Carnegie Moscow Center
Putin has returned to the Kremlin, but he faces a significantly different Russia, because the country's situation has changed drastically. The previous Putin’s consensus between those in power and society has fallen apart.
As most of Europe waits with bated breath for the outcome of the French presidential election, Ukrainians are entirely ignoring it.
Despite a highly educated and skilled workforce and natural resources, Ukraine continues to struggle with sustained economic growth.
The latest apparent thaw on all sides of the protracted Transnistria conflict is a hopeful sign, but the resolution process will continue to be gradual and deliberate.
Implementing sensitive reforms in the run-up to Ukraine's parliamentary elections in October will be politically difficult.
While the Yanukovych government has managed to initiate a number of economic reforms, they were implemented only partially and their success has been limited.
After a long waiting period, Moldova’s political stalemate has ended and the country’s integration with Europe is once again pressing onward.
An inclusive security community in the Euro-Atlantic and stable peace in the region depends on a positive transformation of U.S.-Russian relations and historical reconciliation between Russia and a number of countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
The election of Nicolae Timofti as Moldova’s president confirmed that the country’s new leader had to come from outside the current Moldovan political elite.
Now that Vladimir Putin and his United Russia party have returned to office for the next six years, it remains to be seen how much time he will have for Ukraine.