Central Europe

Full transcript: The 2024 Distinguished Leadership Awards recognize skillful leaders navigating a world of crises

The Atlantic Council honored government, military, and artistic leaders who are bolstering security and advocating for the most vulnerable globally.

China and Europe confront a ‘moment of truth’

By Frederick Kempe

As Chinese leader Xi Jinping travels to France, Serbia, and Hungary, both China and Europe have some soul-searching to do, writes Frederick Kempe.

Slovakia’s presidential choice reinforces its anti-Western leanings

By Soňa Muzikárová

The victory of a Moscow-friendly populist in Slovakia’s presidential election is a worrisome shift away from Western, democratic norms.

Your primer on Slovakia’s presidential election

By Emma Nix, Patrik Martínek

As Slovakia prepares to select its next president in an election that could determine the country's Euro-Atlantic orientation for the next five years, the Europe Center breaks down the key dynamics at play.

Central and Eastern Europe needs to rethink its approach to energy security

By Pawel Czyzak and Nolan Theisen

The upcoming Three Seas Initiative Summit is an opportune time for Central and Eastern European leaders to pivot toward clean, affordable, and local renewables to build energy security.

Russian victory in Ukraine would leave Europe at Putin’s mercy

By Mykola Bielieskov

A Russian victory in Ukraine would reinvigorate Putin's war machine and leave much of Europe at the mercy of the Kremlin, writes Mykola Bielieskov.

NATO enlargement at twenty-five: How we got there and what it achieved

By Jerzy Koźmiński and Daniel Fried

Two and a half decades after Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic joined NATO, their membership continues to protect them from Russian aggression.

In Europe and the South Caucasus, the Kremlin leans on energy blackmail and scare tactics

By the Digital Forensic Research Lab

Moscow tried to sow fear among Moldovans, Georgians, and Armenians that what happened to Ukrainians could happen to them.

In Ukraine, Russia tries to discredit leaders and amplify internal divisions

By the Digital Forensic Research Lab

On the information front, Russia had two goals in year two of its war: convince Ukrainians of their government’s inability to rule the country honestly, and persuade Ukraine’s allies that investing in Ukraine would be wasteful.