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More than halfway through Donald Tusk’s term, Poland is entering a crucial political moment. The governing coalition is under pressure to deliver on its promises while navigating institutional gridlock, deep political polarization, and a rapidly changing international security environment.

In this week’s Talk Eastern Europe interview, Adam Reichardt speaks with journalist, writer, and sociologist Mateusz Mazzini about where Polish politics stand today and what may come next.

They discuss the Tusk government’s record so far, why security and foreign policy now dominate domestic politics, President Karol Nawrocki’s veto of the EU SAFE defence financing mechanism, Poland’s evolving relationship with the United States under Donald Trump, and the rise of the right and far right ahead of the 2027 parliamentary elections. This is a wide-ranging conversation on power, sovereignty, defence, and the political choices that may shape Poland’s future.

Guest: Mateusz Mazzini is a Polish journalist, writer, and sociologist. He writes for Gazeta Wyborcza and Polityka, and has published in The Washington Post, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and New Eastern Europe.

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.

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a comment, and check outour full episodes and bonus content.

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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Talk Eastern Europe is a patron-supported podcast – please support us by becoming a patron here: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

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

Subscribe on YouTube and follow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favourite platform to stay updated on the latest developments shaping Eastern Europe.

What do the Jeffrey Epstein files reveal about Slovakia? Inthis episode of Talk Eastern Europe, investigative journalist Karin Kőváry Sólymos joins us to unpack the surprising links between Epstein and former Slovak foreign minister Miroslav Lajčák. We discuss what the documents show, why the story matters, and how the revelations shook Slovak politics.

Read Karin’s investigation in VSquare: https://vsquare.org/and-most-importantly-friend-mapping-miroslav-lajcaks-encounters-with-jeffrey-epstein/

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Bonus interview:

In the bonus section we discuss the investigation into the Ukrainian corruption scandal which broke recently, called Operation Midas. The scandal is considered to be one of the most high-profile anti-corruption investigations in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion, and there appears to be a significant Slovak connection as well. Watch and the bonus content here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-content-to-153813167

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