Consequences of a Frozen Danube River

The Danube River, Central Europe's key waterway, has frozen in several places, bringing trade in the region to a halt. Unlike most of Europe, which has diversified away from water-based freight transport, Central European countries on the Danube still rely heavily on the river for trade. However, this freeze is temporary; in the long term, the most harm to trade along the Danube will come from continued political instability in Central Europe.