Summary
- The war in Ukraine and Russia’s provocations – reflected in drone incidents in countries such as Poland and Romania – remain the central topic setting the framework for visibility and mentions among most monitored international actors. Other key themes shaping coverage in September included the Israel–Hamas conflict and the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the strategic competition and geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific, the EU enlargement process and its new program aimed at supporting member states’ defence investment capacities, as well as bilateral relations (e.g., the US–UK) and specific national developments, such as France’s domestic political and social dynamics.
- Russia ranks first in the overall volume of mentions, followed by the United States, which retains its second position. The European Union takes the top spot, while Ukraine falls to fourth place. Compared to August, most of the monitored actors recorded an increase in mentions, except for the United States, Ukraine, and Germany, which registered declines.
- The United States continues to lead in terms of estimated impact (views generated by mentions), followed by Russia and Ukraine which have switched positions compared to the previous month. The European Union maintains its ranking. Month-on-month, most actors show growth in estimated impact, except for the United States, Russia, Ukraine, and Germany, which record decreases for this indicator.
- Online media remains the main source of mentions for all monitored international actors, while the share of local sources varies from about 23% in the case of Germany and 19% for France, to around 11% for Israel or Russia.