While hussars trample beets, and artificial intelligence prepares the end of the world: Bloomberg advises to exchange euros for Pokémons

Polish diplomat:

— What?! Your Cossacks burned down our voivodeship back then! No tanks, we are revoking your state awards!

Ukrainian diplomat slams his hand on the table:

— Oh, really?! Then we are completely closing the border to your imports because your hussars trampled our beets back in the 17th century!

At this moment, a pleased Russian general peeks into the office with binoculars and shouts over the fence:

— Guys, sorry to interrupt your discussion about Bohdan Khmelnytsky and Volhynia! Keep digging deeper, all the way to the Teutonic Order and Kyivan Rus, and in the meantime, we’ll just quietly take your air defense and logistics warehouses, okay?

Well, while politicians are digging through the archives, the real world continues to live by its own harsh agenda.

This week, global media are capturing not only diplomatic sparks between strategic partners but also much more global challenges — ranging from the existential threats of military artificial intelligence to climate anomalies melting European cities.

10 Years of Brexit

The Guardian's anniversary coverage highlights a massive divide between British internal hardships and EU indifference. Small UK businesses face a bureaucratic "nightmare" with exports dropping significantly due to costly certifications and labor shortages, while the EU has moved on, leaving Britain looking like an obsessed ex-partner.

The Poland-Ukraine Diplomatic Spat

Polskie Radio reports on rising tensions over historical memory, triggered by Ukraine naming a military unit after the UPA, which led Polish President Nawrocki to strip Zelenskyy of Poland’s highest honor. Zelenskyy cancelled his visit to a Gdańsk reconstruction conference, a move experts view as a pragmatic step to prevent right-wing Polish factions from sabotaging the economic forum.

Belarus and Russia's Pressure

The Wall Street Journal and Plan B outline Belarus's tightening corner, where Moscow uses political and financial leverage (often via Ambassador Gryzlov) to push for a northern front against Ukraine. Meanwhile, Lukashenko plans to physically leave the country on a crucial day, leaving citizens near the border panicked.

Military AI Risks

Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) interviews UNIDIR director Robin Geiss, who warns that military AI adoption could mean the "end of humanity." As automated systems react faster than human capacity, the threat of unpredictable machine-led escalation grows, creating an illusion of humane warfare while lowering the psychological threshold for conflict.

Climate and Europe’s Heatwave

Politico details why Europe is trapped in extreme heat, pointing to three causes: a stubborn "heat dome" trapping hot African air, poorly adapted concrete cities lacking proper cooling infrastructure, and a weakened jet stream causing weather systems to stall.

"Bolivars" in Ukraine

Le Monde explores Latin American volunteers, primarily seasoned Colombian veterans, fighting for Ukraine. Driven by both solidarity and higher wages compared to domestic pensions, they face severe language barriers and a staggering transition from jungle counter-insurgency to high-intensity drone and artillery warfare.

Pokémon Asset Class

Bloomberg spotlights the absurd reality where rare Pokémon cards have evolved into a multi-million dollar asset class. Highlighting a $16.5 million Pikachu sale by Logan Paul, the piece shows how vintage cardboard serves as a speculative hedge, proving that while currencies deflate, rare collectibles hold high-art market value.

Read more in the Ukrainian edition....