Latest Articles about Europe's East
RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN BELARUS SPARKS DEBATE
Over the past two weeks Belarus has released a large group of “political prisoners” from jails and camps across the country. They include activists, politicians, and some of the entrepreneurs who were arrested when protesting the restriction of their activities through new state laws. Significantly,... MORE
OPPOSITION USES UKRAINE–NATO ISSUE WHEN POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT
For over a month, the Ukrainian parliament has been in a forced recess as the opposition blocked the legislature to protest a joint letter to NATO signed by President Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, and Parliamentary Speaker Arseny Yatsenyuk. The January 15 letter asked... MORE
YUSHCHENKO’S CHIEF OF STAFF RESIGNS, MAY LAUNCH NEW PARTY
Viktor Baloha, the head of Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko’s staff, has left Yushchenko’s Our Ukraine–People’s Union party (NSNU). Baloha apparently gave up on making NSNU a reliable, strong political party capable of winning national elections. It is widely expected that Baloha will launch a new... MORE
RUSSIA-UKRAINE GAS RELATIONS: MURKY AFTER PUTIN-YUSHCHENKO MEETING
Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine have agreed on a reshuffling of the cards in Russia-Ukraine gas relations. During Yushchenko’s February 12-13 visit to Moscow (see EDM, February 14) the two presidents adopted on a personal basis what Yushchenko termed “tactical... MORE
PUTIN WARNS UKRAINE AGAINST SEEKING NATO MEMBERSHIP
Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine met on February 12-13 in Moscow for their final bilateral summit before the end of Putin’s presidency. The meeting opened with Yushchenko describing Russia repeatedly as Ukraine’s “strategic partner” in front of the assembled media.... MORE
DIFFERENCES OVER NATO MAY PROVOKE EARLY ELECTION IN UKRAINE
The Ukrainian opposition has blocked parliament since the end of January, demanding a referendum on NATO membership. The Party of Regions (PRU) and the Communist Party (CPU) are confident that Ukrainians will say no to NATO. They believe public support for membership in the Alliance... MORE
TYMOSHENKO REACHES OUT TO FOREIGN INVESTORS
On February 5 Ukraine was admitted to the World Trade Organization. That achievement will facilitate Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s efforts to attract foreign investment. Kicking off that campaign on January 24 she held a two-hour meeting in Kyiv with 250 foreign investors. Then on... MORE
IS A COALITION BETWEEN TYMOSHENKO AND YANUKOVYCH POSSIBLE?
In a recent television interview Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko raised the possibility of a coalition between her eponymous bloc and the Party of Regions (PRU) of former prime minister Viktor Yanukovych. Tymoshenko later tried to downplay her comment, saying she had been misunderstood. But... MORE
RUSSIA DECIDES TO ABANDON UKRAINIAN STRATEGIC RADARS
In the wake of its request to NATO for a Membership Action Plan (see EDM, January 18), Ukraine is offering its two anti-missile early warning and space monitoring radars for possible use by a European missile-defense system under Western auspices (Interfax-Ukraine, February 1, 2). Located... MORE
TRANS-BLACK SEA PIPELINE: ANOTHER CHANCE FOR GEORGIA AND EUROPE
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has proposed that the European Union and Ukraine join a project for a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan via the Caspian Sea, South Caucasus, and Black Sea to Ukraine and EU territory. Tymoshenko termed this concept “White Stream” when presenting it... MORE