In this week’s episode of our new Talk Eastern Europe Weekly News Roundup, Adam Reichardt and Alexandra Karppi break down the biggest developments from across Central and Eastern Europe.

This week’s topics include:

• Hungary’s high-stakes parliamentary election
• Poland’s defence bill veto and rising political tensions
• Serbia’s controversial judicial changes
• Georgia’s embattled opposition

We also introduce our new podcast format: one DeepDive interview earlier in the week, followed by a separate news roundup later in the week.

Watch, listen, and subscribe for weekly analysis on Eastern Europe, EU politics, Russia’s war against Ukraine, cultural developments, and regional security.

Support us on Patreon for early access and bonus content - https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

How does the war in Iran affect Europe’s security and Russia’s war against Ukraine? In this inaugural video episode of TalkEastern Europe, Adam Reichardt speaks with Marek Menkiszak, Head of the Russia Department at the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW) in Warsaw.

They discuss how the Middle East conflict is reshaping global attention, influencing energy markets and sanctions policy, and potentially creating new opportunities and risks for Moscow. The conversation explores Russia’s strategic calculations, the impact of rising oil and gas prices on the Kremlin’s war effort, the future of Western support for Ukraine, and the broader geopolitical implications involving the United States and China.

Read more analysis by Marek Menkiszak: https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/eksperci/marek-menkiszak

Check out the latest issue of New Eastern Europe now available online here: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2026/02/23/issue-1-2-2026-europe-in-the-new-disorder/

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In episode 257 of Talk Eastern Europe, Adam and Alexandrareact to the breakout of war in the Middle East and what it might mean from the regional aspect. They look specifically at relations with Russia, the war in Ukraine and also the South Caucasus, which borders the conflict zone. They also catch on the situation in Albania and discuss Hungary’s latest tactics ahead of the elections in April.

For the main interview Alexandra is joined by Toma Istomina,deputy chief editor of The Kyiv Independent, on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Tome reflects on how the newsroom transformed overnight from a small startup into a major international outlet covering the war, and how journalists balance urgent battlefield reporting with deeper coverage of Ukrainian culture, history, and everyday life. The conversation explores the challenges of reporting during prolonged conflict, the importance of global understanding of Ukraine, and the role international audiences can play in supporting independent journalism covering the war.

Check out the Kyiv Independent online: https://kyivindependent.com/

Watch the special YouTube series “Dare to Ukraine” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cjMmGeLq0I&list=PLmOj0Ur_xinRpYyt31pbGt48Z6YGwX6Zt

Support the podcast and become a patron here: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope