Europe's East
Russia’s strategy: Bombing Ukraine into full blackout
Est. 5minThe consequences of Ukraine becoming uninhabitable in the coming winter are underestimated by Europe and the world, write Victoria Voytsitska and Olena Halushka.
Can the West undo Russia’s malign campaign in Armenia?
Est. 6minOften-overlooked developments in Armenia show how Western policymakers are failing to recognise and counteract the growing sophistication of Russia’s propaganda machine, writes David Grigorian.
The Brief – The cunning state of Azerbaijan
Est. 6minA few months ago we described Qatar as a “cunning state”. Cunning means the quality or skill of being clever at planning something to reach your goals, even by tricking others. Lately, it has emerged that Azerbaijan has also resorted to cunning strategies to punch above its weight.
Ukraine must continue receiving strong European support in food, agricultural sector
Est. 3minThe agriculture ministers from Nordic-Baltic countries urge the EU to strongly support Ukraine’s ability to export its agricultural products to the EU and to world markets.
Georgia’s ongoing struggle is about breaking free from Russian influence
Est. 5minWhile Russia meticulously orchestrates its interference in Georgia, Brussels seems oblivious to the increasing urgency of the situation, writes Tinatin Akhvlediani. Tinatin Akhvlediani is a research fellow in the EU Foreign Policy Unit at CEPS. In 2023, Georgia found itself in the …
It will take an energy transition to keep the lights on in Ukraine
Est. 5minIn the wake of Russian strikes on critical elements of Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure, the nation faces the immediate challenge of keeping the lights on for its citizens, businesses and defence efforts — yet must also consider how to reconstruct its electricity system and make it more resilient.
Serbia is not as neutral on Ukraine as it claims
Est. 6minSerbia is much closer to Ukraine than some other countries that think that by imposing sanctions on Russia, they have done enough for Ukraine and its people, writes Orhan Dragaš.
Georgia’s reintroduction of ‘Foreign Agent Law’ threatens stability and peace
Est. 5minThe fate of democracy and Georgia's European future hangs in the balance yet again. The recent reintroduction of the foreign agent law by the ruling party Georgian Dream is an extremely worrisome crossroad in the nation's democratic path, writes Paata Gaprindashvili.
Ukrainian storage and pipelines can be key to east Europe’s gas supply security
Est. 4minUkraine’s location and infrastructure can make it a crucial gas trading hub in east Europe. More trade gives Europe a larger and wider choice of gas suppliers, which means more security and lower prices for the continent.
Can a robot compete with a human in the field of wealth management?
Est. 6minAdvanced technologies, especially the development of AI, are significantly modernising wealth management services, write Max Koretskiy and Illia Kyslytskyi.
If we want peace, we must prepare for war
Est. 6minAs Europe faces the biggest security challenge since the Second World War, it must build its defence readiness, writes Charles Michel.
Confiscation of Russian frozen assets: EU should not bend to Moscow’s blackmail
Est. 7minIf the West fears that their companies in Russia would suffer reciprocal measures in case of confiscation of Russian assets, it should be advised that the total absence of rule of law in this country makes them vulnerable to expropriation anyway, write Valeriia Radchenko, Olena Halushka and Andrii Mikheiev.
Two years of war in Ukraine: The world without rules
Est. 7minThe truth behind all of Vladimir Putin’s current rhetoric is that if Ukraine falls, he will not stop there, writes Alexander Temerko. Alexander Temerko is a British-Ukrainian businessman who held senior posts in the Russian Defence Ministry in the Yeltsin era. The …
The Brief – Realism has struck
Est. 7minForget Western ‘troops on the ground’ in Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron had a much more important message to deliver this week.
US and EU have all the means to derail Russia’s Arctic LNG expansion plans
Est. 7minRussia plans to nearly triple its LNG export capacity by 2030, with four new terminals in the Arctic due to bring more revenues for Moscow’s war on Ukraine. Yet, Ukraine’s allies have a strong leverage on Russian LNG exports, writes Andrii Zhupanyn.
Winning strategy: Why the time is right to invest in Ukrainian FinTech
Est. 6minWith IT innovations and financial technologies expected to be an important part of Ukraine's reconstruction, foreign investors should grab the opportunity early on, writes Maksym Koretskiy.
Why formal accession negotiations with Ukraine should start with energy and climate
Est. 7minFocusing first on energy and climate in Ukraine's accession negotiations means nothing less than building a common Europe through a pragmatic approach, write Susanne Nies, Olha Bondarenko and Maciej Zaniewicz.
The Brief – Why this summit’s ransom politics is different
Est. 7minIt will be the million-euro-question when EU leaders gather in Brussels on Thursday for the toughest summit of the year: What is it that Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán really, really wants?
Ukraine is a country steadily bleeding out
Est. 6minOver five million Ukrainians who fled the country after the Russian attacks seek job opportunities in European countries like Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. But the high benefits for refugees could run counter to the Ukrainian government's interest in encouraging them to return home, writes Markus Ziener.
The Brief – Good times, bad times
Est. 6minFor the West, the current phase of the Ukraine war is certainly a bad time. The situation may still be reversible but the war fatigue that has set in is not helping.
Inclusive reconstruction of Ukraine: What’s at stake?
Est. 6minWar destruction offers a ‘chance’ to rebuild Ukraine in a way that considers its changing identity -- and with special attention for people with disabilities such as soldiers-amputees, writes Anna Romandash.
The Brief – Don’t expect Hungary to back down easily
Est. 7minWith the EU increasingly bogged down in difficulties in its efforts to provide more support for Ukraine and only a month until a crucial last EU summit of the year, expect Hungary to up its ante. In the following months, EU …
The Brief — What next after the enlargement package?
Est. 6minWith the European Commission's enlargement report out, the ball is now in the court of EU leaders to decide how to proceed with the accession process - and their own reform homework.
The Brief – Ukraine: When the going gets tough…
Est. 7minThe famous American saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going" - meaning when the situation becomes difficult, strong people step up and handle it - is attributed to both John F. Kennedy's father and the American coach K. Rockne, while also being popularised by Billy Ocean's eponymous 1985 song.