Radev’s victory in Bulgaria offers no relief for North Macedonia’s EU progress

Granted candidate status in 2005, North Macedonia was once considered a frontrunner among Western Balkan aspirants. However, a series of bilateral disputes has repeatedly derailed its progress.

Hungary’s new leader unlikely to shift EU stance on Russia and Ukraine dramatically

Expectations that Budapest will pivot sharply away from Russia and back a more assertive European Union policy on Ukraine post-election may prove misplaced, says commentary by Carnegie Politika.

Armenia’s pro-Russia opposition faces uphill battle despite frustration with Pashinyan

Armenia's fragmented, pro-Russia opposition appears ill-equipped to convert discontent with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan into progress in the polls, says Carnegie Politika comment.

COMMENT: Why China is hedging for now in the Middle East

As the US-Israel-Iran war enters its second month, one of the most consequential geopolitical actors has been conspicuous by its silence. China has not intervened, has not condemned, and has not chosen sides in any meaningful public way.

IMF: War Darkens Global Economic Outlook and Reshapes Policy Priorities

The Middle East conflict halted growth momentum. The right policies and stronger global cooperation are needed to contain the damage.

RAGOZIN: Presidential office chief Budanov is steering Ukraine towards a difficult postwar period

Former Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov has emerged as a political leader in his own right.

COMMENT: Chinese claims on arms transfers to Iran raise doubts

With a ceasefire in place, recent intelligence points to Tehran once more looking to replenish its depleted air defences and China potentially preparing more shipments of offensive systems including shoulder-fired missiles.

Hungary vote driven by domestic anger but opens door to EU reset, analysts say

Landslide election win for Tisza reflects deep domestic frustration rather than foreign policy concerns, but could pave the way for a reset in relations with the EU, analysts told an ECFR webinar.

EU credibility on the line as Bosnia’s accession path stalls

Bosnia & Herzegovina’s long and troubled path towards European Union membership risks drifting further into irrelevance, warns EPC policy brief.

Montenegro and Albania urged to make the case for EU membership as 2030 target looms

Western Balkan frontrunners Montenegro and Albania must do more to convince sceptical EU member states of their value or risk delays to their 2030 accession ambitions, a Carnegie Europe paper says.

Orbán’s election defeat shakes illiberal allies in Southeast Europe

Implications for leaders across Southeast Europe who have aligned themselves with Viktor Orban's brand of illiberal governance.

COMMENT: The US naval blockade of Iran won't work

The US is moving to choke Iran’s oil lifeline. The market is starting to price something much bigger because the Trump administration naval blockade of Iran is not going to work.

COMMENT: Iran and the US, where maximalism meets survival and peace cannot follow

OPINION: Hungarian vote puts EU unity on the line

Hungary's general election is “make-or-break” for Brussels-Budapest relations, says Clingendael Institute report.

Did America just hand the Gulf to Russia?

The Iran war has turned Russia from a sanctioned energy pariah into an indispensable supplier for half the planet. With Urals crude at 13-year highs and sanctioned LNG going at 40% discounts, Moscow may be the war's real winner.

US-Europe relations strains bring Nato alliance close to breaking point

The West is discussing a new defence alliance format to replace Nato that would include Ukraine. Nato's current form is ineffective, so it is worth creating a new defence structure.

COMMENT: Should the ceasefire fail, we could expect a ‘digital Hormuz’ scenario

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait have collectively attracted hundreds of billions of dollars in technology investment, transforming themselves from hydrocarbon exporters to AI powerhouses. It could all unravel if peace is fleeting.

Georgia's economic boom was built on temporary factors and is now fading, analysts warn

Georgia's headline GDP growth figures conceal a more troubling reality: the factors that drove the economy's expansion since 2022 were largely temporary and are already beginning to fade.

COMMENT: Win or lose, Orban has broken Hungary’s democracy

Hungary’s parliamentary elections on April 12 would, under normal democratic conditions, point towards a change of government, but the country’s political system no longer operates on conventional terms.

COMMENT: Taiwan’s worship of America could be its downfall

Public discourse can appear disproportionately animated by US culture wars, US electoral cycles and US policy fashions. Foreign sports coverage on local media essentially means NBA or Major League baseball reports.