The Ukrainian crisis has shown that energy security in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly as regards the supply of natural gas, is not at all as certain as it seemed until recently.
The worst of the economic slump in Russia may be over the IMF has said, but it warned of possible euro-zone stagnation and shifting politics that could make Central and Eastern Europe's prospects increasingly uncertain.
The countries of Central and Southeast Europe have stopped narrowing the gap even with sluggish Western Europe as a result of slower productivity growth and lower capital accumulation in the Western Europe.
The Russian economy is going through the most difficult times in the 16-year-period of Vladimir Putin’s rule. The years of foreign investment expansion may be history.
Looking in from the outside, Russians are acting irrationally. Before looking at why the Russian economy is bad it makes sense to look at a few areas of the Russian economic weather in which there is no sign of the sun.
The announced construction of a new gas pipeline, the Nord Stream 2, raises questions about the economic and political power of Russia and Gazprom.
Low oil prices have sent Russia’s economy into a recession, and countries on its periphery are being dragged along for the ride as the slump affects both oil exporters and countries that rely on trade and aid from Russia.
The economic downturn in the emerging markets raises questions about their future. Will they continue catching up with the developed economies in spite of the current downturn, as they have over the past 20-30 years?
Russia marked the first anniversary of the introduction of economic sanctions by destroying tons of foreign food. Will soon grocery stores shelves be empty?
Economically undermined and deprived of allies, Russia is trying to be a "big shot" in Syria and to maintain an important position on the world’s political map. Sebastian Stodolak talks to Eugene Rumer from the American think-tank, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.