roadmap. In 2025, the country also became the first Eastern Partnership country to approve a Smart Specialisation strategy, which will coordinate its R&D efforts to focus on strengths, within a European context. “We’ve done a lot in terms of normative acts,” Chiosa said. Horizon Europe successMoldova is also seeing more success in the EU’s flagship R&D programme, Horizon Europe. The country has now won nearly €15 million in funding, already double the amount won under the previous programme, Horizon 2020, and more than the €10 million target set by the government. Chiosa said the priority has shifted now to winning more research-centred projects, rather than those related to support and capacity. Moldova is also targeting further involvement in large European projects. Last year, it joined the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking giving Moldovans access to Europe's supercomputing network. The country is also a member of Danubius-RI, a European research infrastructure focused on river and sea research. Despite these efforts, Moldova’s research capacity is still shackled by its limited R&D budget, which equates to 0.23% of its GDP. This is around half of what its neighbour Romania spends, which is the lowest in the EU. According to Chiosa, the research budget is increasing year-on-year, jumping by €6.34 million between 2024 and 2025. But this doesn’t show up when looking at it as a proportion of GDP. “Of course, it’s difficult,” he said. “That is why we are putting more emphasis on collaboration between business and academia, as well as participation in Horizon Europe, to try to diversify our sources of funding.”A World Bank loan of €30 million, plus a grant of €7.8 million, was agreed in 2025 to support the modernisation of Moldova’s universities. As part of this, a call was launched this year to provide universities grants of up to €900,000 to develop their research infrastructure. Moldova is also collaborating closely with Romania, with which it shares a common language, funding 100 joint projects in 2023 and 2024. This support has been instrumental. “They are helping with sharing their expertise, inviting us into consortia, and lots more,” Chiosa said. Looking forward, Moldova is eagerly anticipating joining the EU. “We are looking closely at what the EU is doing and will shape our future national programme in research innovation accordingly.”EU accession “blocked at a technical level”Moldova is aiming to join the EU by 2028, but despite its swift and eager efforts to meet the accession criteria, there remain obstacles outside of the country’s control. For a country to join the EU, it must have certain legislation in place and meet specific standards in various areas. This is categorised into six thematic clusters containing 33 chapters. Moldova and the EU have so far opened two of the clusters, numbers one and six. The first covers fundamental laws, such as the judiciary, security and financial legislation. The sixth covers external relations. The remaining four clusters are still unopened. This includes the third cluster, on competitiveness and growth, which contains the chapter on science and research.Related articlesQ&A: Albania’s ambition to become a ‘moderate innovator’Data corner: Horizon success rates are droppingThe European Commission has confirmed that these clusters are ready to be opened, with an official saying that the Commission is encouraging EU governments, who have the final say, to move forward on the matter. However, both clusters two and three remain blocked by the EU Council’s working party on enlargement and countries negotiating accession to the EU, a different official, representing the Council, confirmed.This working party is set to meet several times in the coming weeks, with a Council meeting scheduled for mid-October in which enlargement, and Moldova’s bid, will be discussed. But there is no certainty that these talks will lead to progress. According to the Council source, it is “completely impossible to foresee if and when the file will be unblocked,” citing the sensitivity of the matter. Moldova’s situation is particularly complicated. One factor is that it borders Ukraine and is increasingly embroiled in Russia’s war, with drone incursions occurring more often on its territory. Another is Transnistria, a Russian-backed breakaway state that lies within the territory of Moldova. It is unclear how the EU would be able to accept Moldova into the bloc while this situation remains unchanged. While there is no direct reason to delay opening cluster three with Moldova, as it covers matters unrelated to security, it could be that the EU is reluctant to speed through accession negotiations without first resolving broader, geopolitical issues.Chiosa is confident that, if and when the chapter on science and research is opened, Moldova will be able to finalise it quickly. It doesn’t require any legislative changes and is only a matter of proving certain standards, which Chiosa believes Moldova is well prepared to do. “We hope that chapter 25 on science and research will be one of the first chapters opened and closed,” he said.
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