Central European Times

Central European Times

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Anchorage, Alaska, on 15 August

CEE leaders split over Trump-Putin summit in Alaska without Zelenskyy

While Hungary and Slovakia welcomed the diplomatic efforts, fellow Visegrad Four members Poland and Czechia joined the Baltic states in rejecting any settlement that bypasses Ukrainian sovereignty.

The Deloitte Building in Budapest, Hungary

Geopolitical cohesion key driver of EU trade - Deloitte report

“For Europe, analysis of the historical data shows that a 1% drop in geopolitical alignment is associated with a corresponding 1% decline in trade intensity,” Deloitte observed.

A software developer engrossed in work at a multi-monitor workstation

CEE developers offer better value than Western Europe

Research by TechBehemoths shows that strong education systems, multilingual talent pools and EU-level legal protections keep CEE competitive for global tech outsourcing and nearshoring.

Balkan economies are weighing the costs of the American-European trade compromise.

Balkan economies weigh cost of US-EU tariff 'compromise'

The World Bank forecasts regional growth of 3.1% in 2025, and finance ministries say cushioning the tariff shock will be essential to meeting that target. However, regional industry groups are warning of mounting pressure on Balkan economies.

The Latvian capital of Riga from St Peter's Church

Latvia unveils plan to close FDI gap with Estonia, Lithuania

Latvia lags its Baltic peers on investment intensity and credit availability, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas in Mazeikiai, north-west Lithuania

Lithuanian gov’t collapses after PM resigns over EU funds scandal

“I carried out my duties in good faith, but I cannot allow this situation to paralyse the work of the government,” Paluckas told members of the press after tendering his resignation in Vilnius, south-east Lithuania.