Latest Articles about Europe's East

BELARUS CREATES NEW SCANDAL WITH LATVIA

On July 25 the Belarusian militia searched the apartment of the Second Secretary of the Latvian Embassy, Reimo Smits, ostensibly as part of a campaign to uncover the distribution of pornographic materials in the Savetski district of Minsk. The incident sparked a diplomatic scandal that... MORE

DONETSK TEAM’S HEGEMONY IN UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT MAY BACKFIRE

The Donetsk interest group is clearly the hegemonic factor in Ukraine’s newly installed coalition government under Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. It seems quite possible that Washington and Brussels can “do business” politically and perhaps to some extent even strategically with this group. Certainly, the government’s... MORE

UKRAINE SENDS MIXED SIGNALS

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko’s team is trying to dispel the fears widespread in the West that Ukraine may swerve on its foreign political course after the appointment of Viktor Yanukovych as prime minister. Yanukovych is perceived by many as pro-Russian; however, his party pledged in... MORE

YUSHCHENKO, YANUKOVYCH REACH COMPROMISE

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has decided not to disband parliament. Instead, he nominated Viktor Yanukovych, who lost the presidential election to him in December 2004, for prime minister. These were the only two options that Yushchenko faced after the Orange coalition between his Our Ukraine... MORE

YUSHCHENKO’S INITIATIVE REVEALS HURDLES TO UKRAINIAN UNITY

The constitution gives Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko 15 days to endorse the parliamentary majority’s choice for prime minister, and Yushchenko has used this entire interim trying to persuade his rival, Viktor Yanukovych, to accept his conditions in return for the endorsement. Today, August 2, is... MORE

HOW SECURE IS LUKASHENKA?

Having attained through dubious means another overwhelming election victory last March, and having amended the Belarusian constitution yet again so that there are no limits to his term in office, President Alexander Lukashenka appears to be more firmly in power than ever before. Yet there... MORE