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Latest Articles about Europe's East
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Religious Life On the Rise in Ukraine, With Enormous Consequences for Kyiv and Moscow
Executive Summary: Since February 2022, the number of parishes and other religious institutions in Ukraine has risen by almost 10 percent, with most growth occurring in Catholic and Protestant denominations. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has lost more than 1,000 parishes and... MORE
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Cryptocurrency Operations Expand in Russia
Executive Summary Cryptocurrency use has expanded in Russia since the beginning of the war against Ukraine and is being embraced as a method of subverting economic isolation. Russia and Belarus are using the development of blockchain-based technologies to enable continued access to international trade without... MORE
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Belarus’s Economic Plight Opens Opportunity to Pressure Minsk For Release of Political Prisoners
Executive Summary: Western efforts to trigger the release of at least 1,559 political prisoners in Belarus, who are forced to endure inhumane conditions and extreme repressions, have flagged since 2020. Belarus’s economic needs in the current geopolitical environment are opening windows to pressure Minsk to... MORE
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Ukraine Forced to Fight With One Hand Tied Behind Back
Executive Summary: The ban on Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied weapons to strike targets in Russia significantly disrupts the country’s defense capabilities. Preemptive strikes on Russian assembly areas and air bases would be easier and more cost-effective than countering troops and bombers along the contact line.... MORE
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Belarus Promotes Economic Interests in Azerbaijan
Executive Summary: Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka conducted a state visit to Azerbaijan to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, where they reinforced their close personal bond and chemistry. The strong personal chemistry between Lukashenka and Aliyev appears to uphold the exceptionally close bilateral connections between... MORE
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Moscow Seeks to Aggravate Western Concerns About Long-Distance Ukrainian Strikes
Executive Summary: The Kremlin is trying to impede any Western resolve in allowing long-distance Ukrainian strikes on military targets within Russia to avoid destabilizing energy infrastructure and disrupting the lives of everyday Russians. Moscow uses the fear of escalation and nuclear saber-rattling to inflame worries... MORE
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The Kremlin Spells Out Terms of Ukraine’s Surrender (Part Two)
(Part One) Executive Summary: Russian President Vladimir Putin is actively trying to involve Ukraine in bilateral political talks without clarifying the purpose of such discussions to present Kyiv with terms of surrender that involve de facto acceptance of Russia’s territorial gains. Moscow also aims to... MORE
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Belarus’s Political Dichotomy Continues to Widen
Executive Summary: Belarusian politics are divided into two factions: the Lukashenka regime, with strong ties to Russia, located within Belarus, and the opposition, whose members are largely in exile. The Lukashenka regime continues to rely on Russia economically but has worked to increase trade cooperation... MORE
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Ukraine Seeks to Reshape Economy Through Reform Agenda
Executive Summary: Russia has sought to destroy the Ukrainian economy during its war, leading Kyiv to seek significant funding to repair the economy. Ukraine is actively seeking financial aid from international sources and has a long list of reforms to implement to ensure this much-needed... MORE
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The Kremlin Spells Out the Terms of Ukraine’s Surrender (Part One)
Executive Summary: The Kremlin’s preconditions for halting its war in Ukraine are still those from the spring of 2022, never agreed to by Kyiv, plus acceptance of Russia’s territorial gains since then. The terms of the Russian-designed treaty on Ukraine’s neutrality and security, recently exposed,... MORE