This week has seen mass protests hijacked by violent rioters across France, with the looting of shops, trashing of public buildings, the burning of Lyon's Tourist Information Office and the iconic Limoges City Hall.  After the riots came the curfews and the contemplation: who did what and why weren't they stopped? French President Emmanuel Macron blamed seditious groups, ultra-left anarchists and opportunist criminals, with a qualified mea culpa: authorities made mistakes in anticipation and dropped the ball in intelligence gathering.

Estonia's counterintelligence service has recently warned that sabotage operations orchestrated by Russian special services have reached a new and dangerous phase in Europe, with targets no longer being purely symbolic. Talking Europe sits down with the country's foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, to discuss the security situation in Estonia and the European Union in general.

A marathon EU summit on October 15-16 failed to produce a breakthrough on the European Union's next long-term budget. Although EU leaders put on a brave face at the end of the talks by saying that "the way forward is clearer", EU capitals appear deadlocked on what that path is. At stake is the EU's ability to finance its strategic priorities from 2028 to 2034. The main dividing line is between the so-called "frugal countries", who want deep cuts to the proposed budget, and the "friends of cohesion", who say that cuts are not the answer.

France is bracing for another weekend of protests, after violence erupted on the sidelines of last week's mobilisations. Paris is extending a partial curfew in parts of the city until Monday, while protests are banned altogether in the cities of Marseille and Lyon. 70,000 security personnel will be deployed on Saturday and only union demonstrations will be authorised.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet with high school pupils whose protests over school conditions have sparked a broader movement. Details by Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet, communication specialist and teacher at Sciences Po.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez held a press conference on security arrangements ahead of upcoming protests. He announced that 70,000 security forces would be mobilised on October 24 to keep order.

Jean-Emile Jammine is pleased to welcome Gökçe Tuncel, Sociologist and post-doctoral researcher associated with the Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC). For Tuncel, the wave of youth-led protests across France, Albania, India and Italy reveals more than a succession of localized grievances. It signals the emergence of a political consciousness shaped by material insecurity, institutional disillusionment and an increasingly explicit demand for solidarity and social justice. "What is really striking about this Gen Z movement is how clearly young people see their material conditions," Tuncel observes.

Russia is ready to resume three-way talks with Ukraine and the United States, but on the security parameters of a final peace d al and not a "short" ceasefire, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

Ukraine on Friday said it was still experiencing restrictions with the Starlink communication system despite a claim by US President Donald Trump made earlier this week that the country’s access had been fully restored. Trump said he had not yet spoken to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk about the problem, but that he would “straighten it out”. 

Representatives from French high school student groups called for “continued mobilisation” after meeting with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée palace for the first time since protests started more than a month ago. Earlier, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said some 70,000 security forces would be deployed to keep order throughout France for planned protests on Saturday. Read our blog to see how the day's events unfolded.

Can Europe continue to sustain one of the world's most ambitious social models while falling increasingly behind its major economic competitors? For Pascal Lamy, former European Commissioner for Trade and former Director-General of the World Trade Organization, this question lies at the heart of the continent's mounting economic and political tensions. Lamy looks beyond the immediate turmoil in France to identify a deeper European predicament: a widening disconnect between the continent's social commitments and its capacity to generate the economic growth needed to sustain them.

Can Europe continue to sustain one of the world's most ambitious social models while falling increasingly behind its major economic competitors? For Pascal Lamy, former European Commissioner for Trade and former Director-General of the World Trade Organization, this question lies at the heart of the continent's mounting economic and political tensions.

Facing US sanctions, the International Criminal Court was on Thursday awarded the European Union's top rights prize, in a show of support that risks upsetting President Donald Trump. "The European Union is built on respect for multilateralism and international institutions, and this prize recognises the important work of the court in upholding international law and justice," said European Parliament chief Roberta Metsola in announcing the award. The ICC thanked the European Parliament for giving it the Sakharov Prize "at a time when the Court and its officials face unprecedented challenges". FRANCE 24's International Affairs Commentator Douglas Herbert has more.

Russia’s latest attacks on Ukraine show there has been “no real change” in Moscow’s attitude towards the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday. The deadly strikes came just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin told US envoy Steve Witkoff his country was ready to resume trilateral talks with Washington and Kyiv.

In Paris, shopkeepers fear further losses ahead of a demonstration planned for next Saturday. After last weekend’s protests saw scenes of vandalism, some are considering closing their shops, while others plan to stay open.

Ukraine and Russia exchanged drone and missile strikes on Thursday, killing seven people in Ukraine, according to authorities. Moscow said it had intercepted 630 Ukrainian drones targeting the Russian capital. The strikes came hours after US envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. Witkoff said Moscow was ready to resume trilateral talks with Kyiv and Washington.

The French "interfac" student movement organised new protests on Thursday, even though it is currently the school holidays in France. Student representatives are set to meet soon with Education Minister Edouard Geffray. Details by FRANCE 24's Ellen Gainsford.

Italian truck drivers have been blocking refineries and key roads to protest against soaring diesel prices. Italy’s government has warned truckers blocking roads could face criminal penalties, as authorities move to clear demonstrations. Details by FRANCE 24's correspondent in Rome, Seema Gupta.

A US envoy met Putin in Saint Petersburg on Wednesday after the Kremlin agreed to resume peace talks with Ukraine and the United States. Details by FRANCE 24's correspondent Gulliver Cragg.

The International Criminal Court, which US President Donald Trump's administration has threatened to dismantle "brick by brick", has been awarded the European Union's Sakharov human rights prize.