Opinion
Istanbul under unprecedented siege, says Turkey’s Nobel prize-winning novelist Orhan Pamuk in Guardian op-ed
Notes: “In my 50 years living in Istanbul, I have not seen as many so-called security measures on the streets as I have over the past few days.”
COMMENT: Jailed Istanbul mayor Imamoglu writes op-ed for The New York Times
“Democracy’s fate depends on the courage of those who refuse to remain silent when institutions crumble,” he writes from his prison cell.
COMMENT: Europe’s outlook improves as Trump makes Ukraine conflct progress
European leaders are alarmed at the increasingly warm relations between US President Trump and Putin, but economists are encouraged as even a “quick and dirty” ceasefire deal to the Ukraine conflict will buoy flagging CEE economies.
COMMENT: What impact will a raft of protests across the Emerging Markets have?
A spate of protests across several emerging markets is reigniting concerns over economic stability and long-term financial health. From Turkey to Indonesia, social unrest has flared up that threaten countries with weak fundamentals.
COMMENT: Is the EU going to fall apart?
Is the EU about to break apart under the stress of taking over the full weight of supporting Ukraine, the need to rearm and the hundreds of billions that must be invested if it is to become competitive again?
BEYOND THE BOSPORUS: Imamoglu’s construction company also ‘detained’
Investigators appear to have set out to sell the idea of a web of corruption and misdeeds to the public as they attempt to justify taking Erdogan’s main rival into custody.
ASH: Trump delivers on Putin’s plan to ensure Ukraine fails
Trump’s peace plan is proceeding at breakneck pace but the problem is that it is Ukraine’s neck that is on the line here.
COMMENT: Rail and logistics firms bet on Middle Corridor as key Eurasian route
As the Trans-Caspian International Transport route grows in importance, rail operators and other companies have committed to boosting traffic along the route.
COMMENT: Meeting protesters’ demands would improve Serbia’s investment climate
Serbian officials have accused protesters of damaging the economy, but meeting the demands for more efficient institutions and a stronger judiciary would improve the investment climate in the long-term.
RAGOZIN: What did we die for?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, warned that a ceasefire in the Russo-Ukrainian war would be meaningless without security guarantees for Kyiv.
OPINION: CEE infrastructure to take centre stage as Ukraine post-war reconstruction looms
The war in Ukraine appears to be drawing to a close and Central and Eastern Europe's infrastructure capabilities – or lack thereof – will soon be thrust into the global spotlight.
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COMMENT: Chevron’s Venezuela licence is gone. What happens next?
Trump's shock termination of Chevron's Venezuela licence threatens to destabilise an already fragile economy. The move could trigger currency collapse, disrupt global oil markets, and push more Venezuelans into exile.
Bosnia becomes new proxy for struggle between Russia and the West
Bosnia & Herzegovina is facing its biggest crisis in 30 years with politicians in Republika Srpska, encouraged by Moscow, taking steps towards secession.
OPINION: The EU must bet on nuclear
For Central and Eastern Europe, over reliance on renewable energy for the green transition will compound the already significant challenge of shifting away from a predominantly coal and natural gas based energy network.
Kommersant: the oddest sanctions
Over the three years of the war in Ukraine, we have seen a wide range of sanctions adopted against Russia. Some worked; some didn't. But the case of the Russian business newspaper Kommersant is one of the oddest.
COMMENT: The multipolar world has no place for US-Russia imperialism
As the US and Russia collude to revive their cold war dominance, Europe must forge a new path. A revitalised EU could challenge imperial powers and contribute to building a true multipolar order.
McFAUL: What has Ukraine got to thank the US for?
US Vice President JD Vance accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of being ungrateful, but what does Ukraine have to be thankful for to the White House recently, asks former US ambassador to Russia, Mike McFaul.
KSE: Ukrainian public finance in 2024
Ukrainian public finance in 2024 was shaped by three key developments: tax reforms to stabilize revenues, the launch of the ERA mechanism, and debt restructuring to ease the debt burden.
COMMENT: Armenia, the last man standing
In a neighbourhood of authoritarian strongmen, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is increasingly isolated and exposed as the sole democratic statesman left standing in the region.
Is Trump attempting a “reverse Nixon” to peel Russia away from China?
Ukraine’s worst nightmare has come true. European leaders have been shocked by US President Donald Trump’s decision to exclude Europe from the ongoing ceasefire talks and his blatant deal-making offers to Russian President Vladimir Putin.