Expectations ahead of the December 9 Paris summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy weren't especially high. Even so, few in Ukraine and elsewhere were overwhelmed with the outcome.
Look what's bubbling up from Russia's melting permafrost.
Ahead of his first-ever meeting with his Russian counterpart, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy suggested there was little chance of breakthroughs on the thorniest disputes blocking the path to peace in the Donbas. He was right -- but leaders at a Paris summit did make some progress.
As mayor for 18 years, Yury Luzhkov oversaw Moscow's transformation from a drab Soviet city into a glittering, often garish, modern Russian capital.
Mostar is in a state of limbo over its debilitated "eternal mayor." But he can't be legally replaced until fresh local elections, but court rulings and a political impasse have prevented a vote there since 2008.
A row has broken out between Russia and the Czech Republic over a Prague district mayor's plan to build a monument to the Vlasov army. Led by a former Soviet military officer, the force, also known as the Russian Liberation Army, did little actual fighting during World War II. So why is it still a taboo topic in Russia?
Three years ago, Uzbekistan went through its first major political upheaval in decades after the death of longtime President Islam Karimov. The transition prompted debate inside and outside Uzbekistan as to whether the country was headed for a political thaw or a continuation of an autocratic regime under different leadership. Pyotr Trotsenko, a correspondent for RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service, or Radio Azattyq, traveled through Uzbekistan in November to investigate the shifting landscape.
After a huge public outcry over his arrest for political speeches on YouTube, a Russian student blogger who fanned the summer's protest wave left court on a suspended sentence. It’s the latest case of public pressure appearing to force authorities to make concessions.
The Putin era has been marked by events such as terror attacks, deadly disasters, and politically charged court cases. Yegor Zhukov, a student who was convicted of public calls for extremism in a closely watched trial, delivered a stinging verdict against the state in his closing remarks in court.
Leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France meet on December 9 to seek progress toward ending the only war on the European continent.
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Kyrgyzstan’s culture minister says a “feminist” exhibition that includes nudity will continue despite its main organizer being forced to quit and several items being confiscated after complaints by nationalists.
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