Latest Updates

Ukraine has been clear that it needs more weapons from the West. So, what’s the holdup?

On June 13, Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak named the specific amount of Western weapon supplies Ukraine needs in order to “end the war” and “kick Russia out of Ukraine”: 1,000 155-mm howitzers and more.

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bneGREEN: Coal investment remains major threat to green dream

An 8% rise in global energy investment in 2022 to $2.4 trillion, driven by a 12% rise in clean energy spending, is still far from enough to tackle the energy crisis and to put the world on the path to a greener and more secure energy future.

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Gas crisis: Can Europe store enough gas this summer to get through the winter?

“Winter is coming, and the night is full or terrors.” The Game of Thrones' most famous quote would serve well as a morning greeting for gas traders as they come into work.

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Ukraine and Moldova granted EU candidate status in face of Russian aggression

Ukraine and Moldova have been granted official candidate status, with the same promise to Georgia once it has addressed its "outstanding priorities".

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Russian retailers launch “parallel import” electronic sales

Russia’s retailers have started importing electronics using “parallel imports” that source the products from intermediaries and allow them to ignore the wishes of the owners of the intellectual property.

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Lithuania braces for Russian retaliation over Kaliningrad sanctions

Moscow regards the ban on the transport of certain goods – notably steel and ferrous metal products – between parts of its territory as a violation of a 2002 agreement with the EU.

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Bulgaria’s reformist government loses no-confidence vote

Vote ends efforts by Kiril Petkov's government to tackle graft in the EU's most corrupt country and plunges Bulgaria back into political instability.

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CEE inflation spreading across whole region, set to last for years

Inflation is being driven up by the food crisis and disrupted supply chains, first during the pandemic and now due to the war in Ukraine, leading to fears of stagflation for the whole world.

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China, India overtake Germany as Russia’s biggest buyer of crude oil

Oil imports by China and India from Russia have surged thanks to the sanctions on Russia in May to overtake Germany as Russia’s biggest trade partner.

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Bulgaria’s parliament approves French compromise to lift veto on opening of North Macedonia’s EU talks

bneGREEN: Reducing investment in fossil fuels can fund Europe’s energy transition

Armenia diaspora faces waning influence on Turkey, Azerbaijan negotiations

Bulgaria’s parliament approves French compromise to lift veto on opening of North Macedonia’s EU talks

North Macedonia has already rejected the French EU Presidency's compromise plan because it foregrounds Bulgaria's complaints about its neighbour.

bneGREEN: Reducing investment in fossil fuels can fund Europe’s energy transition

Europe’s electricity system could become greener, more secure and more resilient while not requiring any funding if the right investments are made to replace increasingly expensive fossil fuels.

Armenia diaspora faces waning influence on Turkey, Azerbaijan negotiations

Recent moves toward restoring relations with Armenia’s traditional enemies have run into strong resistance from the global diaspora. But will it make a difference?

News

White House doubles number of long-range rocket launchers sent to Ukraine in fresh aid package

The US has unveiled a new package of military aid for Ukraine, worth $450mn. It includes artillery ammunition, patrol boats, tactical vehicles, machine guns and four new long-range rocket launchers.

Albania and North Macedonia remain stuck in EU accession process

Longtime candidate countries North Macedonia and Albania are still unable to begin accession talks because of a Bulgarian veto, while Montenegro and Serbia are no closer to joining, and Bosnia-Herzegovina has not yet been granted candidate status.

Turkey 'must be cautious' on sending Ukraine more arms says top Turkish defence official

Statement may reinforce worries Ankara remains too close to Moscow despite Nato membership and Kyiv’s need for stepped-up weapons deliveries.

Russia accepts default with bond-for-rubles scheme

Under the special presidential decree published on June 23 Russia has adopted a “temporary procedure” on the execution of foreign currency state liabilities, enacting a scheme under which foreign sovereign debt will be paid out in rubles.

EC due to vote on Ukraine’s EU candidate status as Russia intensifies attacks

EU leaders gather in Brussels on June 23 to vote on Ukraine’s EU membership candidacy in a vote that is widely expected to go through, as Russia intensifies its attacks in Donbas.

White House doubles number of long-range rocket launchers sent to Ukraine in fresh aid package

16 hours ago

Albania and North Macedonia remain stuck in EU accession process

1 day ago

Turkey 'must be cautious' on sending Ukraine more arms says top Turkish defence official

1 day ago

Russia accepts default with bond-for-rubles scheme

1 day ago

EC due to vote on Ukraine’s EU candidate status as Russia intensifies attacks

1 day ago

More News

Tech

Romanian crowdfunding platform SeedBlink helps Bulgarian startup Agriniser raise funds

First goal for Agriniser will be to expand its digital marketplace to buy and sell grain into Romania.

Investments into Serbian startups soared more than 600% in 2021

Serbian startups attracted over $135mn of investments in 2021 – more than six times as much as in the previous year.

Uzbekistan’s IT sector on fire and targeting the vast US market

One country’s brain drain is another country’s gain. In the competitive business of IT outsourcing, Uzbekistan wants to wind up on the right side of that equation.

EWDN: Yet another Ukrainian-founded unicorn: airSlate raises more than $50mn in the US

airSlate (formerly known as pdfFiller), a Boston-based business automation software publisher, announced it secured $51.5mn in a deal that values airSlate at $1.25bn on June 16, East West Digital News reports.

Wargaming opens studios in Belgrade and Warsaw after pulling out of Russia and Belarus

Wargaming closed its studios in Russia and Belarus following the military invasion of Ukraine, and is now adding new studios in Central and Southeast Europe.

Romanian crowdfunding platform SeedBlink helps Bulgarian startup Agriniser raise funds

2 days ago

Investments into Serbian startups soared more than 600% in 2021

2 days ago

Uzbekistan’s IT sector on fire and targeting the vast US market

6 days ago

EWDN: Yet another Ukrainian-founded unicorn: airSlate raises more than $50mn in the US

7 days ago

Wargaming opens studios in Belgrade and Warsaw after pulling out of Russia and Belarus

9 days ago

More Tech

Opinion

COMMENT: Why replenished ties between Uzbekistan and Turkey suit both Tashkent and Ankara

For the Uzbeks, the strategic relationship helps with the balancing act between the big powers. For the Turks, it builds regional influence in line with the pan-Turkic agenda.

Analyst says West should form ‘alliance of convenience’ with ‘unsavoury Erdogan’

Turkish leader might be won round with economic lifeline that would persuade him to abandon Moscow, says Maximilian Hess.

COMMENT: Georgia drops out of the Trio – why did this happen?

Georgia can become an EU candidate country, but not with Georgian Dream in power.

Book review | China’s “detached” power

A new book exposes the hollowness of many Western assumptions about China’s role in Central Asia.

COMMENT: Ukraine’s Eurobonds – pros and cons of restructuring

The Ukrainian economy has been badly hit by the war and is operating in an extremely challenging environment. Budget revenues have plummeted while expenditures stay elevated. Will the government be forced to restructure its debt again?

COMMENT: Why replenished ties between Uzbekistan and Turkey suit both Tashkent and Ankara

1 day ago

Analyst says West should form ‘alliance of convenience’ with ‘unsavoury Erdogan’

2 days ago

COMMENT: Georgia drops out of the Trio – why did this happen?

3 days ago

Book review | China’s “detached” power

3 days ago

COMMENT: Ukraine’s Eurobonds – pros and cons of restructuring

4 days ago

More Opinion

Data

Hungary’s jobless rate inches down to 3.5% in May

Hungary's jobless rate would be closer to 5% if workers in public work schemes were included.

Polish retail sales growth eases to 8.2% y/y in May

Consumption trends are normalising after disruption caused by the inflow of Ukrainian refugees and the low base effect from last year.

Ruble rises to seven-year high, best performing currency in the world

Russia’s ruble jumped 6% against the euro on June 21 to a seven-year high, making it the best performing currency in the world.

Polish PPI inflation accelerates to 24.7% y/y in May

The index grew sharply due to expensive energy commodities and industrial metals, their prices driven up by the war in Ukraine.

Bulgaria posts highest inflation in SEE amongst EU peers

Bulgaria posted the highest level of inflation in Southeastern Europe amongst EU members after annual inflation hit 13.4% in May, as the whole world fights to avoid stagflation

Hungary’s jobless rate inches down to 3.5% in May

22 hours ago

Polish retail sales growth eases to 8.2% y/y in May

1 day ago

Ruble rises to seven-year high, best performing currency in the world

2 days ago

Polish PPI inflation accelerates to 24.7% y/y in May

2 days ago

Bulgaria posts highest inflation in SEE amongst EU peers

3 days ago

More Data

Features

African gas pipeline projects revived due to European gas crisis

A mounting gas crisis in Europe caused by Russia’s decision to reduce flows has revived several African gas pipeline projects to take over from the Russian deliveries.

Colonial scars: Why Ukraine is unlikely to find allies in Africa

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appealed to the African Union for support on June 20, but Kyiv is struggling to find allies on the continent.

Russia’s leading petrochemical company Sibur denies renting a luxury villa for Putin’s personal use

Leaked emails from Russia’s top petrochemical company Sibur show that the company rented a luxury villa in the Gulf of Finland that has been used by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a holiday getaway.

Polish banks go from resilience to vulnerability

Mounting economic woes and government interventions have pushed the banking stock index down more than 36% in the year to date.

Russia-EU gas crisis enters next phase as Germany, Italy and France all report cuts in supply

The crisis in the EU-Russia gas relationship has taken another turn for the worse, with Germany, Italy and France all reporting cuts in supply after all three countries backed Ukraine’s bid for EU candidate status.

African gas pipeline projects revived due to European gas crisis

1 day ago

Colonial scars: Why Ukraine is unlikely to find allies in Africa

2 days ago

Russia’s leading petrochemical company Sibur denies renting a luxury villa for Putin’s personal use

2 days ago

Polish banks go from resilience to vulnerability

3 days ago

Russia-EU gas crisis enters next phase as Germany, Italy and France all report cuts in supply

4 days ago

More Features

Blogs

Turkmenistan: Masks off

Uniting in paranoia with Russia, warming to Iran, and opening for business. This and more in Eurasianet's weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

BALKAN BLOG: How to keep the EU accession dream alive

With accession bogged down in political disputes, alternatives to the current EU enlargement process are being considered.

CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Whisper it, but work on 25-year-old China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project may finally start

Freight dispatchers desire to avoid sanctioned Russia may have motivated Chinese officials to get a move on.

MOSCOW BLOG: Energy wars and green energy

How successful will the West be in the coming energy wars and is it wishful thinking that Ukraine could use its Marshall Plan reconstruction money to become Europe's hydrogen powerhouse?

BALKAN BLOG: Lavrov’s Belgrade visit cancelled but the damage is already done

EU officials are losing patience with Serbia’s insistence on maintaining friendly relations with Russia.

Turkmenistan: Masks off

9 days ago

BALKAN BLOG: How to keep the EU accession dream alive

11 days ago

CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Whisper it, but work on 25-year-old China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project may finally start

14 days ago

MOSCOW BLOG: Energy wars and green energy

14 days ago

BALKAN BLOG: Lavrov’s Belgrade visit cancelled but the damage is already done

17 days ago

More Blogs

bneGREEN

bneGREEN: Iran records one of the hottest days on Earth ever

World leaders distracted by multiple crises might like to spare a moment to take note of the city of Abadan’s experience of a brutally hot 52.2°C.

bneGREEN: Heatwave hits Europe as climate change bites

Temperatures in Europe broke through the 40°C mark in mid-June, stoking fears of record-breaking summer heat waves that could endanger lives and threaten food supplies whilst providing further proof of the effects of man-made global warming.

bneGREEN: Kremlin set to deprive Russian climate activist Makichyan of citizenship

Russian climate activist Arshak Makichyan, a close associate of Greta Thunberg, is set to be deprived of his Russian citizenship as the Kremlin tightens the screw on anti-war protestors.

bneGREEN: Albania to create Vjosa national park, blocking hydropower development

The Vjosa is one of the last wild rivers in Europe and environmental groups have been campaigning to have it made a national park to prevent it being exploited for hydropower.

bneGREEN: UN stresses green issues are key to reducing poverty and boosting sustainability

Maintaining a healthy planet and ensuring prosperity for all requires a renewed emphasis on reducing environmental impact, sustainability and changing the way the current economic system works.

bneGREEN: Iran records one of the hottest days on Earth ever

2 days ago

bneGREEN: Heatwave hits Europe as climate change bites

3 days ago

bneGREEN: Kremlin set to deprive Russian climate activist Makichyan of citizenship

9 days ago

bneGREEN: Albania to create Vjosa national park, blocking hydropower development

11 days ago

bneGREEN: UN stresses green issues are key to reducing poverty and boosting sustainability

13 days ago

More bneGREEN

Latest Updates

News

The US has unveiled a new package of military aid for Ukraine, worth $450mn. It includes artillery ammunition, patrol boats, tactical vehicles, machine guns and four new long-range rocket launchers.

Longtime candidate countries North Macedonia and Albania are still unable to begin accession talks because of a Bulgarian veto, while Montenegro and Serbia are no closer to joining, and Bosnia-Herzegovina has not yet been granted candidate status.

Statement may reinforce worries Ankara remains too close to Moscow despite Nato membership and Kyiv’s need for stepped-up weapons deliveries.

Under the special presidential decree published on June 23 Russia has adopted a “temporary procedure” on the execution of foreign currency state liabilities, enacting a scheme under which foreign sovereign debt will be paid out in rubles.

EU leaders gather in Brussels on June 23 to vote on Ukraine’s EU membership candidacy in a vote that is widely expected to go through, as Russia intensifies its attacks in Donbas.

Tech

First goal for Agriniser will be to expand its digital marketplace to buy and sell grain into Romania.

Serbian startups attracted over $135mn of investments in 2021 – more than six times as much as in the previous year.

One country’s brain drain is another country’s gain. In the competitive business of IT outsourcing, Uzbekistan wants to wind up on the right side of that equation.

airSlate (formerly known as pdfFiller), a Boston-based business automation software publisher, announced it secured $51.5mn in a deal that values airSlate at $1.25bn on June 16, East West Digital News reports.

Wargaming closed its studios in Russia and Belarus following the military invasion of Ukraine, and is now adding new studios in Central and Southeast Europe.

Opinion

For the Uzbeks, the strategic relationship helps with the balancing act between the big powers. For the Turks, it builds regional influence in line with the pan-Turkic agenda.

Turkish leader might be won round with economic lifeline that would persuade him to abandon Moscow, says Maximilian Hess.

Georgia can become an EU candidate country, but not with Georgian Dream in power.

A new book exposes the hollowness of many Western assumptions about China’s role in Central Asia.

The Ukrainian economy has been badly hit by the war and is operating in an extremely challenging environment. Budget revenues have plummeted while expenditures stay elevated. Will the government be forced to restructure its debt again?

Data

Hungary's jobless rate would be closer to 5% if workers in public work schemes were included.

Consumption trends are normalising after disruption caused by the inflow of Ukrainian refugees and the low base effect from last year.

Russia’s ruble jumped 6% against the euro on June 21 to a seven-year high, making it the best performing currency in the world.

The index grew sharply due to expensive energy commodities and industrial metals, their prices driven up by the war in Ukraine.

Bulgaria posted the highest level of inflation in Southeastern Europe amongst EU members after annual inflation hit 13.4% in May, as the whole world fights to avoid stagflation

Features

A mounting gas crisis in Europe caused by Russia’s decision to reduce flows has revived several African gas pipeline projects to take over from the Russian deliveries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appealed to the African Union for support on June 20, but Kyiv is struggling to find allies on the continent.

Leaked emails from Russia’s top petrochemical company Sibur show that the company rented a luxury villa in the Gulf of Finland that has been used by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a holiday getaway.

Mounting economic woes and government interventions have pushed the banking stock index down more than 36% in the year to date.

The crisis in the EU-Russia gas relationship has taken another turn for the worse, with Germany, Italy and France all reporting cuts in supply after all three countries backed Ukraine’s bid for EU candidate status.

Blogs

Uniting in paranoia with Russia, warming to Iran, and opening for business. This and more in Eurasianet's weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

With accession bogged down in political disputes, alternatives to the current EU enlargement process are being considered.

Freight dispatchers desire to avoid sanctioned Russia may have motivated Chinese officials to get a move on.

How successful will the West be in the coming energy wars and is it wishful thinking that Ukraine could use its Marshall Plan reconstruction money to become Europe's hydrogen powerhouse?

EU officials are losing patience with Serbia’s insistence on maintaining friendly relations with Russia.

bneGREEN

World leaders distracted by multiple crises might like to spare a moment to take note of the city of Abadan’s experience of a brutally hot 52.2°C.

Temperatures in Europe broke through the 40°C mark in mid-June, stoking fears of record-breaking summer heat waves that could endanger lives and threaten food supplies whilst providing further proof of the effects of man-made global warming.

Russian climate activist Arshak Makichyan, a close associate of Greta Thunberg, is set to be deprived of his Russian citizenship as the Kremlin tightens the screw on anti-war protestors.

The Vjosa is one of the last wild rivers in Europe and environmental groups have been campaigning to have it made a national park to prevent it being exploited for hydropower.

Maintaining a healthy planet and ensuring prosperity for all requires a renewed emphasis on reducing environmental impact, sustainability and changing the way the current economic system works.

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