Global Geopolitical Series: Key updates from across the world

Here are some key events to keep a tab on,

• Taming Euro-skeptics: European Commission chief Jean Claude Juncker invited leaders of the Eastern European countries like Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic to dinner to stress the importance of unity within the EU at a time when the whole region is going through political turmoil. Both Poland and Hungary refused to accept immigrants under EU migrant quota despite a defeat at the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
   
• EU to toughen sanctions against North Korea: German foreign minister Maria Adebar said that the European Union will toughen its sanction against North Korea.
   
• EU, Catalonia, and Spain: Though the European Union has sided with Spain on the Catalonia issue and supported the proportionate use of police force on the day of the referendum, it has urged the Spanish government and Catalonia authorities to open dialogue to defuse tensions.
   
• U.S., Japan, and North Korea: The U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have agreed in a telephonic conversation to add pressure on North Korea.
   
• Vladimir Putin on North Korea: Russian President Vladimir Putin said while launching a coordinated attack on North Korea is possible, the outcome is impossible to determine as no one knows for 100 percent what North Korea’s capability is given the fact that it is a closed state.