Latest Articles about Europe's East
POROSHENKO PLAN STUNS NEIGHBORS, DISRUPTS GUAM
Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Petro Poroshenko's conflict-resolution plan for Transnistria nearly derailed the GUAM summit in Chisinau (see EDM, April 25, 26, 27) and appeared to change the approach previously taken by Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Transnistria issue.... MORE
POROSHENKO DRAFTS, YUSHCHENKO LAUNCHES A PLAN FOR TRANSNISTRIA
Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary, Petro Poroshenko, has prepared a Transnistria settlement proposal that embarrassed President Viktor Yushchenko at the April 22 GUAM summit. The proposals disrupted the event (see EDM, April 25, 26), raised questions about Kyiv's willingness to overcome certain... MORE
KYIV CONTINUES TO REDEFINE RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA
While Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko cancelled her visit to Russia this month, Defense Minister Anatoliy Grytsenko and National Security and Defense Council Secretary Petro Poroshenko did make it to Moscow (Ukrayinska pravda, April 23). Despite the exchange of diplomatic pleasantries, Ukraine is attempting to... MORE
BELARUS LOOKS TOWARDS RUSSIA FOR MILITARY ASSISTANCE
On April 20 Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenka met senior Russian defense officials in Minsk in order to examine mutual security threats and consider ways to deepen bilateral military cooperation. Lukashenka told Sergei Ivanov, Russian Defense Minister, and General Yuri Baluyevsky, Russian Chief of the General... MORE
GUAM SUMMIT REVERBERATIONS
The meeting of heads of state of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Moldova -- the GUAM group of countries -- in Chisinau on April 22 reverberated beyond the GUAM region. Presidents of other countries -- in this case, NATO and European Union members Lithuania and Romania... MORE
UKRAINE STRENGTHENS CURRENCY, RUSSIAN OIL COMPANIES BENEFIT MOST
On April 23 Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko claimed a victory over Russian oil companies, saying they had agreed to her cabinet's demands to lower gasoline prices in Ukraine. But the reality is more complicated. Gas prices were lowered via a steep hike in currency... MORE
GUAM REVIVAL SUMMIT INCONCLUSIVE
Presidents Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia, Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine, Ilham Aliev of Azerbaijan, and Vladimir Voronin of Moldova -- the GUAM group of countries -- took part in the group's summit in Chisinau on April 21-22. Presidents Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania and Traian Basescu of... MORE
YUSHCHENKO TURNS FOCUS TO SOUTHERN UKRAINE AND CRIMEA
Anatoliy Matvienko's confirmation as prime minister of Crimea on April 20 follows an April 4 Odessa court decision to overturn the 2002 mayoral elections and confirm Eduard Hurfits as mayor (Ukrayinska pravda, April 4, 20). Both cases represent a strategic breakthrough by President Viktor Yushchenko's... MORE
GUAM SUMMIT: A NEW LEASE ON LIFE (Part 2)
The meeting of presidents of GUAM countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova) in Chisinau on April 21-22 has the potential to turn GUAM from a virtual into a real and possibly effective organization by capitalizing on the ongoing transformation of the regional environment. Four factors, directly... MORE
UKRAINE ASKS RUSSIA TO BEGIN PREPARATIONS FOR WITHDRAWING BLACK SEA FLEET
After canceling her scheduled visit to Moscow last week, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko explained her reasons to the BBC (April 15). Not only was she infuriated at Russia's unwillingness to drop criminal charges against her, part of Moscow's interference in last year's Ukrainian presidential... MORE