Latest Articles about Europe's East
Fake News and Speculation Assaults Belarus
Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka canceled his planned trip to the city of Gomel and did not appear on TV for three days prior to July 30. This sudden absence encouraged the Russian Telegram instant messenger chat channel “Nezygar” to falsely report that Lukashenka suffered an... MORE
NATO Summit Puts Black Sea Strategy on Hold for Another Year (Part Two)
*To read Part One, please click here. United States President Donald Trump’s behavior at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) recent summit in Brussels (July 11–12) and in its aftermath has cast a shadow on this landmark event. Trump’s follow-up actions, including the meeting... MORE
Belarus Opening up to the World Amidst Russian Accusations of Disloyalty
On July 24, the Belarusian government significantly increased the length of time that visitors from a list of 80 foreign countries could remain in Belarus visa-free. The period was extended from 5 to 30 days (Belta, July 24). The five-day timeframe was introduced in February... MORE
NATO in Ukraine: High Strategic Stake, Irresolute Engagement
United States President Donald Trump’s behavior at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) recent summit in Brussels (July 11–12) and in its aftermath has cast a shadow on this landmark event. Trump’s follow-up actions, including the meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, continued hitting... MORE
Ukraine’s Defense Industry Slowly Moves Toward Adopting NATO Standards
Ukraine has begun mass producing ammunition for 40-millimeter automatic grenade launchers, the state defense industry monopoly Ukroboronprom recently announced. This caliber is widely used by the militaries of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states; whereas, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have, thus far, utilized mainly... MORE
NATO-Ukraine-Georgia Summit Breaks New Ground Despite Disruptions
United States President Donald Trump’s behavior at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) recent summit in Brussels (July 11–12) and in its aftermath has cast a shadow on this landmark event. Trump’s follow-up actions, including the meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, continued hitting... MORE
Ukrainian Orthodox Church Seeks Independence From Russian Patriarchate
On July 27–28, Ukrainian Orthodox Christians will celebrate the 1,030th anniversary since the medieval Eastern European state of Kievan Rus was baptized by Volodymir the Great in the tenth century. Two different confessions of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church—one belonging to the Moscow Patriarchate and the... MORE
Twenty-Four Years of Lukashenka’s Rule: What Awaits Belarus in the Future?
July 10 marked the 24th anniversary of Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s tenure as the president of Belarus. Numerous publications reviewed the dynamics of the country’s basic indicators over that period and reflected on putative past and possible future alternatives to authoritarian rule there. Interestingly, the term “dictatorship,”... MORE
Russia Refocuses Its Efforts on Drawing in Moldova
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree, on July 11, appointing Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak his “Representative for the development of commercial-economic relations with the Republic of Moldova” (Pravo.gov.ru, July 12). The Kremlin’s new representative to Moldova is known, in part, for having promoted,... MORE
NATO Brussels Summit: Key Outcomes and Implications for Ukrainian Interests
The Ukrainian issue was widely represented at the July 11–12 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, held in Brussels. Notably, the final Summit Declaration (Nato.int, July 11) pointedly identified Russia’s aggressive actions, both conventional military and “hybrid” (New Type), including Russian threats and examples of... MORE