Author: ANDREW HIGGINS
On the Edge of a Polish Forest, Where Some of Putin’s Darkest Fears Lurk
A U.S. missile facility in Poland is at the heart of an issue animating the Kremlin’s calculations over whether to go to war against Ukraine.
For Some of Ukraine’s Neighbors, ‘Defend Europe’ Has Another Meaning
For the populist leaders of Poland and Hungary, Russia’s saber-rattling on the border with Ukraine takes a back seat to domestic politics and issues like immigration.
Obscure but Crucial Commodity Fuels Geopolitical Tussle in Eastern Europe
Lithuanian efforts to stop potash, a key fertilizer ingredient, from Belarus from crossing its territory to punish the country’s authoritarian leader may play into Russia’s hands.
‘Miserable and Dangerous’: A Failed Chinese Promise in Serbia
Poor conditions for Vietnamese workers building a $900 million tire factory underscore a chasm between the promise of investment from China and grim realities on the ground.
Eastern Europe Tests New Forms of Media Censorship
With new, less repressive tactics, countries like Serbia, Poland and Hungary are deploying highly effective tools to skew public opinion.
Jasmila Zbanic Is Vilified in Serbia and ‘Disobedient’ at Home
Jasmila Zbanic, who won best director for “Quo Vadis, Aida?,” insists on blaming individuals, not ethnic groups, for atrocities committed as Yugoslavia imploded, a stance that can anger all sides.
In Kazakhstan, Putin Again Seizes on Unrest to Try to Expand Influence
But a series of revolts against a pro-Russian strongman could also plant the seeds of rebellion at home, analysts say.
In the Tinderbox of Bosnia, a Serb Nationalist Lights a Match
Bosnia’s fragile multiethnic government is facing its greatest crisis since the Balkan wars. The Serb nationalist leader, Milorad Dodik, is threatening to tear the country apart.
Poland’s President Says He Will Veto Media Bill Opposed by U.S.
The measure backed by the nationalist governing coalition sought to limit foreign influence and could have imperiled the license of an American-owned TV station.