In this week’s Talk Eastern Europe news roundup, Adam Reichardt, Alexandra Karppi, and Nina Panikova break down the latest developments across the region.

We start with Ukraine, where growing tensions with the United States over potential peace conditions raise serious questions about future security guarantees and military support. With the war in the Middle East reshaping global priorities, the episode explores how shifting geopolitics may be weakening Ukraine’s position while strengthening Russia’s hand.

The discussion then turns to wider regional security concerns, including whether NATO could face a real test in the Baltics and how countries like Poland are preparing for a potential escalation. We also look at Moldova’s newly declared energy state of emergency following Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure, highlighting how the war continues to impact the broader region.

Finally, we head to the Balkans to unpack local elections inSerbia, where reports of irregularities and political pressure raise fresh concerns about democratic standards under Aleksandar Vučić.

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Albania is often presented as a success story in the Western Balkans, especially on its path to the EU. But what’s really happening beneath the surface?

In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, we dive into Albania’s evolving political landscape with researcher Gresa Hasa from the University of Graz.

Following a landslide victory by Edi Rama’s Socialist Party, Albania is entering a new phase, one marked by growing concerns over power concentration, weakened opposition, and shrinking civic space.

In the conversation we discuss:

• Why Albania increasingly resembles a dominant one-party system
• The collapse and fragmentation of the opposition, including Sali Berisha’s role
• What’s really behind the so-called “anti-corruption protests”
• The paradox of anti-corruption efforts led by Albania’s special prosecutor (SPAK)
• Why these protests are less grassroots—and more about elite power struggles
• The gap between Albania’s EU progress on paper and its democratic reality
• How international media may be misreading the situation

We also explore the concept of “stabilitocracy”—where leaders promise stability to the EU whileundermining democratic institutions at home—and what this means for Albania’sEU future.

Learn even more: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2026/03/26/building-a-collective-desire-the-rise-of-kamza-tells-the-story-of-post-communist-albania/

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In this week’s Talk Eastern Europe news round-up, hosts Adam Reichardt and Alexandra Karppi unpack major political developments across Central and Eastern Europe – from the high-stakes election dynamics in Hungary to massive anti-government protests in Prague and constitutional changes in Kazakhstan.

The episode explores how shifting political alliances, right-wing transnational networks, and allegations of foreign influence are shaping the region’s political landscape. The hosts also discuss Slovenia’s razor-thin election outcome and reflect on their latest deep-dive interview investigating alleged Slovak connections to the Epstein files.

In this episode:

• Polish-Hungarian political tensions and ViktorOrbán’s election strategy
• CPAC Hungary and the rise of conservativetransnational alliances
• Allegations of intelligence leaks betweenHungarian officials and Moscow
• Huge anti-government demonstrations in Prague
• Slovenia’s unexpectedly tight election results
• Kazakhstan’s constitutional referendum andpotential power consolidation

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