Ben Hall

Should Europe be preparing for transatlantic divorce and if so, how? You can ask me on Thursday Feb 26 at 13.00 GMT ft.com/content/bab224…

Luuk van middelaar

Russia is intensifying its attacks in Ukraine. Can it make a breakthrough and will Ukraine's stretched defences hold out? @HoansSolo gives me his expert assessment Putin steps up summer offensive against Ukraine ft.com/content/782b81… via @ft

Trump’s shameful Crimea ultimatum to Ukraine ft.com/content/53c4dc… via @ft

From ally to antagonist to predator. FT leader: how should the Europeans respond to Trump's demolition of the transatlantic security relationship Europe and the crumbling Atlantic alliance ft.com/content/2be871… via @ft

“This is Europe’s moment to accelerate and execute,” @EmmanuelMacron tells @khalafroula @labboudles and me. “It has no choice. It is running out of road.” ft.com/content/1ee43b… via @ft

There's a warning for the rest of Europe in the failure of Austria's mainstream parties to strike a coalition deal, paving the way for Chancellor Kickl Austria’s far right hits Europe’s soft centre ft.com/content/388af5… via @ft

Escalatory dominance? Putin's IRBM missile attack shows Russia's enormous effort to calibrate the actions and not just the words. Vladimir Putin climbs escalatory ladder with missile experiment ft.com/content/0c5d63… via @ft

Once again Estonia is outrider for more robust European support for Ukraine, before and after any "Trump peace". But could the Europeans really be guarantors of UA security without US?

Europeans should be willing to deploy troops to guarantee Ukraine's security if Nato not an option, says @Tsahkna European troops in Ukraine would secure Trump peace deal, says Estonia ft.com/content/98ceca… via @ft

ft.com/content/8f9add… A really good summary of what is at stake in 🇬🇪 #Georgia ahead of tomorrow's election. Glad to be quoted.

"A battle for the soul of Europe" - my and @NastyaStognei 's take on Georgia's parliamentary elections this weekend, a watershed moment for the country Is Georgia slipping back into Russia’s orbit? ft.com/content/8f9add… via @ft

Ukraine is facing its darkest moment in the war. And President Zelensky faces increasing pressure from western allies to pursue negotiations, despite skepticism about Russia’s willingness and concerns over Kyiv’s weak position. w/ @hallbenjamin @HenryJFoy ft.com/content/2bb205…

Germany should be doing more not less to bolster European security. My take on the @Bundeskanzler fiasco over slashed aid for Ukraine. Ukraine is the victim in Germany’s botched budget debate ft.com/content/b0dcc7… via @ft

The always perceptive @Andriypzag tells me why it was so important for Ukraine to change the war narrative with Kursk incursion - and how Putin will eventually have to pull troops away from Donetsk Ukraine wrongfoots Russia in Kursk ft.com/content/3767e0… via @ft

Does it make sense for Ukraine to seize Russian land as leverage for negotiations? Everything will depend on the cost. Ukraine prepares for Trump trade with Russian land grab ft.com/content/f35eda… via @ft

@EmmanuelMacron's bet that the French would say no to the far-right paid off; his bet that this would clarify how they wanted to be governed did not. My take. France heads back to its postwar era of ungovernability ft.com/content/bea26b… via @ft

.@ft @hallbenjamin sums up French elections 2nd round: “an invidious choice: a far right dangerously close to power and a leftwing bloc under the glowering influence of the far-left Mélenchon. After Macron’s reckless wager, there is no alternative.” on.ft.com/3VOYGBQ

Update - far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon has said the left will pull out its candidates if third behind centrists. Will Macron's camp reciprocate?

Exit polls suggest there will be a huge number of triangulaires or three-way contests in the run-off on July 7, splitting the opposition to RN vote

Far-right Rassemblement National is on course for an absolute majority - unless the other parties can unite to stop it in the coming days French election live: Far-right wins first round, survey shows ft.com/content/e72eef… via @ft