Latest Articles about Europe's East
Russia Pulls Out of Ukraine Grain Deal
On July 18, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that “attempts to continue the grain deal without the participation of the Russian Federation must take into account the risks associated with the fact that the grain export route passes near the combat area” (Un.org, July 22,... MORE
The NATO Summit, Western Sanctions and Belarus’s Capacity to Act Independently
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit on July 11 and 12 was held just 30 kilometers from the Belarusian border. Valer Karbalevich of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty noted that, in the summit’s final communiqué, Belarus was mentioned seven times (Svaboda, July 13). If, however, one... MORE
Russia Cancels Stealth Corvette Project After Prototype Launched
Soaring costs and unexpected technological difficulties have led the Russian Navy to cancel serial production of its Project 20386 class of new “stealth” corvettes after completion of the series prototype, the Derzkii (Дерзкий, “Daring”), under construction at St. Petersburg’s Severnaia Verf facility, part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation... MORE
Captive Nations Week Marked for First Time in Ukraine
When the United States Congress passed a resolution in 1959 requiring the president to issue a proclamation on Captive Nations Week every July, this measure was viewed both by its authors and those opposed to it as directed against the repression of nations by communist... MORE
NATO’s Indecision on Eastward Expansion Is a Window of Opportunity for Russia
At the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Vilnius on July 11 and 12, Georgia remained an outsider. Back in 2002, Tbilisi had declared its willingness to join the alliance, and, in 2008, together with Ukraine, Georgia received a promise of future membership. After... MORE
NATO’s 2023 Summit: Modest Expectations, Modest Results (Part Two)
*Read Part One. The Vilnius summit’s communiqué (July 11) agreed on by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members slightly advances Ukraine’s membership prospects by mentioning the possibility of an “invitation to Ukraine to join the Alliance” (Nato.int, July 11, Paragraph 11). The word “invitation”... MORE
Russia Reels From New Post-Vilnius Challenges
The outcome of the NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11 and 12 left the Russian leadership confused and anxious. The controversial issue on Ukraine’s membership in the alliance was left pending, as had been planned. Thus, some official mouthpieces in Moscow and many “patriotic-military”... MORE
NATO’s 2023 Summit: Modest Expectations, Modest Results (Part One)
How to respond to Russia’s onslaught against Ukraine was the central question confronting the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) summit of heads of state in Vilnius on July 11 and 12. With the war well into its second year, the alliance again fell short of... MORE
The Further Degradation of the Russian Army
Several demonstrative developments reveal that the political positions of the Russian Ministry of Defense’s (MoD) leadership remain intact for now, despite these officials’ poor performance in responding to the Wagner Group mutiny. In recent days, the MoD has announced that it received all the arms... MORE
Growing Problems With Russia’s Waterways Restrict Moscow’s Ability to Achieve Its Goals
Russia, more than any other advanced country, has long depended on its rivers and canals to move people and cargo within the country and abroad. But a combination of climate change, the increased use of water by people living along these waterways and siltation have... MORE