Berisha’s Back in Town
With U.S. sanctions hanging over his head, an aging superstar of Albanian politics makes another bid for power.
War in Ukraine
Evil Is Not Absolute; Good Will Triumph
A conversation with Olena Zelenska, first lady of Ukraine, as she rallies support for her country and shares her thoughts on what comes after the war. From Respekt.
Talks With Kirill
The story of a 19-year-old student, transformed by war into a soldier. From Dennik N.
‘They’re Trying to Assimilate Us’
Ukrainians fleeing the war describe forced evacuations to Russia and ‘filtration camps.’
An Emerging Pattern of Terror
Human Rights Watch’s reporting on Bucha might have prompted the Russian government’s ban on the organization after three decades of activity.
Meeting for Coffee in Kyiv
Even with mass graves on its outskirts, the Ukrainian capital begins a tentative return to normal life. From Respekt.
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Around the Bloc
Russian Occupiers in Ukraine’s Kherson “Ask” Moscow for Military Base
Plus: Eurovision vote rigging, Russian UN diplomat quits, Berisha back in Albania, and more.
Russian Soldier Gets Life Sentence for War Crimes in Ukraine
Plus: Strike at Slovenian TV, coffee grounds as fertilizer in Albania, beer for Ukraine, and more.
Ukraine Reports Widespread Rape and Sexual Assault by Russian Troops
Plus: EU waiting room proposal, Kyrgyz mine strike, Croatian abortion scandal, and more.
Uncertain Fate Awaits Hundreds of Ukrainian Soldiers After Mariupol Surrender
Plus: Basic income in Poland, former Bucharest mayor jailed in Greece, forced shaves in Uzbekistan, and more.
Russian Soldier Pleads Guilty to War Crimes In Ukraine
Plus: Spy sentenced in Latvia, Serbia’s self-imposed hardships, English-language theater in Mongolia, and more.
Regional headlines and analysis delivered to your inbox every weekday.
Commentary
The World Should Not Turn Its Back on Belarusians
We are still the same people who bravely revolted against Lukashenka’s brutal regime in August 2020. From Al Jazeera.
Victory Day: Mourning the Dead Turned Into Spectacle
The appalling human cost of WWII, a quarter of Ukraine’s population, is felt in every Ukrainian village. From Geneva Solutions.
A Proud Patchwork
Poland’s pavilion at the Venice Biennale features important female figures in Romani culture depicted in fabric. From Romea.cz.
Is History Repeating Itself on Ukraine’s Eastern Front?
Reports of Russian “filtration camps” for Ukrainian civilians evoke chilling memories of World War II.
Latest News
The Collective Zelenskiy
Amid Russia’s war, Ukraine’s president is more popular than ever. Here’s how his team rallied a nation – and the West. From Meduza.
Polish President Looks to Postwar Future
Duda was already trying to become more independent when the Ukraine crisis opened up unforeseen opportunities.
Seeking Strategic Intel in Russia’s Many-Layered History
A Finnish security expert’s analysis predicted Putin’s expansionist nightmare.
Nowhere to Run
A firsthand account of the racism facing Ukrainian Roma refugees in the Czech Republic. From Romea.cz.
The Story of One Basement in Mariupol
How neighbors helped each other to survive in unbearable conditions. From Zaborona.
‘No Taboos’
A Czech nonprofit creates lesson plans to help instructors improve the state of sex education. From Denik Referendum.
