Talk Eastern Europe

In this Talk Eastern Europe Deep Dive, Adam Reichardt and Nina Panikova speak with renowned Russia analyst Mark Galeotti about what is happening inside Russia today and what it means for Ukraine, Europe, and the wider global order.

The conversation explores the Kremlin’s tightening control over the internet, disruptions to platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp, and the political struggle behind Russia’s so-called “sovereign internet....

This week’s Talk Eastern Europe new roundup covers a major Belarus prisoner exchange, growing political instability in Romania, and a landmark corruption verdict in Moldova – plus developments in Bulgaria and rising tensions in Kosovo.

Adam Reichardt and Alexandra Karppi break down the biggest stories shaping the region and explain why they matter.

In this episode:

– Belarus releases journalist Andrzej Poczobut in ahigh-profile prison...

How did a choir become one of the symbols of the 2020 Belarus protests? In this Talk Eastern Europe Deep Dive interview, Nina Panikova speaks with Sasha from Volny Chor, the Belarusian choir that emerged after the stolen election and mass demonstrations against Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

Volny Chor became famous for surprise public performances of Belarusian freedom songs in Minsk, singing in shopping centers, courtyards, and public squ...

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This week on Talk Eastern Europe, we look at major politicaldevelopments across the region. Bulgaria’s latest snap election may mark the end of years of instability, but what does Rumen Radev’s victory mean for domestic reform, relations with the EU, and support for Ukraine?

We also discuss French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Poland...

Hungary has entered a new political era. After 16 years ofViktor Orbán’s rule, Péter Magyar and the TISZA party have secured a sweeping election victory, reportedly with a two-thirds majority. What happens next?

In this Deep Dive episode of Talk Eastern Europe, host Alexandra Karppi speaks with Zsuzsanna Vegh, an expert on Central Europe and democratic resilience from the German Marshall Fund. They discuss the dramatic election resu...

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This week on Talk Eastern Europe, Alexandra and Nina unpack the regional ripple effects following Hungary’s elections and what they could mean for politics across Central and Eastern Europe.

They also discuss a high-profile visit by Donald Trump Jr. in the Balkans as well as the latest from Moldova, including the country taking another step ...

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What is the story behind Slovakia’s most famous musicfestival? In this episode, Nina speaks with Michal Kaščák, founder of Pohoda Festival, about 30 years of music, freedom, and politics in Slovakia.

The conversation explores how Pohoda began in the 1990s during the Mečiar era, why the festival became a symbol of democracy and free expression, and ...

Hungarian voters have delivered a political earthquake. After 16 years in power, Viktor Orbán has been defeated, marking a historic turning point not just for Hungary, but for all of Central and Eastern Europe.

In this special quick take episode of Talk Eastern Europe, we break down the key takeaways from the election results, including how Péter Magyar secured a constitutional majority and why voters turned out in record numbers. W...

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Sign up for the Brief Eastern Europe Weekly Newsletter! https://briefeasterneurope.eu/subscribeIn this week’s Talk Eastern Europe news roundup, Adam Reichardt, Alexandra Karppi and Nina Panikova break down the latest stories shaping Central and Eastern Europe.

We discuss the rising stakes ahead of Bulgaria’s snap parliamentary elections, including concerns over...

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More than halfway through Donald Tusk’s term, Poland is entering a crucial political moment. The governing coalition is under pressure to deliver on its promises while navigating institutional gridlock, deep political polarization, and a rapidly changing international security environment.

In this week’s Talk Eastern Europe interview, Adam Reichardt speaks with jour...

In this week’s Talk Eastern Europe news roundup, Adam Reichardt, Alexandra Karppi, and Nina Panikova break down the latest developments across the region.

We start with Ukraine, where growing tensions with the United States over potential peace conditions raise serious questions about future security guarantees and military support. With the war in the Middle East reshaping global priorities, the episode explores how shifting geopol...

Albania is often presented as a success story in the Western Balkans, especially on its path to the EU. But what’s really happening beneath the surface?

In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, we dive into Albania’s evolving political landscape with researcher Gresa Hasa from the University of Graz.

Following a landslide victory by Edi Rama’s Socialist Party, Albania is entering a new phase, one marked by growing concerns over power ...

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In this week’s Talk Eastern Europe news round-up, hosts Adam Reichardt and Alexandra Karppi unpack major political developments across Central and Eastern Europe – from the high-stakes election dynamics in Hungary to massive anti-government protests in Prague and constitutional changes in Kazakhs...

What do the Jeffrey Epstein files reveal about Slovakia? Inthis episode of Talk Eastern Europe, investigative journalist Karin Kőváry Sólymos joins us to unpack the surprising links between Epstein and former Slovak foreign minister Miroslav Lajčák. We discuss what the documents show, why the story matters, and how the revelations shook Slovak politics.

Read Karin’s investigation in VSquare: https://vsquare.org/and-most-importantly...

In this week’s episode of our new Talk Eastern Europe Weekly News Roundup, Adam Reichardt and Alexandra Karppi break down the biggest developments from across Central and Eastern Europe.

This week’s topics include:

• Hungary’s high-stakes parliamentary election
• Poland’s defence bill veto and rising political tensions
• Serbia’s controversial judicial changes
• Georgia’s embattled opposition

We also introduce our new podcast format: on...

How does the war in Iran affect Europe’s security and Russia’s war against Ukraine? In this inaugural video episode of TalkEastern Europe, Adam Reichardt speaks with Marek Menkiszak, Head of the Russia Department at the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW) in Warsaw.

They discuss how the Middle East conflict is reshaping global attention, influencing energy markets and sanctions policy, and potentially creating new opportunities and ris...

In episode 257 of Talk Eastern Europe, Adam and Alexandrareact to the breakout of war in the Middle East and what it might mean from the regional aspect. They look specifically at relations with Russia, the war in Ukraine and also the South Caucasus, which borders the conflict zone. They also catch on the situation in Albania and discuss Hungary’s latest tactics ahead of the elections in April.

For the main interview Alexandra is jo...

In episode 256 of Talk Eastern Europe, hosts Adam, Alexandra and Nina mark the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine with a heavy week of reflections – as well as some other news from the region. They discuss ongoing protest movements across the Balkans (includingfresh demonstrations in Bosnia and Herzegovina following a deadly tram derailment), tensions in Serbia, and what these cycles of civic anger say ab...

In episode 255 of Talk Eastern Europe, Alexandra, Adam and Nina discuss the week’s key developments across the region, from Olympic results to the latest from the Munich Security Conference, including EU calls related to Russia–Ukraine regotiations and a high-level US visit to the countries of theregion.

The second half features the first instalment of our special series commemorating the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian...