Liam Nolan

Eastern Europe Reporter

BEIJING, CHINA - SEPTEMBER 2 (RUSSIA OUT) Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (L) enter the hall during their bilateral meeting, September 2, 2025, in Beijing, China. Presidengt Putin is visiting China and will atten

Why Robert Fico wants normal relations with Russia

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing this week for the third time since last December and called for the "standardisation of relations" between Slovakia and Russia. What's driving this policy?

Analysis and Comment • 06 Sep

WARSAW, POLAND - AUGUST 24: People gather to celebrate the Independence Day Of Ukraine, at Castle Square in Warsaw, Poland on August 24, 2025. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Young Ukrainians doubtful about prospects for peace

In a week when Russian forces returned to bombing Kyiv with missiles and drones, killing 23 people, including four children, our reporter Liam Nolan speaks to young Ukrainians living in the Polish capital Warsaw about whether they think the US-led peace initiative to end the war can succeed.

Ukraine • 30 Aug

Trump and Putin shake hands in Alaska ahead of summit

Why Trump's diplomacy leaves Ukraine no closer to peace

One week after US President Donald Trump's meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska, the war in Ukraine is no closer to ending.

Analysis and Comment • 24 Aug

Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Donald Trump on the tarmac in Anchorage

Ceasefire, sanctions avoided in win-win summit for Putin

Analysis and Comment • 16 Aug

BERLIN, GERMANY - AUGUST 13: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attend a joint press conference at the Chancellery following a virtual meeting hosted by Merz between European leaders and U.S. President Donald Trump

Why the Trump-Putin meeting worries Europe

A Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska has been a cause of concern for European governments who saw a bad peace deal for Ukraine in the offing. Such an outcome could have negative implications for wider European security.

Analysis and Comment • 15 Aug

USA, Russia and Ukraine conflict concept. Flags on cracked wall background. Stop the war

Trump-Putin: A pivotal meeting for Ukraine

US President Donald Trump confirmed late yesterday that he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska next week as the US strives to end the war in Ukraine.

World • 11 Aug

Karol Nawrocki, Poland's incoming president, during his inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly in Warsaw, Poland, on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. Nawrocki, the nationalist outsider who scored a shock victory in June’s runoff for president, was inaugur

Poland's new president sticks to nationalist script

Poland's new president Karol Nawrocki was sworn in at a ceremony in the Polish parliament in Warsaw today. Nationalistic and eurosceptic in tone, his speech set the stage for tense relations with the country's current pro-EU government.

Analysis and Comment • 06 Aug

A compilation photo featuring US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin

Can Trump's threatened tariffs make Russia end its war?

US President Donald Trump gave Russia an ultimatum to end its war in Ukraine: sign up to a ceasefire agreement by Friday or face heavy US tariffs on Russia goods. Can the threat of high tariffs make Russia end its war?

Analysis and Comment • 05 Aug

two men in suits standing in front of a fountain

Taoiseach, Luxembourg PM discuss EU-US trade

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that he hopes a trade deal between the European Union and the United States can be reached before the 1 August deadline set by US President Donald Trump.

Politics • 24 Jul

Ukrainian air defences deploy against Russian drones during a drone strike in Kyiv on July 18, 2025, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine.

Can the West force Russia to stop its war in Ukraine?

Monday's announcement by US President Donald Trump that Russia needs to halt its war within 50 days or face heavy sanctions was the clearest indication yet that he and his administration have lost patience with Moscow.

World • 20 Jul