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Update Belarus about Zapad 2025

Newsletter of 16th september about Zapad 2025

Top news in the period under review: • After the final play held within the framework of the Zapad 2025 exercise in the 227th combined-arms training area on September 16, Chief of the International Military Cooperation Department, Aide for International Military Cooperation to Lukashenka’s Defense Minister Valery Revenko reported on a complex of measures Belarus had taken to enable the transparency of Zapad 2025. He also stated that Belarus demanded that Poland clarify its military activity and a response was received. Revenko saw in the Polish response to the Belarusian request an opportunity for a constructive conversation. The Chief of the General Staff - First Deputy MoD Pavel Muraveyko noted that the active phase of Zapad-2025 is ending. At the same time, the maneuvers will end when all units return to their deployment locations.

Gabriele Baumann
September 19, 2025
Single title
IMAGO / SNA

Between nuclear threats and diplomatic initiatives: The Zapad 2025 military exercise in Belarus

Even after the military exercises, the country remains a Russian staging area

The active phase of the Russian-Belarusian military exercise Zapad 2025, held from September 12 to 16, 2025, ended—just as expected—without major incidents. However, in recent weeks, the threat to countries bordering Belarus has reached a new level. On September 10, at least 19 Russian drones, mostly flying over Belarus, penetrated deep into NATO member Poland. According to security experts, Russia likely intended to test NATO’s defensive response. In reaction, NATO announced Operation "Eastern Sentry" to strengthen defense along its eastern flank. Although only 8,000 troops (including just 2,000 Russian soldiers) were deployed in Belarus this time, with an estimated 30,000 more stationed in Russia, the exercise brought back grim memories of Zapad 2021, after which Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory. Back then, however, 200,000 troops participated in the drills. This year’s joint exercises were meant to demonstrate just how closely Belarus and Russia now cooperate militarily. It was also a show of force aimed at the West, with Russian leader Putin maintaining a firm grip on his junior partner, Lukashenko.

Gabriele Baumann
September 18, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Martin Bertrand

Case Studies on How to Deal with Right-Wing Populist Parties in Europe

Between Exclusion, Co-optation and Toleration

This publication explores the diverse strategies of different EPP parties in responding to right-wing populist and far-right actors. Covering ten national case studies, it shows that such parties vary in ideology, radicalisation, and readiness to cooperate with mainstream politics. The analysis demonstrates that neither consistent exclusion nor unconditional inclusion ensures success. Instead, effective approaches depend on context, require clear red lines on democracy, rule of law and Europe, and should combine principled distancing from extremist actors with credible engagement of their voter bases. The study proposes a threefold typology: (1) authoritarian, (2) nationalist, and (3) moderate right-wing populist and conservative parties; and highlights best-practice examples from Spain, Greece and Finland. Ultimately, it calls for a differentiated and resilient strategy that enables centre-right parties to confront the challenges posed by right-wing populism in Europe.

Sebastian Enskat, M.A.
September 18, 2025
Single title

Conference “Abraham Shields” in Sderot

5 Years of Abraham Accords.

On 8 September, the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation and the Coalition for Regional Security organized the "Abraham Shields" conference in Sderot.

Dr. Michael Rimmel, Pascal Franz
September 18, 2025
Single title

The International Arena in Couter-Terrorism & Diplomacy

KAS at the ICT World Summit 2025 at Reichman University in Herzliya

On 17 September, the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation invited five ambassadors to address the international dimension of terrorism and the role of diplomacy at the 2025 World Summit of the ICT at Reichman University.

Dr. Michael Rimmel, Felix Neumann
September 18, 2025
Single title
© Vuk Valcic, Zuma Press, Imago

“Every penny of international development is spent in our national interest.”

An Interview with Sir Andrew Mitchell

For this issue of International Reports, Canan Atilgan, Head of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s Office for the United Kingdom and Ireland, spoke with Sir Andrew Mitchell about development cooperation in times of populist attacks and tight budgets, the strengths and setbacks of British development cooperation, and how to reconcile morality and national interests.

Dr. Canan Atilgan
September 17, 2025
International Reports
IMAGO / Catholicpressphoto

100 Days of Pope Leo XIV.

Insights into the New Pontificate

On May 18, 2025, Pope Leo XIV was inaugurated into his office with a solemn service at St. Peter’s Square in Rome. By August 26, the first hundred days of the new pontificate had passed. Believers, as well as observers of the Catholic Church, are asking themselves in which direction the first US-American to occupy the Chair of Peter will lead.

Alexander Mathias Görlach, Marian Wendt
September 17, 2025
Country reports
Allan Mutiso, Xinhua Afrika, Imago

External Actors in Sub-Saharan Africa

Challenges and Lessons for Germany

How a German democratic approach can stand up to authoritarian models in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mathias Kamp, Jan-Ole Voß
September 17, 2025
International Reports
Cheng Yiheng, Xinhua, Imago

How China and Japan are Competing for Economic Dominance in Southeast Asia

And What Europe Can Learn from It

Greater speed and pragmatism would enable Europe to keep pace in the competition for influence in Southeast Asia.

Dr. Denis Suarsana
September 17, 2025
International Reports
AFLO, Imago

How Japan Combines Aid, Trade, and Investment in Its Development Cooperation

The Trinity Approach

Insight into the development policy strategy of Japan to expand its influence, build trust and tap into new markets.

Paul Linnarz
September 17, 2025
International Reports

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Facts and Findings

Selected contributions to the series with international relevance

The series informs in a concentrated form about important positions of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung on current topics. The individual issues present key findings and recommendations, offer brief analyses, explain the Foundation's further plans and name KAS contact persons.  

International Reports

Journal for international issues, foreign policy and development cooperation

International Reports (IR) is the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung's periodical on international politics. It offers political analyses by our experts in Berlin and from more than 100 offices across all regions of the world. Contributions by named authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editorial team.

EPP Party Barometer

The Situation of the European People's Party in the EU

The EPP Party Barometer illustrates the current situation of the EPP party family in the EU. On a non-regular basis, it provides a concise overview of current election results, polls from the member states and the composition of the party family.

Interviews

In our series "Interviews", talks and discussions are held with experts from the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V. on various topics.

kurzum

Concise, reduced to the essentials, but always highly topical. In our series "kurzum", our experts summarise an issue or problem on a maximum of two pages.

Country Reports

Short political reports of the KAS offices abroad

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is a political foundation. Our offices abroad are in charge of over 200 projects in more than 120 countries. The country reports offer current analyses, exclusive evaluations, background information and forecasts - provided by our international staff.

Event Reports

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, its educational institutions, centres and foreign offices, offer several thousand events on various subjects each year. We provide up to date and exclusive reports on selected conferences, events and symposia at www.kas.de. In addition to a summary of the contents, you can also find additional material such as pictures, speeches, videos or audio clips.