Ireland is “probably the most vulnerable” in Europe from a defence point of view, a major security conference has been told.

Geopolitically, there is much to be concerned about at the moment, suggesting the first year of the 2020s will likely have oversized impact on the following nine, says James Stavridis.

Over the last decade, the requisite year-end reflections and predictions have become increasingly bleak.

Macron wants to lead the EU into the 21st century. But he will succeed only if he does not go too far.

Whether it’s Corbyn or, more likely, Johnson, the fallout from the December 12 vote won’t be anywhere near as disastrous as some are saying, writes Anatole Kaletsky.

France has hit back at a US threat to slap 100% tariffs on French cheese, Champagne and other products, with the president telling Donald Trump the move would amount to an attack on all of Europe.

Europe has dithered for decades over whether or not to unify its armies, says Andreas Kluth

Ukraine's new president Volodymyr Zelenskiy was already worried about pressure from Donald Trump to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden more than two months before the phone call that has led to the Trump impeachment inquiry, sources close to the case say.

Russia has said it is working to prevent a conflict between advancing Turkish and Syrian government forces, as Turkey’s president defied growing pressure from Western allies for a ceasefire in northern Syria.

While most non-proliferation and test-ban treaties remain, the 1987 intermediate range pact has collapsed and the 2015 Iran deal is on the brink, says Bennett Ramberg

Why the US decision to withdraw troops from northern Syria is so dangerous.

It was the first major attack in the Afghan capital since President Donald Trump abruptly called off US-Taliban talks on the brink of an apparent deal to end America’s longest war.

Any hasty foreign-troop withdrawal from Afghanistan would lead to a fiasco similar to the Soviet retreat from the country in the 1980s and would result in chaos, says Amin Saikal

Jason Deans’ exhibition in Cobh touches on Brexit and emigration, writes Colette Sheridan.

They have continued to bomb, kill, and maim, even as they have met with the Afghan government to discuss an end to violence, says Shashi Tharoor.