Eastern Europe

European policy toward Russia begins in the East

By Nicolas Tenzer

There are no countries in this ensemble of twenty-seven that are more legitimate than others, though perhaps those that are most threatened should be heard first and heeded.

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.

Global Sanctions Dashboard: 5th edition

By Julia Friedlander, Michael Albanese and Castellum.AI

China’s anti-foreign sanctions bill, mapping Belarusian KGB sanctions, and building an anti-kleptocracy playbook.

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.

Why Putin dare not abandon Belarus dictator Lukashenka

By Jan Pieklo

Europe’s last two dictators know that if one should fall, the other will find himself in a perilous position. They may not necessarily like it, but Putin and Lukashenka are now locked in an authoritarian alliance.

Belarus sanctions target dictator’s Russian enablers

By Brian Whitmore

When the US, EU, Canada, and UK announced a new Belarus sanctions this week, one name in particular stood out: Russian businessman Mikhail Gutseriyev.

Armenian voters offered false choice between security and democracy

By Lusine Hakobyan

Armenians will go to the polls on June 20 in snap parliamentary elections that the opposition seeks to position as a straight choice between democracy and security following the country's 2020 military defeat.

Tensions mount between Belarus dictator and Kremlin

By Brian Whitmore

Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka's harsh crackdown on anti-regime protests has made him increasingly dependent on the Kremlin, but could Moscow be preparing to use him as a geopolitical pawn?

State of the Order: Assessing May 2021

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