OSW - Centre for Eastern Studies

YouTube video by Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW) Russia - the last bastion of conservative values?

Russia - the last bastion of conservative values?

🔵We check if🇷🇺Russia is as conservative as it claims. We look at data on abortion, drug abuse, divorce and church attendance in Russia.

❓Is Russia more traditional than the "morally corrupt West"?🇺🇸🇪🇺🇬🇧
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOeb...

Turkey and the EU: renewed efforts in a complex web of disputes On 6 February 2026, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, arrived in Ankara, where she met the Minister of Treasury and Finance, Mehmet Şimşek, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fid...

🔵Turkey🇹🇷 and the EU🇪🇺: renewed efforts in a complex web of disputes

🔵The EU Commissioner’s visit may be regarded as a continuation of the gradual process of rebuilding political relations with Turkey.

➡️ OSW's Adam Michalski has the details ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Excessive dependence? The growing role of US LNG and oil in the EU market Since 2022, the EU has undergone a rapid transformation of its natural gas and crude oil import mix. Faced with Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, now in its fourth year, and the Russian-Europea...

🔵Excessive dependence? The growing role of US LNG and oil in the EU market
🗨️The nature of the bloc’s dependence on US LNG remains markedly different from the dependence European countries have experienced with regard to Russian gas.

🔘By @agataloskot.bsky.social ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

The economies of the Baltic states: recession, stagnation and acceleration The economies of the Baltic states have in recent years experienced a series of shocks, triggered by the global pandemic and the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine. Nearly four years of turbule...

🔵The economies of the Baltic states: recession, stagnation and acceleration

Bartosz Chmielewski has the details on which of the three Baltic countries 🇱🇹🇱🇻🇪🇪 has been outrunning its neighbours in economic growth over the past decade ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Germany: new law on the protection of critical infrastructure On 29 January, with the votes of the CDU/CSU–SPD coalition and the opposition AfD, the Bundestag adopted a framework law on the protection of critical infrastructure (the KRITIS umbrella law), impleme...

Germany 🇩🇪: new law on the protection of critical infrastructure

➡️The adopted regulations form part of a broader set of measures undertaken by Germany to strengthen protection against hybrid threats.
➡️
Michał Kędzierski & Kamil Frymark have the details ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Ukrainian attacks on the CPC oil pipeline: outlook for Kazakhstan’s oil sector Kazakhstan’s oil sector is facing a serious crisis due to reduced throughput of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), caused by Ukrainian drone attacks in November 2025 and January of this year. The ...

🔵Ukrainian attacks on the CPC oil pipeline: outlook for Kazakhstan’s oil sector

As much as 80% of 🇰🇿 oil exports flow through the CPC. As a result of the Ukrainian attacks, Kazakhstan has incurred multi-million dollar losses.

🔵By @Daria Zielińska⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

YouTube video by Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW) Chinese connected cars: are they a security threat?

📽️Our latest video looks at connected cars from China through the lens of the EU's cybersecurity.

🔵What do we know about the data these smartphones on wheels collect? And do they pose a security threat?

🔴We answer these and other questions ⤵️
youtu.be/HmKRCUc9AVU

An uncertain future for Rosatom’s nuclear technology exports Despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Rosatom, unlike many other Russian energy companies, has not faced significant Western sanctions. This has enabled it to continue operating in the key are...

🔵An uncertain future for Rosatom’s nuclear technology exports

🔵Despite Russia’s 🇷🇺 invasion of Ukraine 🇺🇦 in 2022, Rosatom, unlike many other Russian energy companies, has not faced significant Western sanctions.

➡️More insight by OSW's Filip Rudnik ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Czech defence conglomerate CSG becomes the most valuable company in Central Europe On 23 January, the Czech-based defence conglomerate Czechoslovak Group (CSG) made an exceptionally successful debut on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange. The company’s market value surged by 30% t...

Czech defence conglomerate CSG becomes the most valuable company in Central Europe

🇨🇿CSG has benefited from rising defence spending among NATO’s member states and from the supply of weapons and military equipment to🇺🇦Ukraine.

Krzysztof Dębiec has more⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

MOL moves towards acquiring Russian stakes in Serbia’s NIS On 19 January, the Hungarian oil and gas company MOL announced that it had signed a binding heads of agreement with the Russian petrochemical company Gazprom Neft to purchase a 56.2% stake in Serbia’s...

Hungary's🇭🇺MOL moves towards acquiring Russian stakes in 🇷🇸Serbia’s NIS

🛢️The completion of the transaction would mark the first case of Russian🇷🇺oil assets in Europe being sold under pressure from US sanctions.

Analysis by Jan Nowinowski⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

YouTube video by Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW) Central Asia integration - a new powerhouse?

Central Asia - Can this region surrounded by powerful neighbours, such as🇷🇺Russia and🇨🇳China, integrate to become a new powerhouse?
🇰🇿🇰🇬🇹🇯🇹🇲🇺🇿
What does the future hold for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan?⤵️
youtu.be/MgoKdT_f5Fw

A reserve tandem: German–Italian intergovernmental consultations On 23 January, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took part in the 33rd German–Italian intergovernmental consultations in Rome. Merz was accompanied by te...

➡️A reserve tandem: German–Italian intergovernmental consultations

➡️Cooperation with Italy 🇮🇹 has resulted in Meloni supporting the EU–Mercosur free trade agreement, which is of key importance to Germany 🇩🇪

By OSW's Lidia Gibadło & Łukasz Maślanka⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

The Great Russian Firewall MAIN POINTS I. THE INTERNET AS AN ELEMENT OF SOCIAL LIFE IN RUSSIA II. THE LAST DOMAIN OF FREEDOM IS SHRINKING.. 3

🔵 The Great Russian Firewall: The Kremlin’s ultimate crackdown on internet freedom

🔵 Our analysts Maria Domańska & Katarzyna Chawryło provide a deep-dive on Russia’s 🇷🇺 internet ecosystem.

🔵 The full report⤵️
osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Seven lean years? Romania’s struggle with record high debt Romania has been grappling with exceptionally high public debt since 2020. It was then that the budget deficit reached 9.3% of GDP, prompting the European Union to place the country under the Excessiv...

Seven lean years? Romania’s struggle with record high debt

🔵Despite the public finance crisis that has been intensifying for several years, the 🇷🇴 authorities only decided to undertake concrete corrective measures in the second half of 2025

More from Kamil Całus⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

The Fico–Trump meeting: Slovakia turns to US nuclear technologies On 17–18 January, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico paid a visit to the United States. On the first day, in Washington, he signed an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) on bilateral cooperation in civil...

The Fico–Trump meeting: Slovakia 🇸🇰 turns to US 🇺🇸 nuclear technologies

Despite having relied on radically anti-American rhetoric while in opposition, Fico’s party has, once in power, consistently deepened its ties with Washington.

By Krzysztof Dębiec ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Ukraine: deepening crisis of the parliamentary majority On 13 January, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada failed to confirm Denys Shmyhal as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy – only 210 deputies voted in favour of his appointment, falling short of t...

🔵Ukraine 🇺🇦: deepening crisis of the parliamentary majority

🔵Many SP members have become frustrated with the president’s inner circle for disregarding their input and imposing top-down decisions.

More insight by OSW's Marcin Jędrysiak ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Bulgaria: President Radev resigns On 19 January, in a special address, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev announced his resignation. Once the Constitutional Court formally approves the resignation, his duties will be assumed by the incum...

Bulgaria 🇧🇬: President Radev resigns

🔵Radev’s resignation is likely driven by his intention to establish his own party and contest the upcoming snap parliamentary elections, expected to take place in late March or early April.

🔵By Jan Nowinowski ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

US-Denmark-Greenland: current state of play and future scenarios On 14 January, the United States, Denmark, and Greenland held trilateral consultations in Washington, attended by Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the foreign ministers o...

🔵US-Denmark-Greenland: current state of play and future scenarios

➡️The issue of Greenland’s future is very likely to remain on the president’s agenda, sustaining a sense of uncertainty in Europe.

OSW's Piotr Szymański has the latest details and insight ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Europe compensates for losses in German exports According to a report by the German Economic Institute in Cologne (IW Köln), in the first three quarters of 2025 Germany’s exports of goods and services increased by 0.25% year on year, despite a decl...

🔵Europe compensates for losses in German exports

🔵The decline in German 🇩🇪 exports to China 🇨🇳 results from a permanent shift in competitive conditions and is unlikely to be reversed in the long term.

➡️More insight by OSW's Aleksandra Kozaczyńska ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Iran on the brink of revolution and war Since 28 December 2025, Iran has witnessed nationwide, violent protests driven by social and political grievances. The unrest intensified on 8 January, when large-scale demonstrations were held in Teh...

Iran 🇮🇷 on the brink of revolution and war

As the economic environment continues to deteriorate, public frustration is mounting, fuelling demands for a radical liberalisation of the system – in effect, its dismantling.

Details by Krzysztof Strachota⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Consequences of the Berlin blackout On 3 January, there was an attack on the power grid in Steglitz-Zehlendorf, one of Berlin’s southern districts. Following the arson of a cable bridge, around 45,000 households – approximately 100,000 ...

🔵Consequences of the Berlin 🇩🇪 blackout

➡️The method of attack and the choice of location indicate a high level of professionalism on the part of the saboteurs.

🔵More insight by OSW's Kamil Frymark ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

The Kremlin’s powerlessness: Russia’s response to the US operation in Venezuela The US military operation in Venezuela on 3 January, which resulted in the capture of the Russia-aligned dictator Nicolás Maduro, took the Kremlin by surprise and prompted only a diplomatic response. ...

🔵The Kremlin’s powerlessness: Russia’s response to the US operation in Venezuela
🔵The forcible removal of Maduro by the 🇺🇸 represents a reputational blow to 🇷🇺, as it has exposed its limited capacity to protect its partners.

By Miłosz Bartosiewicz ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Severing the head of the Hydra Table of contents MAIN POINTS INTRODUCTION I. DISINFORMATION AND PROPAGANDA IN RUSSIA – THEORETICAL BACKGROUND, ORGANISATION, FUNDING

Severing the head of the Hydra - How to fight🇷🇺Russian disinformation

🟦The West should highlight Russia's real problems and social tensions, economic hardships, as well as the abuses and weaknesses of the regime.

A long read by Katarzyna Chawryło ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Ukraine: a New Year’s reset of the state security management system On 2 January, President Volodymyr Zelensky carried out a reshuffle within the structures responsible for the state’s security policy. Among the key personnel changes, he appointed Kyrylo Budanov, who ...

Ukraine:🇺🇦a New Year’s reset of the state security management system

🔵Budanov’s appointment marks the end of the transitional period at the Presidential Office that began in November with the dismissal of Andriy Yermak.

Piotr Żochowski has much more⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Russia🇷🇺slowing down frontline assault in Ukraine🇺🇦

🔵Donbas front still active, Ukraine counterattacks
#russiaukrainewar 🎞️

Germany’s military service reform: voluntarism at its core On 5 December, the Bundestag passed a law reforming military service. From 2026, the new regulations will require male German citizens residing in Germany who have reached the age of 18 to complete a ...

🔵 Germany’s 🇩🇪 military service reform: voluntarism at its core

🔵The final text of the law represents the lowest common denominator acceptable to all parties in the ruling coalition.

🔵By Lidia Gibadło & Jacek Jarociński⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

EDIP: more cooperation in the European defence industry On 8 December, the Council of the European Union adopted the regulation establishing the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP), which the European Parliament had approved in November.

🔵EDIP: more cooperation in the European defence industry

🔵 The mechanisms introduced under EDIP are intended to create financial incentives for European defence companies to engage in joint efforts to expand production capacity.
🔵By Łukasz Maślanka ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Closing ranks: Russia-China energy cooperation amid escalating confrontation with the West Cooperation in the energy sector, which has long been a key pillar of Russia-China economic relations, has assumed even greater importance since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. For the Kremlin, the sale...

Closing ranks: Russia-China energy cooperation amid escalating confrontation with the West

🔵In 2024 Russia🇷🇺sold gas to China🇨🇳via the Power of Siberia 1 pipeline over ⅓ cheaper than what European buyers were paying.

By Filip Rudnik & Maciej Kalwasiński⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...

Russia restricts Internet access in occupied Crimea and inside Russia #RussiaUkraineWar

Babiš’s new government: Czechia first On 15 December, President Petr Pavel formally nominated the government of Andrej Babiš, formed following the elections to the Chamber of Deputies held on 3–4 October (see ‘Parliamentary elections in t...

Babiš’s new government:🇨🇿Czechia first

❝The anticipated passivity in security policy is reflected in the 38-page draft government agenda, which makes no mention of🇷🇺Russia at all and refers to Ukraine🇺🇦only once.❞

More from Krzysztof Dębiec ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...