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Commentary

The day after: Future of development aid in Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova

Development aid faces unprecedented disruption following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and USAID’s 2025 withdrawal, leaving vulnerable states exposed. The YGLN’s Economy Working Group consulted with analysts and practitioners on the ground to gain a deeper understanding of their perspectives on the cessation of aid and their future outlook. Experts urge renewed democratic aid, stronger EU commitment, transparency, and vigilance against authoritarian influence.

30 October 2025 | Sinikka Parviainen
Podcast

The Women Leaders podcast: The South Caucasus conundrum

As the eyes of the world look to the US, Ukraine, and the Middle East, attention is distracted from rapidly changing events in the Caucasus. Traditionally Russia’s “backyard”, its full-scale invasion of Ukraine has lessened its influence in the region. Meanwhile, Armenia is in disarray following Azerbaijan’s military offensive in the Nagorno-Karabakh region in 2023, and in Georgia, the Russia-backed government is cracking down on opposition leaders. To understand these fascinating dynamics, ELN Senior Associate Fellow Ilana Bet-El is joined by YGLN member Tinatin Japaridze, Eurasia analyst at the Eurasia Group.

Commentary

Interpreting the new US-Armenia Strategic Partnership

In light of the US and Armenia starting a new Strategic Partnership, YGLN member Daniel Shapiro explores the move by Armenia and other states in the Caucasus to diversify their alliances, especially in light of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

27 February 2025 | Daniel Shapiro
Commentary

The Women Leaders Podcast: Georgia on the edge

Ilana Bet-El, Senior Associate Fellow at the European Leadership Network, is joined by Salome Samadashvili, a prominent member of the opposition of the Georgian parliament, to discuss the protests that have erupted on the streets of Tbilisi since the Georgian parliament voted to designate Western-funded NGOs as foreign agents. Critics of the new law allege it negatively impacts Georgia’s aspirations to join the EU and further bolsters the perception that Georgia’s government is aligning itself with Russia.

3 May 2024 | Ilana Bet-El and Florence Ferrando
Policy brief

Year two of the invasion: Where do former Soviet countries stand?

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, governments in the former Soviet Union were immediately forced to deal with difficult geopolitical realities. In this report for the ELN, YGLN member Daniel Shapiro uses quantitative and qualitative analysis to show there is increased heterogeneity in geopolitical positioning among post-Soviet states and offers key lessons from this for Western policymakers.

4 July 2023 | Daniel Shapiro