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Rail cars loaded with steel sit at the ThyssenKrupp Schwelgern steel plant on May 30, 2018 in Duisburg, Germany. 

Economics

Politics

The European Union and the United States will increase efforts to deconflict their trade and climate policies ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential and EU parliamentary elections, but lingering disagreements will not allow for a complete respite of Trump-era tariffs on EU steel and aluminum.

EU-U.S. Steel and Aluminum Negotiations Make Limited Headway

Ukraine

Belarus

Russia

A woman sits by the entrance to the GUM department store in central Minsk on February 14, 2023.

Military & Security

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Though Belarus is showing economic recovery in the short term, a number of structural issues will undermine its long-term growth prospects.

Belarus' Tentative Recovery Won’t Ensure Future Growth -– Or Kick-Start the Opposition

Assessments

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte (center) speaks to journalists in Vilnius on May 23, 2021, about the Ryanair passenger plane that was hijacked and diverted to Minsk, Belarus.

The Fight for Russia’s Borderlands

Any Western response to the plane hijacking incident is unlikely to stop Lukashenko from continuing his crackdown on dissent. 

What to Make of Belarus’s Brazen Arrest of a Journalist 

Security

China

Bulgaria

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A satellite image shows Europe at night.

The U.S. and the Balance of Power

The move shows the White House remains committed to its security and economic engagements in the region, with an eye on countering China and Russia. 

The U.S. Ramps Up Financial Support to Central and Eastern Europe

EU: Regional Blocs

The New Silk Road

Divided EU Foreign Policies

2020 Second-Quarter Forecast

Europe is a continent riven by pockets of distinct cultures whose differences are all too often irreconcilable.

<p>To the west of Eurasia lays Europe, a region predisposed to division. It is surrounded on nearly all sides by islands and peninsulas that make it difficult for Europe to cohere. The northern half of the continent, moreover, sits on a plain whose short, meandering rivers tend to empower countries without forcing them to work with others. The southern half is situated on more mountainous terrain that has historically impeded the creation of strong, unified economies. As a result, Europe is a continent riven by pockets of distinct cultures whose differences are all too often irreconcilable.</p>

2020 Annual Forecast

2019 Fourth-Quarter Forecast

The Russian 9M729 intermediate-range cruise missile was developed in secret had been deployed in small numbers even before the IMF Treaty became defunct.

Echoes of the Cold War

Moscow would couple any new deployments of its intermediate-range missiles with rhetoric blaming the United States for the treaty's collapse and subsequent weapons buildups.

Russia Approaches a Post-INF Arms Race in Europe With Caution

2019 Third-Quarter Forecast

Global Perspectives

Partner Perspectives

A post marks the beginning of Polish territory on its border with Lithuania.

The U.S. and its NATO allies are looking for new ways to deter Russian aggression against the Baltic states. But policymakers and defense planners have yet to agree on Moscow's intentions in the region.

Threading the Needle Through the Suwalki Gap

2019 Second-Quarter Forecast

2019 Annual Forecast

Poland, Lithuania and Latvia said they will close their borders with Belarus completely if a "critical incident" involving Russian Wagner mercenaries or Belarusian troops occurs, Reuters reported on Aug. 28.

Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus: Poland and Baltics Threaten to Shut Belarusian Border

Satellite images show that since Aug. 1, the Wagner mercenary camp in Asipovichy, Belarus, has reduced in size by about one-third, RFE/RL reported Aug. 24.

Belarus, Russia: Images Show Wagner Camp in Belarus Has Shrunk in Recent Weeks

Lithuania will close two out of six border crossing points with Belarus due to "geopolitical circumstances," Reuters reported on Aug. 16.

Europe: Baltics Tighten Security at Borders With Belarus

Lithuania's Transport Ministry is moving forward with plans to temporarily close two of the country's six border checkpoints with Belarus by Aug.15, LRT reported Aug. 9.

Lithuania, Belarus: Vilnius to Close One-third of its Border with Belarus Amid Wagner Threat

Environment, Science & Technology

The European Parliament voted in favor of the EU Nature Restoration Law, the European Commission's proposal to restore degraded land and biodiversity within the bloc, with supporters of the law narrowly defeating an attempt by conservative groups to sink it, Euractiv reported on July 12.

EU: European Parliament Backs EU Nature Restoration Law by Narrow Margin

The presidents of Poland and Lithuania made an unannounced visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, to strengthen their positions on a Ukrainian pathway to NATO membership ahead of the alliance's July 11 summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, Reuters reported June 28.

Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania: Presidents Meet Ahead of NATO Summit

Social Issues

European Union ministers agreed on a deal to overhaul the bloc's migration and asylum policies for the first time in years, Reuters reported on June 8.

EU: EU Members Strike Major Deal on Migration and Asylum Rules

Taiwan

The head of the Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius, Lithuania, announced that Taiwan -- a world leader in semiconductor manufacturing -- will invest more than 10 million euros ($9.98 million) to boost semiconductor production in Lithuania, Reuters reported Nov. 7.

Lithuania, Taiwan: Taipei to Invest in Lithuanian Chip Production, Vilnius Opens Trade Office

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A view of the Register in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

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Covering an area that spans the entire width of the continent beginning at the Sahara Desert and ending at the southernmost tip of South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa is home to countless cultures, languages, religions, plants, animals and natural resources.

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The President palace in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

The administrative center of the Gakh region of Azerbaijan, located at the foot of the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, on the river Kurhumchai.

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Mir Castle in the Minsk region of Belarus.

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A horse grazes in front of Kara-Kul lake in the Chon-Ak-Suu valley, 300 kilometers southeast of Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

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Lithuania is a country in northeastern Europe. Located by the Baltic Sea, it shares land borders with Latvia, Belarus, Poland and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Lithuania’s political and economic capital is Vilnius, but the city of Klaipeda, which is home to the main ice-free port on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea, is also of strategic importance to the country.     Lithuania is mostly flat, with several short rivers and multiple lakes. Its main river is the Neman, which begins in Belarus and flows through Lithuania before reaching the Baltic Sea. A third of Lithuania’s territory consists of woodlands, while the fertile lands in the country’s center represent the core of Lithuania’s agricultural sector.     Lithuania rose to prominence in the 14th century as the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which extended over parts of modern-day Belarus, Ukraine, Poland and Russia. In the late 16th century, Lithuania and Poland formed the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, becoming a major European power. But despite its occasional might, Lithuania has often faced threats from its powerful neighbors, which over the centuries have included Germany, Austria, Russia and Sweden. By the late 19th century, imperial Russia had absorbed most of Lithuania’s territory. While Lithuania briefly obtained independence in 1918, the Soviet Union annexed the country after World War II. Lithuania was a Soviet republic until 1990, when it became independent once more. Since then, Lithuania has joined NATO, the European Union, the Schengen agreement and the eurozone.    Lithuania’s main geopolitical concern in Russia. The country’s fear of potential Russian aggression increased after Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine in 2014. In recent years, the country has increased its military expenditures and sought to reduce its dependence on Russian energy. In 2014, for example, it opened an LNG terminal in Klaipeda. Despite Vilnius' fears, Russia remains Lithuania’s main trade partner. Lithuania’s main geopolitical challenge is thus to cooperate with its neighbors in the Baltic region, the broader European Union and NATO to secure political, economic and military protection against potential foreign aggression.

SITUATION REPORTS

Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus: Poland and Baltics Threaten to Shut Belarusian Border

Belarus, Russia: Images Show Wagner Camp in Belarus Has Shrunk in Recent Weeks

Europe: Baltics Tighten Security at Borders With Belarus

Lithuania, Belarus: Vilnius to Close One-third of its Border with Belarus Amid Wagner Threat

EU: European Parliament Backs EU Nature Restoration Law by Narrow Margin

Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania: Presidents Meet Ahead of NATO Summit

EU: EU Members Strike Major Deal on Migration and Asylum Rules

Lithuania, Taiwan: Taipei to Invest in Lithuanian Chip Production, Vilnius Opens Trade Office

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