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US Attacks on Iran Mean a Massive Ripple Effect on CEE
2 March 2026
European leaders will retreat to a Belgian castle this week to define boundaries for the EU economic security strategy outlined by the Commission in December.
The policy itself defines today’s power struggle in international relations and the European Union (EU) wants to set its own terms. At least some in the EU will oppose this. It is expected that Hungary and Slovakia will be at odds over practical steps toward greater European sovereignty.
The meeting will take place just a week after Washington convened the 2026 Critical Minerals Ministerial, which brought together 54 countries and the European Commission to discuss reducing the world’s overreliance on China for critical raw materials (CRMs). The US gives another push for new multilateral arrangements like the one between the United States (US), the EU and Japan.
Will Central Europeans seize the opportunity or simply resort to mitigating risks?