Liberation Day is here. Trump has announced his tariffs targeting the US’s biggest trading partners, delivering one of the biggest blows to the global economy since the pandemic—and hitting the US especially hard. Likely countermeasures will target the heart of the US economy: its service sector - including
Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik announced that he had arrived in Moscow on Monday 31 March, after Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) prosecutors ordered an international arrest warrant for his alleged flouting of the BiH Constitution. BiH is facing its biggest political challenge in years, as Dodik escalates a legal
A total of three US soldiers were found dead while a fourth remains missing after their armoured recovery vehicle became submerged in a peat bog during a NATO training exercise near the Belarusian border in Lithuania on 25 March 2025. The incident occurred at the General Silvestras Zukauskas Training Area
The US and Russia are discussing the potential reopening of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, raising significant concerns across Europe, according to media reports. The natural gas pipeline, which runs beneath the Baltic Sea, aimed to double Russian gas exports to Germany. However, it has remained inactive since its
Startups in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are growing faster than in Western Europe and the CEE startup ecosystem is now worth EUR 243bn, according to the CEE Startups 2025 report. While funding and valuations have surged in recent years, structural challenges remain, including geographic fragmentation, uneven investor coverage, and
Romania and Poland have gender pay disparities among the lowest in the EU, according to Eurostat data published this month. In Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Romania and Poland recorded the smallest gender pay gaps in 2023, at 3.6% and 4.5% respectively — both well below the EU average
Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur pushed back on Tuesday against criticism of the country’s joint ammunition procurement strategy, defending multilateral arrangements as the most efficient way to ensure quick and cost-effective delivery. Pevkur, a member of the Reform Party, rejected claims that Estonia would have received munitions faster through
Croatian Economy Minister Ante Susnjar said state-owned oil pipeline operator Jadranski Naftovod (Janaf) could acquire Russia’s stake in Serbian oil company Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS), calling the potential deal a “natural business symbiosis”, local media reported. Janaf transports around 80% of the crude oil refined by NIS at its
The European Commission (EC) has launched an inquiry into state support provided by Hungary to Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD, as part of a broader investigation into foreign subsidies distorting competition in the EU. The preliminary probe, initiated on 19 March 2025, comes under the EU’s Foreign Subsidies
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is set for stronger economic growth in 2025, with GDP expected to expand by 2.6%, according to a report by Erste Group. The forecast marks an improvement from previous years, driven by higher consumer spending, increased investment, and inflows of EU funds. Poland boosted
As political landscapes shift across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), governments are recalibrating their approaches to Ukraine, European security, and internal governance. The region remains split between pro-European integration and nationalist, often pro-Kremlin, forces: Czechia and Poland reinforce their commitments to Ukraine, while Hungary and Slovakia align with Moscow. Meanwhile,
Crowds flooded the streets of the Serbian capital of Belgrade on Saturday, 15 March, in the largest demonstration of the recent anger towards the government to date, and possibly the biggest protest in the Balkan country’s history. The students leading the protests are demanding government accountability regarding the collapse
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is set to play a key role in the EU’s push to establish itself as a global leader in artificial intelligence under the new funding initiative Invest AI. European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen announced the plan at the AI Action Summit
Poland is rapidly emerging as a key hub for technological innovation and investment in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), attracting major commitments from global tech companies such as Microsoft and Google. Microsoft has announced an investment of nearly PLN 3bn (around USD 700mn) to strengthen Poland’s cybersecurity infrastructure and
Poland is set to purchase an additional 180 K2 Black Panther main battle tanks for approximately USD 6.2bn (EUR 5.7bn), South Korean government officials announced on 9 March. The proposed agreement could be finalised as soon as next month and follows Poland’s earlier USD 12.4bn deal