http://www.rferl.org Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is an international news and broadcast organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries http://www.rferl.org/img/rssLogo.gif http://www.rferl.org en-US Copyright 2009 - RFE/RL, Inc. 60 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:29:14 +0000 Pangea CMS – RFE/RL A Russian lawyer representing the embattled Hermitage Capital investment fund has died in a Moscow prison after complaining for weeks that he was denied adequate medical treatment. http://www.rferl.org/content/Lawyers_Death_Puts_Spotlight_On_Kremlins_Battle_With_Investment_Fund/1881777.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Lawyers_Death_Puts_Spotlight_On_Kremlins_Battle_With_Investment_Fund/1881777.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:49:31 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Lawyers_Death_Puts_Spotlight_On_Kremlins_Battle_With_Investment_Fund/1881777.html#relatedInfoContainer Before the autumn revolutions in Eastern Europe, there was the Moscow Spring in the Soviet Union. In 1989, Mikhail Gorbachev's reform policies hit their high-water mark, as the USSR held its first competitive elections, press freedom flourished, and civil society awakened. http://www.rferl.org/content/Revolutions_of_89_The_Moscow_Spring/1876450.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Revolutions_of_89_The_Moscow_Spring/1876450.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:14:45 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Revolutions_of_89_The_Moscow_Spring/1876450.html#relatedInfoContainer As his allegations of widespread police corruption shake Russia's political elite, police major Aleksei Dymovsky has arrived in Moscow to elaborate on his claims. The police officer claimed to have hours of incriminating recordings proving that his superiors and colleagues ordered false arrests and drug plants on innocent suspects. http://www.rferl.org/content/feature/1874494.html http://www.rferl.org/content/feature/1874494.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:14:36 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/feature/1874494.html#relatedInfoContainer From Kyiv to Tbilisi and from Warsaw to Prague, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has been playing the role of "comforter in chief," insisting that Washington stands by its friends in the former Socialist bloc -- even as it seeks better relations with Moscow. So how's he doing? http://www.rferl.org/content/Biden_Working_To_Make_It_All_Quiet_On_The_Eastern_Front/1862620.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Biden_Working_To_Make_It_All_Quiet_On_The_Eastern_Front/1862620.html Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:44:49 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Biden_Working_To_Make_It_All_Quiet_On_The_Eastern_Front/1862620.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has just wrapped up a three-day visit to Central and Eastern Europe, where he offered his assurances of the United States’ commitment to the region. In an exclusive interview with RFE/RL, Biden said he believes he has successfully laid to rest fears that U.S. efforts to improve relations with Russia could come at the expense of Washington's allies in Eastern Europe. http://www.rferl.org/content/Biden_Says_Trip_Has_Laid_Eastern_Europes_Reset_Fears_To_Rest/1859724.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Biden_Says_Trip_Has_Laid_Eastern_Europes_Reset_Fears_To_Rest/1859724.html Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:00:54 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Biden_Says_Trip_Has_Laid_Eastern_Europes_Reset_Fears_To_Rest/1859724.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is in Warsaw to reassure Poland about Washington's revamped plans for a missile-defense system in Central Europe. Polish officials say they are ready to participate in the reconfigured U.S. plan. http://www.rferl.org/content/Biden_Seeks_To_Reassure_Allies_In_New_Europe/1857487.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Biden_Seeks_To_Reassure_Allies_In_New_Europe/1857487.html Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:13:09 +0000 News Will the Nabucco pipeline become a casualty of the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement? Azerbaijan's president says that Turkey pays too little for its gas and that Baku would seek alternative routes. If he means what he says, analysts say it could be the death knell for the Western-backed project and provide a big boost to Russia's South Stream. http://www.rferl.org/content/Azerbaijan_Could_Scuttle_Nabucco_Over_TurkeyArmenia_Deal/1855784.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Azerbaijan_Could_Scuttle_Nabucco_Over_TurkeyArmenia_Deal/1855784.html Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:36:25 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Azerbaijan_Could_Scuttle_Nabucco_Over_TurkeyArmenia_Deal/1855784.html#relatedInfoContainer After upbeat meetings with officials in Moscow, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton heads to Kazan, capital of the Muslim-majority region of Tatarstan. Under President Mintimer Shaimiyev, Tatarstan has long sought to preserve its autonomy from Moscow. Is there more to Clinton's visit than meets the eye? http://www.rferl.org/content/As_Clinton_Continues_Russia_Tour_Many_Ask_Why_Kazan/1851497.html http://www.rferl.org/content/As_Clinton_Continues_Russia_Tour_Many_Ask_Why_Kazan/1851497.html Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:14:22 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/As_Clinton_Continues_Russia_Tour_Many_Ask_Why_Kazan/1851497.html#relatedInfoContainer As Armenia and Turkey reestablish diplomatic relations, there is renewed momentum for a settlement in the breakaway republic of Nagorno-Karabakh. And that prospect has led to both hope and anxiety about what will happen if the delicate status quo that has existed for the past 15 years is changed. http://www.rferl.org/content/Will_TurkeyArmenia_Deal_Lead_To_A_Season_Of_Change_In_Nagorno_Karabakh/1849915.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Will_TurkeyArmenia_Deal_Lead_To_A_Season_Of_Change_In_Nagorno_Karabakh/1849915.html Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:26:36 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Will_TurkeyArmenia_Deal_Lead_To_A_Season_Of_Change_In_Nagorno_Karabakh/1849915.html#relatedInfoContainer Armenia's government sees the rapprochement with Turkey as an opportunity to gain economic and diplomatic benefits for the tiny and impoverished country. But many among Armenia's 5.7 million-strong diaspora see it as a betrayal. As President Serzh Sarkisian nears the end of a four-country tour to drum up diaspora support for the thaw with Ankara, he must navigate a mosaic of deep mistrust, historical grievances, and bitter tensions. http://www.rferl.org/content/At_Home_And_Abroad_Turkey_Deal_A_Tough_Sell_For_Armenian_President/1846073.html http://www.rferl.org/content/At_Home_And_Abroad_Turkey_Deal_A_Tough_Sell_For_Armenian_President/1846073.html Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:58:50 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/At_Home_And_Abroad_Turkey_Deal_A_Tough_Sell_For_Armenian_President/1846073.html#relatedInfoContainer With Eastern Europe jittery about a resurgent Russia, U.S. President Barack Obama has decided to overhaul plans for a missile-defense system in Europe. What do Obama's changes mean for the region? http://www.rferl.org/content/The_Politics_Of_Missile_Defense_What_Does_The_New_Obama_Approach_Mean/1826216.html http://www.rferl.org/content/The_Politics_Of_Missile_Defense_What_Does_The_New_Obama_Approach_Mean/1826216.html Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:21:20 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/The_Politics_Of_Missile_Defense_What_Does_The_New_Obama_Approach_Mean/1826216.html#relatedInfoContainer The Kremlin has made him a weapon in its soft power arsenal. The State Duma has granted him the authority to review and amend legislation. He's a major player in political debates about education, state ideology, and the interpretation of history. Just half a year after his enthronement, Patriarch Kirill has become a major force in Russian politics. Is Russia's ruling diarchy becoming a troika? http://www.rferl.org/content/Russias_Patriarch_Increasingly_Becoming_Major_Force_In_Politics/1815832.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Russias_Patriarch_Increasingly_Becoming_Major_Force_In_Politics/1815832.html Sun, 06 Sep 2009 11:22:47 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Russias_Patriarch_Increasingly_Becoming_Major_Force_In_Politics/1815832.html#relatedInfoContainer One year ago, Russia recognized Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states. Almost no other country followed suit. Today, the two territories remain mired in legal limbo, with uncertain futures. http://www.rferl.org/content/Year_After_Independence_Abkhazia_South_Ossetia_In_Legal_Gray_Zone/1808101.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Year_After_Independence_Abkhazia_South_Ossetia_In_Legal_Gray_Zone/1808101.html Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:48:53 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Year_After_Independence_Abkhazia_South_Ossetia_In_Legal_Gray_Zone/1808101.html#relatedInfoContainer Russian officials have dismissed apparent claims by the militant group Riyad-us Salihiin that it was behind this week's deadly explosion at a hydroelectric station in Siberia. But analysts say the group is developing the ability to strike deep inside Russia. http://www.rferl.org/content/Chechen_Groups_Claim_Of_Russian_Power_Plant_Attack_Dismissed/1804876.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Chechen_Groups_Claim_Of_Russian_Power_Plant_Attack_Dismissed/1804876.html Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:35:32 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Chechen_Groups_Claim_Of_Russian_Power_Plant_Attack_Dismissed/1804876.html#relatedInfoContainer As Eastern Europe prepares to mark the 70th anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact's signing, Russia's influence in the region is once again on the rise. In Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the territory of modern-day Moldova, anxiety still lingers over small nations' fates being decided by great powers. http://www.rferl.org/content/MolotovRibbentrop_In_Eastern_Europe_Pacts_Bitter_Legacy_Remains/1804556.html http://www.rferl.org/content/MolotovRibbentrop_In_Eastern_Europe_Pacts_Bitter_Legacy_Remains/1804556.html Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:53:02 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/MolotovRibbentrop_In_Eastern_Europe_Pacts_Bitter_Legacy_Remains/1804556.html#relatedInfoContainer Stories of trapped survivors knocking to alert rescue workers that they are alive. A detached government ill-equipped to deal with sudden disaster. A race-against-the-clock rescue effort as hope fades. In many ways, this week's disaster at the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station is reminiscent of the August 2000 sinking of the submarine "Kursk." http://www.rferl.org/content/Ghosts_Of_Russias_Kursk_Disaster_Haunt_Dam_Accident/1803878.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Ghosts_Of_Russias_Kursk_Disaster_Haunt_Dam_Accident/1803878.html Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:37:25 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Ghosts_Of_Russias_Kursk_Disaster_Haunt_Dam_Accident/1803878.html#relatedInfoContainer As Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill completed his controversial visit to Ukraine this week, two historical documents have been unearthed that illustrate the role Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church played in destroying the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the 1940s. http://www.rferl.org/content/SovietEra_Documents_Shed_Light_On_Suppression_Of_Ukrainian_Catholic_Church/1795023.html http://www.rferl.org/content/SovietEra_Documents_Shed_Light_On_Suppression_Of_Ukrainian_Catholic_Church/1795023.html Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:45:03 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/SovietEra_Documents_Shed_Light_On_Suppression_Of_Ukrainian_Catholic_Church/1795023.html#relatedInfoContainer One year after Russia and Georgia fought a bitter five-day war, the two breakaway territories at the heart of the conflict, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, appear to be moving in opposite directions – one away from the Russian sphere of influence, and one deeper into it. http://www.rferl.org/content/A_Year_After_The_War_South_Ossetia_And_Abkhazia_Seek_Different_Paths/1794249.html http://www.rferl.org/content/A_Year_After_The_War_South_Ossetia_And_Abkhazia_Seek_Different_Paths/1794249.html Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:19:49 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/A_Year_After_The_War_South_Ossetia_And_Abkhazia_Seek_Different_Paths/1794249.html#relatedInfoContainer When Russia and Georgia went to war a year ago, it seemed to many that the hope and promise of the Rose Revolution had died. Recently, Georgians have expressed cautious optimism that the dream of a stable, democratic, and European country can be revived. Many, however, no longer trust President Mikheil Saakashvili and his entourage to deliver it. http://www.rferl.org/content/Faded_Rose_Can_Georgias_Democratic_Dream_Be_Revived/1791536.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Faded_Rose_Can_Georgias_Democratic_Dream_Be_Revived/1791536.html Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:11:29 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Faded_Rose_Can_Georgias_Democratic_Dream_Be_Revived/1791536.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. Vice President Joe Biden wraps up a visit to Ukraine today before heading on to Georgia. Ahead of his departure, he delivered a speech that was supportive but critical, praising Ukraine as one of the region's most democratic nations, but also urging its political elite to end its feuding and concentrate on reforming the country's devastated economy and decaying energy sector. http://www.rferl.org/content/Biden_Wraps_Up_Ukraine_Visit_With_Tough_Words/1782779.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Biden_Wraps_Up_Ukraine_Visit_With_Tough_Words/1782779.html Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:43:45 +0000 News http://www.rferl.org/content/Biden_Wraps_Up_Ukraine_Visit_With_Tough_Words/1782779.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, at the start of a three-day tour that will also take him to Georgia. Despite Ukraine's troubles, Biden came with a positive message -- the efforts of U.S. President Barack Obama to repair strained ties with Russia will not hurt U.S. support for Ukraine's push to integrate with the West. http://www.rferl.org/content/US_Vice_President_Biden_Kicks_Off_UkraineGeorgia_Tour/1781823.html http://www.rferl.org/content/US_Vice_President_Biden_Kicks_Off_UkraineGeorgia_Tour/1781823.html Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:52:07 +0000 News http://www.rferl.org/content/US_Vice_President_Biden_Kicks_Off_UkraineGeorgia_Tour/1781823.html#relatedInfoContainer Former Georgian UN envoy Irakli Alasania has launched a new political party that aims to attract voters weary of President Mikheil Saakashvili's trademark drama on the one hand, and the opposition's longstanding protests and infighting on the other. Can the former diplomat become Georgia's political peacemaker? http://www.rferl.org/content/The_Pragmatist_Georgias_Irakli_Alasania_Emerges_As_Political_Alternative/1779629.html http://www.rferl.org/content/The_Pragmatist_Georgias_Irakli_Alasania_Emerges_As_Political_Alternative/1779629.html Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:40:42 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/The_Pragmatist_Georgias_Irakli_Alasania_Emerges_As_Political_Alternative/1779629.html#relatedInfoContainer Mikheil Saakashvili has often raised the specter of a second Russian invasion. But in a sudden about-face, the Georgian leader now says he has no worries about a new war. The change of tone comes just a week after U.S. President Barack Obama's trip to Moscow. Did the U.S. offer Georgia a guarantee of support in case of a fresh invasion? http://www.rferl.org/content/Is_War_Off_The_Table_In_Georgia/1776909.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Is_War_Off_The_Table_In_Georgia/1776909.html Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:11:50 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Is_War_Off_The_Table_In_Georgia/1776909.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. President Barack Obama had a difficult balancing act to pull off during his trip to Moscow. He arrived seeking Russian support on issues of key global concern, like nuclear proliferation, but he also wanted to make clear U.S. concerns over such things as Kremlin meddling in its neighbor's affairs. This dilemma was on full display on Obama's second day in Russia. http://www.rferl.org/content/On_Second_Day_Of_Visit_Obama_Addresses_Civil_Society_Issues_In_Russia/1771673.html http://www.rferl.org/content/On_Second_Day_Of_Visit_Obama_Addresses_Civil_Society_Issues_In_Russia/1771673.html Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:46:57 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/On_Second_Day_Of_Visit_Obama_Addresses_Civil_Society_Issues_In_Russia/1771673.html#relatedInfoContainer Russia's embattled and marginalized opposition could get a badly needed boost when some of the Kremlin's fiercest critics meet with U.S. President Barack Obama in Moscow. http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Wades_Into_Russian_Politics/1770784.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Wades_Into_Russian_Politics/1770784.html Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:04:54 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Wades_Into_Russian_Politics/1770784.html#relatedInfoContainer Ever since President Barack Obama pledged a "reset" in Washington's ties with Moscow, smaller countries in Russia's near abroad have feared their interests will be sacrificed for smoother superpower relations. What's the mood in Georgia and Ukraine on the eve of the summit? http://www.rferl.org/content/USRussia_Summit_In_Near_Abroad_A_Mix_of_Hope_Anxiety/1769843.html http://www.rferl.org/content/USRussia_Summit_In_Near_Abroad_A_Mix_of_Hope_Anxiety/1769843.html Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:01:05 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/USRussia_Summit_In_Near_Abroad_A_Mix_of_Hope_Anxiety/1769843.html#relatedInfoContainer Georgia's separatist region of Abkhazia is asserting its right to statehood with a flag, an anthem, and a strong sense of its historical right to independence. But a key aspect of its ethnic heritage is missing: language. Few Abkhaz have mastered their own language, preferring to use Russian instead. One exception is Lela Avidzba. Avidzba, who is half-Abkhaz and half-Georgian, is working to promote the use of the Abkhaz language, even as she seeks to bridge the divide between Tbilisi and ... http://www.rferl.org/content/HalfAbkhaz_HalfGeorgian__One_Woman_Fights_To_Preserve_Ethnic_Heritage/1760884.html http://www.rferl.org/content/HalfAbkhaz_HalfGeorgian__One_Woman_Fights_To_Preserve_Ethnic_Heritage/1760884.html Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:20:30 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/HalfAbkhaz_HalfGeorgian__One_Woman_Fights_To_Preserve_Ethnic_Heritage/1760884.html#relatedInfoContainer It's not just Georgian rule the Abkhaz have a problem with. It's any outside influence. Nearly a year after Abkhazia used Moscow's backing to declare its independence from Tbilisi, Russian troops, cash, and clout are pouring into the territory -- and many Abkhaz are wondering whether they have simply exchanged one master for another. http://www.rferl.org/content/Abkhazia_The_Perils_Of_Independence/1758008.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Abkhazia_The_Perils_Of_Independence/1758008.html Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:55:59 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Abkhazia_The_Perils_Of_Independence/1758008.html#relatedInfoContainer Georgia is marking its Independence Day, but few are in the mood to celebrate. Russia is concentrating troops near the border and fears of a new invasion are gathering momentum. What is Russia's end game in Georgia and how do they hope to achieve it? http://www.rferl.org/content/Is_A_New_RussiaGeorgia_War_On_The_Horizon/1740028.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Is_A_New_RussiaGeorgia_War_On_The_Horizon/1740028.html Tue, 26 May 2009 13:51:01 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Is_A_New_RussiaGeorgia_War_On_The_Horizon/1740028.html#relatedInfoContainer Russia's industrial workers are in no mood to celebrate this May Day. Unemployment is skyrocketing and more layoffs loom. Wage arrears are piling up. Strikes are proliferating. Is Russia on the verge of labor unrest? http://www.rferl.org/content/Russias_Labor_Tribulations_Cast_Shadow_Over_May_Day_Festivities_/1619349.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Russias_Labor_Tribulations_Cast_Shadow_Over_May_Day_Festivities_/1619349.html Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:29:41 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Russias_Labor_Tribulations_Cast_Shadow_Over_May_Day_Festivities_/1619349.html#relatedInfoContainer Turkey and Armenia are moving quickly to restore relations, and the prospect of a settlement beckons in Nagorno-Karabakh. But as the South Caucasus seeks to resolve old conflicts, a battle for regional influence continues between the United States, Russia, Turkey, and Europe -- with energy raising the stakes. http://www.rferl.org/content/South_Caucasus_Presents_Tangled_Web_Of_Shifting_Allegiances/1615160.html http://www.rferl.org/content/South_Caucasus_Presents_Tangled_Web_Of_Shifting_Allegiances/1615160.html Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:49:22 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/South_Caucasus_Presents_Tangled_Web_Of_Shifting_Allegiances/1615160.html#relatedInfoContainer ODIHR, the monitoring arm of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, has long been seen as the gold standard for judging whether elections were free and fair. But in a series of recent elections, most recently in Moldova, ODIHR's judgment has been called into question after it gave the stamp of approval to votes that were later revealed to be flawed. http://www.rferl.org/content/Moldova_Vote_Controversy_Highlights_Doubts_Over_Monitoring/1613208.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Moldova_Vote_Controversy_Highlights_Doubts_Over_Monitoring/1613208.html Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:07:33 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Moldova_Vote_Controversy_Highlights_Doubts_Over_Monitoring/1613208.html#relatedInfoContainer A European Union envoy is in Tbilisi to try to mediate an end to a week-long political standoff between President Mikheil Saakashvili and opposition leaders who are demanding his resignation. Street protests continue in the Georgia capital, but some opposition leaders are hinting that they might be ready to negotiate. http://www.rferl.org/content/feature/1610175.html http://www.rferl.org/content/feature/1610175.html Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:57:46 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/feature/1610175.html#relatedInfoContainer With an increasing number of prominent figures calling for changes in Russia's authoritarian system, and with the economy groaning under a persistent economic crisis, President Dmitry Medvedev is making overtures to the liberal intelligentsia. Is the Kremlin embracing reform? http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_President_Reaches_Out_To_Opposition_Paper_Rights_Activists/1609343.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_President_Reaches_Out_To_Opposition_Paper_Rights_Activists/1609343.html Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:33:48 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_President_Reaches_Out_To_Opposition_Paper_Rights_Activists/1609343.html#relatedInfoContainer Barack Obama won plaudits from foreign leaders and basked in the glow of adoring crowds during his first overseas trip as U.S. president. But he still didn't manage to take home much in terms of concrete achievements. The reason: U.S. interests and those of key European allies -- not to mention rivals like Russia -- diverge significantly. http://www.rferl.org/content/After_Glow_Of_Obamas_Foreign_Trip_Tough_Choices_Remain/1606509.html http://www.rferl.org/content/After_Glow_Of_Obamas_Foreign_Trip_Tough_Choices_Remain/1606509.html Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:15:34 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/After_Glow_Of_Obamas_Foreign_Trip_Tough_Choices_Remain/1606509.html#relatedInfoContainer EU leaders, gathered in the Czech capital together with U.S. President Barack Obama, issued a joint statement on North Korea's April 5 missile launch and traded opinions on the EU membership bid of Turkey. http://www.rferl.org/content/EUUS_Leaders_Discuss_North_Korea_Turkeys_EU_Bid/1602498.html http://www.rferl.org/content/EUUS_Leaders_Discuss_North_Korea_Turkeys_EU_Bid/1602498.html Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:28:25 +0000 News In an open-air address on April 5 in the Czech capital, Prague, U.S. President Barack Obama called for the elimination of the world's nuclear weapons, just hours after a controversial rocket launch by North Korea. http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Calls_For_Elimination_Of_Nuclear_Weapons_In_Prague_Speech/1602285.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Calls_For_Elimination_Of_Nuclear_Weapons_In_Prague_Speech/1602285.html Sun, 05 Apr 2009 09:48:33 +0000 News Today's first-ever meeting between Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev in London ended with both sides expressing optimism that U.S.-Russian relations were on the mend. But despite the talk of Moscow and Washington turning the page, strong differences remain. http://www.rferl.org/content/Moscow_Washington_Try_To_Lead_By_Example_On_Arms_Control/1566069.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Moscow_Washington_Try_To_Lead_By_Example_On_Arms_Control/1566069.html Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:48:03 +0000 Features When the Berlin Wall came down in November 1989, NATO was a tightly focused 16-member military alliance with a clear-cut mission. With new members Croatia and Albania, the alliance has ballooned to include 28 countries -- with more banging on the door. As NATO turns 60, observers are wondering whether expansion has reached its limits. http://www.rferl.org/content/Has_NATO_Expansion_Reached_Its_End/1565285.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Has_NATO_Expansion_Reached_Its_End/1565285.html Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:09:54 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Has_NATO_Expansion_Reached_Its_End/1565285.html#relatedInfoContainer Just weeks before Georgia's opposition is planning massive street protests against President Mikheil Saakashvili, law-enforcement authorities are alleging that members of a leading opposition party were caught red handed trying to buy illegal weapons. Is Georgia headed for a fresh round of unrest. http://www.rferl.org/content/Police_Say_Georgian_Opposition_Members_Arrested_For_Arms_Purchases/1517170.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Police_Say_Georgian_Opposition_Members_Arrested_For_Arms_Purchases/1517170.html Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:03:05 +0000 News http://www.rferl.org/content/Police_Say_Georgian_Opposition_Members_Arrested_For_Arms_Purchases/1517170.html#relatedInfoContainer Riot police raid the state energy monopoly. Angry truckers block a vital highway. Nervous citizens line up outside teetering banks hoping to withdraw their savings before it's too late. This is Ukraine, as it muddles through an economic and political crisis that could destabilize this strategically important country, which just a few years ago was touted as one of Eastern Europe's most promising emerging democracies. http://www.rferl.org/content/Ukraine_Is_Used_To_Life_On_The_Edge_Is_This_The_Year_It_Slips_Over/1510354.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Ukraine_Is_Used_To_Life_On_The_Edge_Is_This_The_Year_It_Slips_Over/1510354.html Sun, 15 Mar 2009 13:43:49 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Ukraine_Is_Used_To_Life_On_The_Edge_Is_This_The_Year_It_Slips_Over/1510354.html#relatedInfoContainer It's a deal that analysts have long seen as a possibility: The U.S. scraps its controversial missile-defense program in exchange for Russia pressuring Iran into giving up its nuclear ambitions. Is such an agreement about to become reality? http://www.rferl.org/content/US_Offers_To_Abandon_Missile_Defense_Plans/1503189.html http://www.rferl.org/content/US_Offers_To_Abandon_Missile_Defense_Plans/1503189.html Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:49:45 +0000 News Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, jailed in Siberia for fraud and tax evasion, is facing fresh charges. Supporters call the case an attempt to keep the Kremlin critic behind bars indefinitely. Observers say the trial is also a test of President Dmitry Medvedev's vow to establish an independent judiciary. http://www.rferl.org/content/Halfway_Through_His_Current_Sentence_Khodorkovsky_Faces_New_Charges/1502619.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Halfway_Through_His_Current_Sentence_Khodorkovsky_Faces_New_Charges/1502619.html Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:46:15 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Halfway_Through_His_Current_Sentence_Khodorkovsky_Faces_New_Charges/1502619.html#relatedInfoContainer When a Moscow jury acquitted all those accused in connection with the killing of journalist Anna Politkovskaya, it crystallized the debate about jury trials in Russia. Police and prosecutors say juries are not qualified to render just verdicts. Supporters retort that juries are fairer and less prone to political pressure than judges. Are juries on the way out in Russia? http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_Juries_On_Trial_In_Wake_Of_Politkovskaya_Verdict/1500481.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_Juries_On_Trial_In_Wake_Of_Politkovskaya_Verdict/1500481.html Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:31:42 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_Juries_On_Trial_In_Wake_Of_Politkovskaya_Verdict/1500481.html#relatedInfoContainer As Russia's economy sags from falling oil revenues, potentially debilitating schisms continue to open up among the elite. The latest battle pits the technocrats at the Finance Ministry against the powerful "siloviki" who dominate Vladimir Putin's inner circle. http://www.rferl.org/content/Crisis_Deepens_Russian_Finance_Ministry_Battles_Siloviki/1497939.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Crisis_Deepens_Russian_Finance_Ministry_Battles_Siloviki/1497939.html Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:52:14 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Crisis_Deepens_Russian_Finance_Ministry_Battles_Siloviki/1497939.html#relatedInfoContainer In an embarrassing blow to Russian prosecutors, a jury in Moscow has acquitted four men charged in connection with the October 2006 contract-style killing of journalist and Kremlin critic Anna Politkovskaya. http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_Court_Acquits_Accused_In_Politkovskaya_Murder/1495945.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_Court_Acquits_Accused_In_Politkovskaya_Murder/1495945.html Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:17:36 +0000 News http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_Court_Acquits_Accused_In_Politkovskaya_Murder/1495945.html#relatedInfoContainer Facing a crippling economic crisis, Belarus's authoritarian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka is looking West for help -- and offering to soften his grip on his country in return. Belarus in recent months has released political prisoners, allowed opposition newspapers to publish, consulted with the opposition, and moved toward liberalizing the economy. But how far will the thaw go? http://www.rferl.org/content/As_Economic_Crisis_Bites_Belaruss_President_Tries_A_Political_Thaw/1494807.html http://www.rferl.org/content/As_Economic_Crisis_Bites_Belaruss_President_Tries_A_Political_Thaw/1494807.html Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:39:39 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/As_Economic_Crisis_Bites_Belaruss_President_Tries_A_Political_Thaw/1494807.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. President Barack Obama will eventually have to decide what to do with his predecessor's controversial project to deploy a missile-defense system in Europe. Will Obama press on with the plan and risk angering Russia? Will he abandon it? Or will he bargain it away in exchange for concessions from Moscow? http://www.rferl.org/content/Missile_Defense_A_Virtual_Issue_That_Could_Get_Real_Results/1492893.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Missile_Defense_A_Virtual_Issue_That_Could_Get_Real_Results/1492893.html Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:57:15 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Missile_Defense_A_Virtual_Issue_That_Could_Get_Real_Results/1492893.html#relatedInfoContainer Is it really time to "press the reset button" in U.S.-Russian relations? Both Moscow and Washington have laid down markers recently on key issues including Afghanistan, Iran, NATO expansion, and missile defense. Which issues are negotiable? Which are bargaining chips? And where are the differences irreconcilable? http://www.rferl.org/content/Washington_Moscow_Edge_Toward_New_Relationship/1491916.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Washington_Moscow_Edge_Toward_New_Relationship/1491916.html Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:06:12 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Washington_Moscow_Edge_Toward_New_Relationship/1491916.html#relatedInfoContainer The global economic crisis has hit Russia hard as falling oil prices and a devalued currency have cut into living standards. But for the Kremlin, the downturn may also be an opportunity -- to use the economic mayhem to solidify state control over key sectors of the economy. http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_Seen_As_Using_Financial_Crisis_To_Win_State_Control_Over_Metals_Sector/1380037.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_Seen_As_Using_Financial_Crisis_To_Win_State_Control_Over_Metals_Sector/1380037.html Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:45:39 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_Seen_As_Using_Financial_Crisis_To_Win_State_Control_Over_Metals_Sector/1380037.html#relatedInfoContainer