Europe Adjusts for Cold Winter and Russian Sabotage

While we read into the details of the EU Democracy Shield and the new Civil Society Strategy, Russia sent over 1500 drones on Ukraine’s energy grid and civilian houses, Poland announced a second barrier on the Belarus border but opened two border crossings. The Southeast Europe region edges further west.

Civil society to shield EU democracies

GLOBAL/REGIONAL

• The Commission released the European Democracy Shield (EUDS) alongside the EU Strategy for Civil Society (EUSCS) on Wednesday, outlining the key measures to ’empower, protect, and promote strong and resilient democracies across the EU’.
• Importantly, it also introduces the new European Centre for Democratic Resilience, following a proposal by Poland in its non-paper prior to the announcement of EUDS.
• The Centre will act as a facilitator to support capacity-building to counter foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), among other threats.
• Read more about these developments in our recent report.

• EUSCS envisages creating a Civil Society Platform by 2026 to strengthen dialogue on protecting and promoting European Union values. It will establish an online Knowledge Hub on Civic Space and explore additional protection tools, including urgent assistance for organisations under threat and better coordination of safeguards across Member States.
• It also foresees a substantial funding increase, with nine billion euros proposed for the AgoraEU programme and measures to ease access to diverse funding sources, including private donors and pro bono legal support.

• The EU General Affairs Council (GAC) is scheduled to convene today, on 17 November. EU finance ministers are expected to hold a policy debate on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034.
• The annual Rule of Law dialogue, focused on Bulgaria, Czechia, Ireland and Germany is also expected to happen.

• EU foreign ministers to meet in Brussels on 20 November for the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) with a close eye on Ukraine. Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s foreign minister, is expected to participate in an informal exchange of views.
• FAC will also focus on hybrid attacks of Belarus against member states.

• At the end of the week, the European Union’s leadership will turn to the global stage at the G20 Summit in South Africa. On 22–23 November 2025, heads of state or government from the world’s major economies – including the EU (represented by European Council President António Costa and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen) – will gather in Johannesburg for the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit.
• Concurrently, the seventh EU–African Union Summit is also set for 24–25 November 2025 in Luanda, Angola, bringing together heads of state and government from all EU and AU member countries

• The European Commission is considering establishing a dedicated Intelligence Unit inside the Secretariat-General. It may allegedly consist of officials from across the EU’s intelligence community, as reported by The Financial Times.

UKRAINE