Eastern Europe / Features
Is Ukraine heading towards Finlandisation?
A frustrated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for action, not protracted negotiations on March 22, ahead of the next round of US-Russia ceasefire talks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
Welcome to the new transactional world order
Welcome to the new world order. Values and liberal democracy is giving way to a world run on the basis of deals.
ING: What a potential restart of Russian gas flows could look like
Growing optimism for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine has sparked discussions about the potential resumption of Russian gas flows to Europe. It might happen: a partial restart of flows could drastically change the outlook for the gas market.
Russia's leading discount store Fix Price to move into Serbia
Russian discount retailer Fix Price is preparing to enter the Serbian market, with plans to open several stores by the end of 2025. This marks the company's second attempt to establish a presence in Europe.
Economic warfare and the rise of Russia's shadow finance
As the US sanctions noose tightens around Russia’s ability to make and receive payments in dollars, the major oil firms are increasingly turning to cryptocurrency to settle trade deals.
Significant changes at Strabag could transform its Eastern European operations
Strabag SE, Austria’s largest construction company and one of Europe’s leading players, is on the verge of significant transformation that could radically change its operations in the Eastern European markets.
Shocked but defiant, Ukrainians react to dramatic shift in US policy
"I am shocked. I didn’t expect Trump to behave in such a vile way. There are no words. I just can’t understand how someone in Trump’s position can behave so shamelessly.”
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White House press conference debacle: what does it mean and what happens next?
Things are moving incredibly fast. The world order appears to have been turned on its head by US President Donald Trump. Where does that leave Ukraine after his clash with Zelenskiy? And what will happen to the trans-Atlantic alliance?
EBRD lowers 2025 forecasts citing subdued global growth and trade fragmentation
Weaker external demand and potential impact of Trump tariffs weigh on Emerging Europe, Central Asia and Semed regions, with growth now projected at 3.2%.
Ukraine’s public debt surges 60% since Russian invasion, debt could become a problem post-war
Ukraine had no debt following the fall of the Soviet Union and a healthy 35% of GDP before the war with Russia began three years ago, but as most international aid is in the form of loans, the debt-to-GDP ratio is now 64% and still rising.
Russia and China remain rivals in the Arctic, and now the US is knocking at the door
Russia and China’s “no limits” partnership has strengthened considerably over the past three years. They have been driven together by the geopolitical clash between East and West. But there is one place they remain rivals: the Arctic.
Ukraine doesn't have any rare earth metals, and the strategic minerals it does have are not worth trillions of dollars
US President Donald Trump wants a $500bn deal to gain control over Ukraine’s rare earth metals wealth. The problem is, Ukraine doesn’t have any. It does have "strategically important metals", but they are not worth trillions of dollars.
Trump puts Japan between a rock and a hard place on Ukraine
Ukraine's ambassador to Japan comes across as desperate to keep the war with Russia relevant to a nation losing interest.
Sending EU peacekeepers to Ukraine is not going to work
The EU’s main plan for providing Ukraine with security from another Russian attack in a post-war set up is not going to work.
LONG READ: Can Ukraine go it alone (with a little help from the EU) if the US abandons it?
Now that Ukraine’s Nato membership hopes have been dashed and its Western allies are unlikely to offer binding bilateral security guarantees, can Ukraine continue to fight Russia on its own, given the EU continues to support it?
Trump could use Putin to talk to Iran
Russia's Putin is being floated as a possible "Iran whisperer" as part of the Trump administration's latest push to tackle the long-standing Iran problem.
Putin taking Trump talks seriously, appoints a heavy-weight team to lead the talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin is taking the upcoming ceasefire talks with US President Donald Trump very seriously and has put together a heavyweight team of his top officials to conduct the negotiations.
Ukraine's position in ceasefire talks takes turn for the worst as the Munich Security Conference gets underway
Some analysts are claiming that Putin “won the war” after Trump held a phone conversation with Putin on February 12 going over the heads of Europe and without consulting Ukraine. The two leaders plan to meet in Riyadh for one-on-one talks.
Who is Russian sovereign wealth fund boss Kirill Dmitriev, whose Middle East connections helped broker the release of US prisoner Marc Fogel?
RDIF boss Kirill Dmitriev emerges as key broker in Fogel release deal.
Turkey, Germany strike arms deal to ramp up production of 155mm artillery shells
Move comes as US downgrades its role in Nato defence of Europe and concern grows over how Russia is racing ahead in weapons manufacturing.