Central Europe

Echoes of Hungary: What a former ambassador sees in the Afghanistan debacle

By András Simonyi

There is a sad correlation between the West’s failure to help Hungary and the events unfolding in Afghanistan.

Experts react: How far will Poland push away its friends?

By Atlantic Council

Poland's move against a critical television network fits into a pattern of criticized behavior by a one-time showcase of post-communist recovery.

State of the Order: Assessing July 2021

The State of the Order breaks down the month's most important events impacting the democratic world order.

Bitcoin mining: Digital money printing with real world footprints?

By Julia Nesheiwat

As interest in cryptocurrency surges and scrutiny over energy usage intensifies, new policies and market mechanisms to improve ESG standards and use clean energy for bitcoin mining have become increasingly important.

Poland and the United States: What’s right, what’s not, and what’s next

By Daniel Fried, Jakub Wiśniewski

Around the time of President Joe Biden’s first trip to Europe in June 2021, US-Polish relations experienced a short, but intense, rough patch. Both the United States and Poland need to look hard at what this relationship can do for both countries and for the transatlantic relationship, and at the sources of problems.

Policy memo: A digital agenda for the Three Seas Initiative Summit

By Frances Burwell, Jörn Fleck, James Batchik, and Luka Ignac

The Three Seas nations should invest in digital infrastructure, nurture emerging technologies, and amplify the region's voice on policy. Here's how.

Belarus dictator weaponizes illegal migrants against EU

By Brian Whitmore

Kremlin-backed Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka has recently begun weaponizing migrants in his escalating confrontation with the European Union and neighboring countries Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Climate change, energy security, and international nuclear energy: Competition in the Czech Republic

By Robert F. Ichord, Jr.

Recent reports of Russian intelligence operations in the Czech Republic in 2014 have escalated tensions between the two countries, directly affecting the Czech government's plans for the future development of its nuclear sector. In light of this changing dynamic, President Biden should work to support Czech energy security and act to weaken Russia’s position in Central and Eastern European nuclear power markets.

Collective cybersecurity for the Three Seas

By Safa Shahwan Edwards, Simon Handler, Trey Herr, Adam Marczyński, and Jakub Teska

In Central and Eastern Europe’s Three Seas region, twelve countries have joined together to invest in critical infrastructure projects and increase interconnectivity on energy, infrastructure, and digitization efforts along the way. To strengthen the resilience of these technical investments and better bind together the defensive cybersecurity operations of these societies, Three Seas member states should establish a regional hub for cybersecurity together with key private sector partners.