A collection of 116 posts
The dramatic breakdown of relations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump and US Vice President JD Vance on Friday, 28 February, is prompting Central and Eastern European (CEE) nations to urgently reassess regional defence strategies. The meeting, streamed from the Oval Office, was ostensibly held to formalise
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on European leaders to increase their defence spending while maintaining close ties with the US, before an emergency summit of European leaders in Paris on Tuesday, 18 February. US President Donald Trump’s decision to attempt to negotiate a peace deal on Ukraine with
German companies are considering ramping up investments in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), with 55% expecting the region’s economic significance to grow in the next 5 years, according to the “German CEE Business Outlook 2025” report by auditor KPMG. The survey analysed the economic prospects and business strategies of
Leaders from Central and Eastern (CEE) countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were among the signatories of an invitation to ex-NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg to draw up a white paper on regional defence collaboration, ahead of the alliance’s summit scheduled in The Hague, the Netherlands, in June. Stoltenberg will
Lufthansa Group acquired a 10% stake in Latvia’s airBaltic for EUR 14mn on January 29, pending antitrust approval. Europe’s largest airline group has long been interested in the Baltic region, and airBaltic, headquartered in Riga, Latvia, and flying to over 100 destinations across Europe, the Middle East and
Romania’s government has approved a repeat presidential election in May after institutional chaos and controversy saw the ballot in November annulled. The rerun vote is scheduled for 4 May and – if no candidate secures a simple majority – another will be held on 18 May. Romania’s Constitutional Court on
NATO deployed a multinational flotilla off the Estonian coast at the weekend to defend undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea amid escalating concerns of sabotage. Baltic Sentry aims to deter hybrid threats targeting power cables, pipelines, and data lines crucial to the region’s stability. Dubbed the “security camera of
Electric vehicle (EV) adoption across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) remains uneven, with significant variations between countries in the region, according to new data from the European Environment Agency (EEA). Adoption rates in CEE lag behind Western Europe: the Western Balkans, for example, has just 1,540 public EV charging
Hungarian banking group OTP’s subsidiaries in Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovenia were ranked as the best banks in their respective countries at the Bank of the Year 2024 Awards organised by The Banker magazine. The UK-based outlet, part of the Financial Times Group, said it chose the winning banks
Digital news consumption in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is transforming, driven by evolving audience habits, technology adoption, and growing mistrust in traditional media, according to Reuters Digital News Report 2024. Internet penetration and smartphone usage have enabled a rapid shift online, but challenges related to declining trust in news
Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries are still navigating post-pandemic economic challenges amid newer geopolitical tensions, according to the Economic Outlook December 2024 report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Inflationary pressures, labour shortages, and weakened demand from key European markets, most notably Germany, are affecting industrial
Romania’s Constitutional Court (CCR) annulled the country’s presidential election on Friday, 6 December after the emergence of evidence of Russian interference in the lead-up to the first-round vote late last month. Pro-Russian ultranationalist candidate and political newcomer Calin Georgescu unexpectedly won the first round of voting on 24
A new list spotlighting the fastest-growing startups in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) shows Estonia as the clear leader in the region’s startup scene, with neighbours Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Lithuania also making the leaderboard. The Sifted 30: Eastern Europe & Baltics leaderboard ranks private startups established within the
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland are seeking EU financial support for a coordinated network of military fortifications along their borders with Russia and Belarus. “The security situation demands comprehensive defences,” Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said, adding that “the Baltic Defence Line supports NATO’s forward defense and is vital
Poland’s strategic energy giant PKN Orlen has signed a five-year exclusive deal with Lithuanian energy terminal operator KN Energies to up the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to north-east Poland and the Baltic countries. Under the deal, effective until the end of March 2030, Orlen will have sole