On December 1, Latvian political parties ended a two-month deadlock by concluding a broad-based coalition agreement and programmatic declaration for the new government. The outgoing government, which had resigned in October and stayed on as caretaker, was a minority government of heterogeneous composition. It depended... MORE

As the political standoff continues in Ukraine, the only conclusion that can now possibly be made is that the pro-presidential camp never sought to hold free and fair elections in the first place. Both rounds one (October 31) and two (November 21) of the presidential... MORE

The information blockade around opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko has broken. Channel 5, which is controlled by Yushchenko's aide Petro Poroshenko, is no longer the only television channel to give air time to the opposition and offer more or less unbiased coverage of Ukrainian politics. Several... MORE

As the democratic opposition continues to swell the streets of Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, the Moscow Kremlin is likely having second thoughts about its policies toward Russia's western neighbor. The Putin administration's Ukraine strategy has proved to be misconceived: a brazen attempt to steal... MORE

The Moldovan government does not recognize the officially announced results for Ukraine's presidential election. In a November 26 declaration, Moldova's Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted, "The November 21 balloting failed to meet the requirements and criteria for recognition of the returns by Ukraine's citizens and... MORE

The entire international community has condemned the second round of the Ukrainian presidential election, held on November 21. The only exception has been the CIS Election Observers Mission, a body established in Russia in 2003 that brings together most CIS member states. CIS Executive Secretary... MORE

As the tens of thousands of Ukrainians continue to protest the outcome of Sunday's presidential runoff, Moscow has embraced Ukraine's Prime Minister, Viktor Yanukovych, as the new president-elect. Russia's President Vladimir Putin, who openly backed Yanukovych throughout the campaign, sent him his congratulations late Monday... MORE

Polls closed in the decisive presidential election runoff yesterday (November 21) between Viktor Yushchenko, the candidate of the center-right coalition of market liberals and nationalists, and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, who was backed by outgoing president Leonid Kuchma and the "oligarchs." The Central Electoral Commission... MORE

Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenka has ordered drastic measures in support of the "Belarusian path" of development. These, in turn, are accompanied by official depictions of remarkable economic growth and demands for an end to "foreign" intrusion in domestic life, including hostile actions against Belarus, adoption... MORE

With the second round of Ukraine's election set for November 21, President Leonid Kuchma will soon become an ex-president. The final vote tally is due no later than 15 days after election day; therefore, the new president should be inaugurated in early December. After a... MORE