OSW - Centre for Eastern Studies
osweng.bsky.social
OSW - Centre for Eastern Studies
@osweng.bsky.social
Warsaw-based think-tank focused on Russia, Eastern Europe, Caucasus, China, Central Europe, Balkans, Germany
https://youtube.com/@centreforeasternstudies
🔵Pragmatism beyond divides: Central Asia’s engagement with Afghanistan

🔵None of the Central Asian states officially recognises the Taliban government, yet most have established political and diplomatic relations with it.

➡️More by OSW's Daria Zielińska ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
November 14, 2025 at 6:15 PM
🔵 Latvia’s 🇱🇻 governing coalition is falling apart: a dispute over the Istanbul Convention
🔵The ideological dispute over the Istanbul Convention will, to a large extent, shape next year’s electoral campaign.

➡️More details by OSW's Bartosz Chmielewski ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
Latvia’s governing coalition is falling apart: a dispute over the Istanbul Convention
On 5 November, under pressure from public opinion and the president, the Latvian Parliament (Saeima) decided to suspend further proceedings on the bill proposing Latvia’s withdrawal from the Istanbul ...
www.osw.waw.pl
November 13, 2025 at 9:46 AM
🔵A technocrat for tough times? Moldova’s 🇲🇩 new government

🔵The new government will be compelled to implement numerous difficult reforms required by the EU 🇪🇺 and stemming from the need to improve the efficiency of the state apparatus.

🔵By OSW's Kamil Całus ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
A technocrat for tough times? Moldova’s new government
On 31 October, the Moldovan parliament, elected in the September election (see ‘Election in Moldova: PAS wins an outright majority once again’), voted to grant a vote of confidence to the majority gov...
www.osw.waw.pl
November 12, 2025 at 2:51 PM
🔵 The Trump–Xi meeting. A fragile truce on unclear conditions

🔵 Engaging in broader talks with Trump 🇺🇸 offers China 🇨🇳 an opportunity to delay further economic blows.

🔵 More details by Maciej Kalwasiński ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
The Trump–Xi meeting. A fragile truce on unclear conditions
On 30 October, the first meeting in six years between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping took place. The two leaders reached an agreement to de-escalate the trade dispute, though both sides offered differing...
www.osw.waw.pl
November 12, 2025 at 10:49 AM
➡️ Lithuania 🇱🇹 closes its border with Belarus for a month
🔵 The deterrence policy applied towards Minsk is also intended to dissuade Moscow from undertaking aggressive actions or from provoking Vilnius.

🔵 Joanna Hyndle-Hussein has the details ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
Lithuania closes its border with Belarus for a month
On 29 October, the Lithuanian government decided to close the country’s two remaining open border crossings with Belarus – at Medininkai and Šalčininkai – until 30 November. The restrictions, which ap...
www.osw.waw.pl
November 7, 2025 at 11:54 AM
➡️Global shipping operator MSC is building bridgeheads in western Ukraine

🚢Other shipping companies, such as Maersk and CMA CGM, have also significantly expanded their presence in Ukrainian🇺🇦intermodal terminals.

🔵 Analysis by OSW's Sandra Baniak-Stachowiak ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
Global shipping operator MSC is building bridgeheads in western Ukraine
The world’s largest container carrier – the Swiss–Italian company MSC – is gradually strengthening its position in Ukraine by taking control of the entire logistics chain. The company seeks to gain a ...
www.osw.waw.pl
November 5, 2025 at 10:54 AM
🔵 Derogation of Rosneft’s German 🇩🇪 assets from US 🇺🇸 sanctions

➡️ The temporary nature of the derogation potentially introduces a new dynamic into the issue of transferring ownership of the disputed shares.

🔵 The details by OSW's Michał Kędzierski ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
November 4, 2025 at 1:36 PM
🔵 Fourth Plenum of the Central Committee of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party 🇨🇳: major purges in the military and within the party

🔵 OSW's Michał Bogusz has the details behind the causes and mechanisms of the military purge⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
Fourth Plenum of the Central Committee of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party: major purges in the military and within the party
Between 20 and 23 October, the Fourth Plenary Session (Fourth Plenum) of the Central Committee (CC) of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took place. During the meeting, t...
www.osw.waw.pl
November 4, 2025 at 7:59 AM
🔵 Rivalry between state services: the fight for control over combating corruption in Ukraine🇺🇦

🔵 Studies indicate that the public views corruption as the 2nd greatest threat to the state's stability, after Russian🇷🇺aggression.

🔵 Analysis by OSW's Piotr Żochowski ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
Rivalry between state services: the fight for control over combating corruption in Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s inner circle continues its efforts to discredit and undermine the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corrupti...
www.osw.waw.pl
October 31, 2025 at 9:13 AM
🔵 The European Council greenlights greater EU 🇪🇺 involvement in strengthening military capabilities

🔵 Member state leaders prioritised support for eastern flank countries, whose airspace was recently violated by Russia🇷🇺and Belarus.

🔵 OSW's Łukasz Maślanka has more ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
The European Council greenlights greater EU involvement in strengthening military capabilities
At its meeting on 23 October, the European Council addressed the Joint Communication ‘Preserving Peace – Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030’, presented on 16 October by the European Commission and the Hig...
www.osw.waw.pl
October 30, 2025 at 4:44 PM
🇷🇺Russian soldiers in central Pokrovsk.
🇺🇦Ukrainian troops defending city and access to Myrnohrad.

🔵OSW's update on the @warinukraine 🎞️
October 29, 2025 at 11:58 AM
🇺🇦 Ukraine–EU🇪🇺: finalisation of the DCFTA revision

💬 The proposed increase in tariff-rate quotas is unlikely to result in a significant rise in Ukrainian exports to the EU.

🔵 OSW's Sławomir Matuszak has all the details ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
Ukraine–EU: finalisation of the DCFTA revision
On 13 October, the EU Council decided to reduce or completely remove tariffs on a range of agri-food products imported from Ukraine, including dairy products, fruit, vegetables, meat, and processed me...
www.osw.waw.pl
October 29, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Trump’s first sanctions, the EU’s 19th sanctions package: the West increases the pressure on Russia

🇺🇸sanctions present a challenge for 3rd countries whose refineries process🇷🇺crude or are owned by🇷🇺companies.

Iwona Wiśniewska & Filip Rudnik have more⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
Trump’s first sanctions, the EU’s 19th sanctions package: the West increases the pressure on Russia
On 22 October, Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil – Russia’s two largest oil companies. The restrictions also covered their subsidiaries, amounting to a total of 34 entities. On 23 O...
www.osw.waw.pl
October 28, 2025 at 9:12 AM
US🇺🇸 sanctions against Serbian🇷🇸 oil company NIS

The sanctions imposed on NIS demonstrate the United States’ determination to reduce Russia’s revenues from oil exports and to curtail its influence in the Balkan energy market.

Marta Szpala has the details ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
US sanctions against Serbian oil company NIS
On 9 October, the United States’ sanctions on the Serbian oil company NIS, which is owned by Russian entities, came into force.
www.osw.waw.pl
October 27, 2025 at 1:20 PM
🔵 Game of drones: the production and use of Ukrainian battlefield unmanned aerial vehicles

🔵 The growing scale of drone use has led to significant changes in the structure of🇺🇦Ukraine’s armed forces.

🔵 OSW's Krzysztof Nieczypor & Sławomir Matuszak have the details ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
Game of drones: the production and use of Ukrainian battlefield unmanned aerial vehicles
The Russian–Ukrainian war has been marked by the unprecedented use of unmanned aerial vehicles. The effectiveness of drones on the battlefield has led to their widespread deployment by the Armed Force...
www.osw.waw.pl
October 24, 2025 at 11:44 AM
🔵 The three special cases: demographic processes in the South Caucasus

🇦🇲🇦🇿🇬🇪At present, Azerbaijanis are the largest ethnic group in the South Caucasus, accounting for more than half of the region’s total population.

🔵 More information from OSW's Wojciech Górecki ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
The three special cases: demographic processes in the South Caucasus
Over the past 35 years, the population of the South Caucasus has increased from approximately 15.7 million to around 17.2 million.[1]This growth is entirely attributable to Azerb
www.osw.waw.pl
October 23, 2025 at 2:58 PM
🔵 Zelensky’s unsuccessful visit to Washington🇺🇸

🔵 The prospect of effective Ukrainian🇺🇦 strikes and significant Russian🇷🇺 losses was meant to force the Kremlin to agree to a halt in military operations along the current front line.

🔵 By OSW's Tadeusz Iwański ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
Zelensky’s unsuccessful visit to Washington
On 17 October, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky held a two-and-a-half-hour meeting at the White House. During the public part of the meeting (the first 30 minutes), which took place in a cordial at...
www.osw.waw.pl
October 23, 2025 at 8:32 AM
On the eve of a heating season: Russia🇷🇺targets weak links in🇺🇦Ukraine’s energy system

🔵All indications suggest the recent infrastructure strikes will necessitate the continuation of gas imports throughout the winter period.

Analysis by Sławomir Matuszak ⤵️
osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
On the eve of a heating season: Russia targets weak links in Ukraine’s energy system
Around the turn of September and October, Russia launched another wave of attacks against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The aggressor has modified its tactics – instead of attempting to trigger a n...
osw.waw.pl
October 21, 2025 at 11:01 AM
At the monopolist’s mercy: Germany’s 🇩🇪 dependence on Chinese rare earth elements

In the absence of viable alternative sources of REEs, Beijing is likely to use export restrictions as a tool to exert pressure on the EU

More details by Aleksandra Kozaczyńska ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
At the monopolist’s mercy: Germany’s dependence on Chinese rare earth elements
The trade war between the United States and China has triggered serious economic repercussions for the EU, including Germany. In response to Washington’s tariff increases in April 2025, Beijing not on...
www.osw.waw.pl
October 20, 2025 at 6:49 AM
➡️ Methodical elimination. Efforts to dismantle the local government system in Russia

🇷🇺 The process of stripping local governments of their autonomy began shortly after Vladimir Putin came to power in 2000.

🔵 OSW's Miłosz Bartosiewicz has the crucial details ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
Methodical elimination. Efforts to dismantle the local government system in Russia
The Putin regime has spent over two decades gradually stripping local governments of their autonomy as part of a consistent process of state centralisation. The effective dismantling of the local gove...
www.osw.waw.pl
October 17, 2025 at 12:55 PM
The status of the🇷🇺Russian language
🔵Is it still a world language?

🎬The full documentary includes expertise from:
Katarzyna Chawryło, Tadeusz Iwański, Wojciech Górecki, Zuzanna Krzyżanowska & Krzysztof Strachota ⤵️
October 16, 2025 at 2:37 PM
🔵 Drones over Germany🇩🇪 – plugging legislative and technical gaps

🔵 The most controversial proposal is the planned amendment to the Aviation Security Act, which would allow the Bundeswehr to assist in intercepting drones.

🔵 By OSW's Lidia Gibadło & Jacek Tarociński ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
Drones over Germany – plugging legislative and technical gaps
At the beginning of October, unidentified drones were spotted over Munich Airport, disrupting operations at the facility for several hours. This was yet another incident of its kind in recent weeks. A...
www.osw.waw.pl
October 16, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic: Babiš’s triumph
🇨🇿ANO's preferred scenario is a minority government led by Babiš, with key votes in the lower chamber supported by deputies from SPD and the Motorists party.
Krzysztof Dębiec has the details ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
Parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic: Babiš’s triumph
The opposition ANO movement, led by oligarch Andrej Babiš, achieved the best result in the parliamentary elections held on 3–4 October, winning 34.5% of the vote and securing 80 seats in the 200-membe...
www.osw.waw.pl
October 13, 2025 at 1:15 PM
🔵 Iran 🇮🇷: reimposition of full-scale UN sanctions

🔵 The reinstatement of full-scale UN restrictions signals the definitive collapse of the political process aimed at resolving the Iranian nuclear issue.

🔵 By OSW's Krzysztof Strachota ⤵️
www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacj...
Iran: reimposition of full-scale UN sanctions
On 28 September, full-scale UN sanctions against Iran came into effect in response to its serious violations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) concerning the nuclear programme. All the...
www.osw.waw.pl
October 8, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Frontlines in Ukraine #RussiaUkraineWar

🇷🇺Russia and Ukraine🇺🇦both make local gains 🎬
October 8, 2025 at 9:36 AM