A week is a long time in global affairs, and whilst the Western World was left reeling by Trump's bullying stance on Ukraine and its president, European heads of state convened for emergency discussions about defence strategy.
Belgium has never been a large military force and the turn in geopolitics has made it's weakness all the more apparent. But whilst ministers grappled with the challenge of bolstering defence capacity with an already strained budget, life in the heart of Europe brought other stories, that might have escaped your notice.
ICYMI, here are six stories that defined the week, as told by The Brussels Times.
When the King nearly carved up Belgium into a Nazi vassal state
A new book has revealed Belgian King Leopold III’s plans in 1942 to carve up Belgium into a small vassal Nazi state, officially handing Brussels, Antwerp and most of the country to Hitler in a peace deal.
Crossing the channel? Applications for travel document to visit UK open from 5 March
European travellers will have to pay for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the United Kingdom from April 2025. Applications for this travel document open from Wednesday 5 March.
Europe’s language revolution, now more visible than ever
How successful are European countries at unifying their populations linguistically? What part does the spread of English in Eastern Europe play in NATO’s hybrid war against Russia. These and many other questions about Europe’s rapid linguistic transformation can now be answered in a few clicks.
How is Brussels public transport dealing with fare-dodgers?
Passengers pushing through the Metro barriers or getting caught without a ticket. Brussels, like many other cities, still has a fare-dodging problem – but the situation has improved in recent years.
What to know about your gas and electricity bills in Belgium
From the cost and the different contracts to solar panels and more, matters related to energy concern everyone. And oftentimes, they can be confusing. To shine a light on the complexities, consumer protection organisation Testachats will every month deep dive into a topic affecting customers. This month, the focus is on energy bills, and how to read them.
Audi factory in Brussels closes after over 75 years
German luxury car manufacturer Audi's factory in the Brussels municipality of Forest is officially closing on Friday 28 February, 76 years after the first car rolled off the production line.
