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The story that is still being written

When we published the first issue of New Eastern Europe, we did not start by claiming to know what Eastern Europe was. Instead, we began by asking what does Eastern Europe mean – to the people and societies in the region, but also to those who often looked at it through the lens of outdated stereotypes. We saw our task as examining what connected the very different countries and societies placed under this geographical label.

September 11, 2026 - Adam Reichardt Iwona Reichardt

Ghosts from the riverbed: Europe’s new divides

It sometimes seems that the East now has an advantage even beyond the conservative longing for an impossible return to traditional societies. As reverse brain drain started to occur more recently, the West to East knowledge transfer brought with it an economic and digital boom in cities as far apart as Tallinn, Warsaw and Cluj. It would appear that any notion of a simple binary has been replaced by a more complex, fluid set of ideas and values.

September 11, 2026 - Vesna Goldsworthy

Is Europe divided again?

The East–West divide should not be overstated. Estonia, Romania and Lithuania have generally remained strongly pro-European despite placing considerable emphasis on national independence. Conversely, sovereigntist politicians in Western Europe have achieved considerable political success. Nevertheless, it is primarily in parts of Central and Eastern Europe that states increasingly resemble isolated islands, jealously guarding their borders and defending “go-it-alone” policies in an ever more interconnected and interdependent European environment.

September 11, 2026 - Jan Zielonka

The new Central Europe

Central Europe has become one of the great success stories of the post-1989 transformation. Yet economic convergence, EU membership and growing prosperity have not shielded the region from political fragmentation, social disillusionment and democratic backsliding. Today, the question is no longer whether Central Europe belongs to the European mainstream, but what role it wants to play in shaping Europe’s increasingly uncertain future.

September 11, 2026 - Pavel Havlíček

From a post-Soviet state to a European power

Over the past 15 years, Ukraine has come a long way from a country with a fragile perspective on European integration to a country that has become a symbol of the struggle for European unity. The last five years of this journey have been fundamental not only for Ukraine, as they have encouraged a series of structural changes within Europe.

September 11, 2026 - Anton Naychuk

Once Europe’s project, the Western Balkans is now its mirror

Over the last 15 years, Europe’s lexicon of the Western Balkans has undergone several transformations. Tracing this evolution reveals not only how the West’s expectations of this region have changed, but also how Europe’s understanding of itself has changed.

September 11, 2026 - Alexandra Karppi

Shifting geopolitical orientations in Central Asia

A pro-Russia orientation has been a stable feature of Central Asia since the region’s independence in 1991. While of crucial importance for Europe, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 initially seemed to be a far-away conflict that would not concern Central Asia directly. And yet, Central Asia’s positive relations with Russia soon began to change.

September 11, 2026 - Karolina Kluczewska

Chronicling the weaponization of information

Fifteen years ago, the internet still carried the promise of strengthening democracy, empowering civil society and challenging authoritarian control. Since then, that optimism has collided with a darker reality, as the same digital sphere has become a powerful space for disinformation, manipulation and political polarization. Revisiting the early years of New Eastern Europe shows just how profoundly our understanding of the information environment has changed.

September 11, 2026 - Maciej Makulski

Ratko Mladić is dead. His nationalist legacy lives on

In Serbia and Republika Srpska, politicians, pro-government media, nationalist organisations and citizens mourned the death of Ratko Mladić, who died on August 27th. Despite his conviction as a war criminal responsible for the Srebrenica genocide, 52 per cent of Serbs in Republika Srpska regard Mladić as a hero according to a survey from last year.

September 4, 2026 - Tatjana Đorđević

Middle powers in a ruptured order: Why Poland and Ukraine matter for EU strategic autonomy

Russia’s war against Ukraine, the volatility of Trump-era American foreign policy, the rise of China, and the emergence of assertive authoritarian middle powers have made European strategic autonomy a necessity rather than just an ambitious aspiration. Ukraine and Poland, two Central and Eastern European states whose regional influence has often been underestimated, illustrate how middle powers can shape outcomes once reserved for great powers.

September 2, 2026 - Adam Reichardt Maksym Khylko

One year on: July protests return to Ukraine

Recent protests in Ukraine have become a microcosm for hopes concerning the country’s future. The response to Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov’s removal is emblematic of a wider current of thought concerning the need to both defend and strengthen Ukrainian democracy.

July 29, 2026 - Valerii Pekar

“Russia is not keeping up”

An interview with Mykola Bieleskov, a fellow at the National Institute for Strategic Studies and one of Ukraine's leading military analysts. Interviewers: Aleksander Palikot and Jerzy Sobotta.

July 20, 2026 - Aleksander Palikot Jerzy Sobotta Mykola Bielieskov

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