Russia’s war against Ukraine intensified over the summer, with increasingly sustained drone and missile attacks raising new questions about what comes next and whether Moscow’s confrontation with the West could extend beyond Ukraine.
In this week’s Talk Eastern Europe News Roundup, Alexandra Karppi and Adam Reichardt discuss the latest wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s reported visit to Moscow and growing concerns about Russian operations against NATO countries. They also look at Germany’s accusations of Russian involvement in a suspected sabotage plot near Leipzig airport.
Turning to the Western Balkans, Alexandra and Adam discuss the death of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić and the troubling glorification of his legacy in parts of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. They also look ahead to Serbia’s newly announced parliamentary elections, the challenge posed by the student-led opposition movement to Aleksandar Vučić’s ruling party, and a new effort in the US Congress that could pave the way for sanctions against Serbian officials.
Finally, they preview this week’s Deep Dive with Professor James Ker-Lindsay on Russia, European security, Serbia, Turkey and the changing geopolitical landscape.
In our extended version, for Patrons only, Adam and Alexandra reflect upon their summers in the United States and the overall mood there.
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Read more on the death of Ratko Mladić and its impact on the upcoming Serbian election: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2026/09/04/ratko-mladic-is-dead-his-nationalist-legacy-lives-on/
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