Russia, China Cement Military Ties
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission and a close associate of Chinese President Xi Jinping, met on Wednesday, November 8, in Moscow for talks.
European Commission Proposes Opening EU Accession Talks For Ukraine
In early November, the European Commission recommended opening EU accession negotiations with Ukraine once it meets final conditions. The decision was taken by the bloc as the Commission released its long-awaited annual enlargement report. For the first time, the European Union recommended opening EU membership negotiations with a country formally being at war.
Russia Increases Air Strikes against Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure
Russia has attacked Ukrainian energy infrastructure 60 times in the last several weeks, Ukrainian officials have reported as winter approaches, driving up energy consumption. According to Ukraine’s intelligence agency, Russia has already begun a campaign of attacks on the Ukrainian power grid.
Russia Withdraws from Security Treaty, Triggers Response from NATO
Russia has formally withdrawn from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), an agreement that sets limits on key categories of conventional military equipment. In response to Russia pulling out of the agreement, NATO froze operations for the treaty, saying it would not be feasible for the treaty to exist where allied parties abide by it and Russia does not. According to sources in the United States, a new reality will exert a positive impact on NATO’s deterrence and defense capabilities.
Ukraine’s Commander-In-Chief on the War with Russia in the Interview with The Economist
The October escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is part of a series of crises characteristic of the 2020s. At the same time, there is a phenomenon typical of democratic societies, which is a focus on one event that attracts worldwide attention. Therefore, the protracted war in Ukraine becomes a side issue in the stream of information inundating public opinion from the conflicted Middle East.
Ukraine Advances Legislation to Ban Moscow-Affiliated Orthodox Church
Ukraine’s parliament voted overwhelmingly (267-15) on Thursday, October 19 to advance legislation seen as effectively banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church over its ties to Moscow. The bill requires further voting before it gets finalized and reaches the desk of President Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukraine’s efforts to ban all Moscow-linked religious affiliation is yet another chapter in the historical split between the Orthodox churches in the two countries that generates thus political tensions.
Ukraine Plans to Stop Russian Gas Transit
Ukraine does not intend to extend the Russian gas transit contract after it expires at the end of 2024, according to Oleksiy Chernyshov, chairman of the state-owned oil and gas company Naftogaz. Consequently, Ukraine will stop transit once the deal expires. Ukraine continues to transit Russian gas only to support its European colleagues who need this volume of gas, Chernyshov said. In response, Russia said the Ukrainian intention not to extend the contract past 2024 could run a major risk to both Kyiv and the European Union. A sudden halt to the remaining gas flows through Ukraine to Europe would be disruptive and raise gas prices in the affected countries and beyond, according to sources in Russia.
Hamas Attack on Israel: A Turning Point for U.S. Middle East Policy
The early morning of October 7, 2023 (IST) brought an unexpected heavy terroristic strike targeted directly one of the main U.S. allies. A wide-ranging attack on Israel from the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (better known by its acronym, Hamas) site marks a new chapter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which may escalate destabilizing the fragile peace in the Middle East.
Analytical articles
Russian disinformation vs. parliamentary elections in Slovakia
National Council elections were held in Slovakia on 30 September, which were won by the national-left party Smer (23%). The election result meant that a collation had to be formed, as Smer received too few votes to govern alone. The mission to form a government was entrusted by Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová to Smer party leader Robert Fico, who was already in office. Smer has entered into a coalition agreement with the centre-left HLAS (Voice) and the nationalist Slovak National Party (SNS). The new governing coalition has 79 out of 150 seats in parliament.
CEE Cooperation Summit – Europe’s Rising Power
The CEE Cooperation Summit 2023 is a unique opportunity to delve into the challenges and opportunities that define the CEE region, while also exploring the synergies and cooperation fostered by the Three Seas Initiative.
Russia, China Cement Military Ties
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission and a close associate of Chinese President Xi Jinping, met on Wednesday, November 8, in Moscow for talks.
European Commission Proposes Opening EU Accession Talks For Ukraine
In early November, the European Commission recommended opening EU accession negotiations with Ukraine once it meets final conditions. The decision was taken by the bloc as the Commission released its long-awaited annual enlargement report. For the first time, the European Union recommended opening EU membership negotiations with a country formally being at war.
Upcoming event, Date: 11/28/2023
Powering progress unleashing the potential of energy transformation in CEE
Special Reports
Policy Brief Within Kremlin Watchers Project – 09/2023
In recent months, the Czech Republic has witnessed a surge in disinformation campaigns, posing significant challenges to its democratic fabric and information ecosystem.
How to Address the EU Migration Crisis?
In 2021, around 2.3 million undocumented migrants from Asia and Africa landed in Europe. It was the first serious renewal of migration crisis since 2015. In 2022 and 2023, even more migrants arrived. Consequently, EU institutions and nations took action to break the stalemate over unregulated migrant flows and the bloc’s migration policy as such.
A Wavering Political Landscape in Spain
With Spain holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union until December 2023, the next coalition government may set the tone for decisive topics from climate policy to migration at the European level.
Chinese Footprint in Europe
The People‘s Republic of China (PRC) is now a threat to the political and economic integrity of the European Union (EU) alongside the bloc‘s security and independence.
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Warsaw Institute
