Belarus
Belarusian dissident Kolesnikova sends first letter from prison in more than two years
Maria Kolesnikova’s letter shared on Instagram as the Belarusian government seeks to re-establish limited diplomatic channels with Western countries.
Putin arrives in Tajikistan for meetings with Central Asia, CIS leaders
Calls made for Tajiks to arrest Russian leader under international court warrant, but Dushanbe remains strategic ally of Kremlin.
Afghanistan tightens control over Russian, Belarusian agents claims Ukrainian Intelligence
Afghanistan's Taliban-led government is intensifying efforts to monitor and restrict the activities of Russian and Belarusian operatives within its borders, according to Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service.
Poland building a drone wall to protect Europe
Poland will lead an effort to build a “drone wall” to block Europe’s airspace to swarms of Russian UAVs should a pan-regional war ever break out.
EBRD says geopolitics, tariffs and China competition weigh on Emerging Europe growth
Development bank downgrades 2025 forecasts for Central and Eastern Europe citing weak external demand, rising debt and the impact of US tariffs.
Polish border shutdown poses questions on Asia-Europe rail freight
The closure of Poland’s crossings with Belarus on September 12 has rattled transport and logistics companies, which warn that a prolonged halt could drive cargo away from the country, disrupt supply chains and inflate costs for businesses,
Poland closes its border with Belarus, cutting off China's rail link to Europe
Poland’s decision to close its border with Belarus in response to the quadrennial Zapad-2025 military exercises and Russian drone incursion on September 10 has abruptly severed one of the fastest-growing trade arteries between China and the EU.
Belarus reports modest GDP growth 1.6% in 8M25
Belarus’ economy expanded by 1.6% in the period from January to August 2025, according to preliminary estimates from the National Statistical Committee, state news agency BelTA reported on 17 September.
Russia's Zapad -2025 military exercises are a show of strength as military tensions in Europe rise
The joint Russia and Belarus military exercises get underway on September 12 that will be closely watched by Nato analysts to gauge how strong Russia’s military has become after more than three years of war.
#BREAKING: Belarus releases another 52 prisoners after talks with US
Belarus has released another 52 prisoners following negotiations with the US , with President Alexander Lukashenko granting pardons on what state media described as humanitarian grounds, the BelTA news agency reported on September 11.
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#UPDATE: US lifts sanctions on Belarusian Belavia airline
The United States has lifted sanctions on Belarus’s state-owned airline Belavia, US Presidential Representative John Cole announced during a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko
Hungarian foreign minister fails to condemn Russian drone attack during Belarus visit
Peter Szijjarto avoided blaming Russia for drones crossing Polish airspace and causing damage, a stance in line with Budapest’s longstanding reluctance to confront Moscow directly.
Poland shoots down Russian drones after airspace breach, authorities say
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he was in “constant contact" with the defence ministry and President Karol Nawrocki.
Xi pitches an equitable “multipolar” world order leveraging Global South “mega-markets power” at SCO summit
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Global South leaders to leverage their "mega-scale market" and strive for a new equalitarian multipolar world order at the SCO summit in China.
Lukashenko offers to release 1,300 political prisoners – if they leave the country
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s latest proposal to release political prisoners on the condition of immediate exile marks a calculated extension of his decades-long repressive rule, not a departure from it.
COMMENT: Can Lukashenko capitalise on thaw in relations with the US?
When Donald Trump picked up the phone en route to his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15, his brief call with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko marked an unprecedented diplomatic moment.
Belarus and Iran pledge enhanced ties in high-level talks
Belarusian and Iranian leaders have pledged to deepen bilateral cooperation and accelerate the implementation of agreements between the two heavily sanctioned countries.
Belarus’ veteran babushka protestor Nina Bahinskaya named an “extremist” by Belarusian authorities
Belarus’ authoritarian regime has named the iconic 78-year old protestor legend, Nina Bahinskaya, an extremist and added her to the to the Interior Ministry’s official list.
COMMENT: Belarus potato crisis
Belarus economic mismanagement and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko growing proclivity for Soviet-era fixes has caused a potato crisis that is emblematic of Belarus’ deepening economic problems.
Russia counters Trumps nuclear submarines, abandons self-imposed limits on short- and medium-range missiles
Russia has declared it will no longer observe self-imposed restrictions on deploying medium- and short-range missiles, ending a moratorium introduced after the collapse of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with the United States.