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The Europe Center promotes the transatlantic leadership and strategies required to ensure a strong Europe.

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Gen. Ben Hodges, Commander of US Army Europe, Dec. 9, 2015

NATOSource

Dec 10, 2015

Russia Could Block Access to Baltic Sea, US General Says

By Defense One, Defense News, and Army News Service

From Marcus Weisgerber, Defense One:  Russia has moved ballistic missiles to and conducted nuclear strike drills from its Kaliningrad exclave, prompting Pentagon fears that Moscow could block access to the Baltic Sea.

Central Europe Hungary
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Nov. 4, 2015

NATOSource

Nov 4, 2015

President of Romania Tells NATO to Keep Its Attention on the Eastern Flank

By Romanian News Agency

“[E]astern flank countries are determined to play a quite important role within NATO structures, and we also want to underscore the importance of the eastern flank in the continuously changing geopolitical situation.

Central Europe NATO
Leaders of nine NATO states meeting in Bucharest, Nov. 4, 2015

NATOSource

Nov 4, 2015

Nine Heads of State Call on Alliance to ‘Strengthen the Eastern Flank of NATO’

By Calea Europeana

“We, the Presidents of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Estonia, Hungary, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Poland, Romania and the Slovak Republic and the President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.

Central Europe Hungary
US soldiers training in Lithuania, March 2, 2015

NATOSource

Oct 28, 2015

NATO Looks at Stationing More Troops Along Eastern Flank

By Julian E. Barnes, Wall Street Journal

NATO countries are discussing increasing the number of troops stationed in members bordering Russia and putting them under formal alliance command, part of a new effort to deter aggression from Moscow,

Germany NATO

New Atlanticist

Oct 27, 2015

Poland’s Right Turn

By Michał Kobosko

Poland’s domestic political scene experienced a major shake-up after the main opposition party, Law and Justice (PiS), crushed the ruling Civic Platform (PO)-led coalition in the parliamentary election on Oct. 25. According to late exit polls, PiS will gain no less than 37 percent of the vote, while PO will get just 23 percent. A […]

Poland

New Atlanticist

Oct 21, 2015

Polish-German Ties: A Return to the Past?

By Adam Twardowski

In late August, three weeks after assuming office, Poland’s President, Andrzej Duda, embarked on a well-received official visit to Berlin. It allayed concerns in some quarters that his presidency would resurrect the combative foreign policy his right-wing party, Law and Justice, practiced toward Germany from 2005 to 2007. At that time, prickly ties between Warsaw […]

Germany Poland

New Atlanticist

Oct 7, 2015

Hungary’s Gazprom Renegotiation and the Decline of Traditional Contracts

By Nolan Theisen

Since it was signed in 1996, the Panrusgáz contract with Russia has dictated the structure of Hungary’s natural gas market. While this contract’s expiration will be delayed until closer to 2018, it is clear that a new agreement will be negotiated on entirely different terms than before. Like other Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, […]

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance
Russian Su-27 fighter jet intercepted by UK Typhoon participating in NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission, June 17, 2014

NATOSource

Oct 5, 2015

A ‘New Normal’ for NATO and Baltic Sea Security

By Anna Wieslander

It might appear natural that focus on Baltic Sea security would have come quickly for NATO after the Russian annexation of Crimea in March 2014, but this was not the case.

Germany NATO
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Nov. 18, 2014

NATOSource

Oct 2, 2015

Hungary Announces It Will Host 7th NATO Planning Center

By Reuters

Hungary, along with other states in central and eastern Europe, will host a command center to help coordinate deployment of NATO’s rapid reaction force in an emergency, the government said on Friday.

Hungary NATO
Range of Russia's Iskander missiles when deployed in Kaliningrad

NATOSource

Oct 1, 2015

Is NATO’s New Fulda Gap in Poland?

By Paul McLeary, Foreign Policy

The head of U.S. Army Europe is eyeing a narrow sliver of land connecting Poland with Lithuania, concerned about the Russian troops and equipment he has been watching pile up on either side.

Belarus NATO

Experts