Choose one of the topics below for your initial post.
TOPIC 1. Russia or Eastern Europe: In the News
For this Discussion, find a recent news article (within the past 12 months) that describes the latest developments in a conflict, issue, achievement, or other major event in Russia or Eastern Europe. Provide a brief summary of your topic, as well as your own analysis of how this issue might affect the realm (or the rest of the world). Be sure that the topic of the news article has some connection with the geographical issues and concepts we’ve been discussing and reading about this week. Also, be sure to select a reputable, reliable, and/or widely known news source.
–OR–
TOPIC 2. Supranationalism in Western Europe
The European Union (EU) has been the largest experiment in supranationalism in the history of the world. This attempt to unite over 500 million people under the umbrella of the EU has brought benefits to its member countries, but it has also come with its burden of costs. The tensions caused by membership were recently highlighted when the United Kingdom voted to leave the EU. For this forum, find an article about a particular aspect of EU policy, such as economic policy, immigration policy, environmental policy, or agricultural policy, and discuss how that policy has caused tension between the EU and between member nations. What effect do you think these tensions will have on the future of the EU? Be sure to select a reputable, reliable, and/or widely known news source.
Remember, paraphrase the information in the article in your own words to avoid plagiarism.
reply to:
Frederick Kiser posted Feb 10, 2026 2:42 PM
Hello class,
I have chosen a New York Times article from February 10, 2026 detailing Russia’s nearing capture of key Ukrainian towns like Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad, and Huliaipole after a year of assaults. Russian forces have advanced slowly but steadily in eastern and southern Ukraine, gaining footholds for logistics and future offensives. These gains provide Moscow leverage in ongoing US led peace talks amid stalled negotiations. This ties directly to geographical issues in Eastern Europe, particularly control over strategic Donbas regions like the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, resourceful industrial hubs, and buffer zones influencing borders, supply lines, and territorial integrity. These are core concepts in discussions of geopolitics, territorial disputes, and resource conflicts in the region.
My analysis is that these battlefield shifts could prolong the conflict or force unfavorable concessions on Ukraine, weakening its sovereignty and emboldening Russian revanchism toward other Eastern European states like NATO’s eastern flank. Globally, sustained Russian gains risk escalating energy insecurity via disrupted Black Sea grain routes and attacks on infrastructure. This strains Western alliances, and diverts resources from other crises. However, high Russian casualties and economic strain might limit long-term sustainability, potentially pressuring Moscow toward compromise if Western support persists.
Andrew E. Kramer, “Russia Nears Capture of Key Ukrainian Towns After Year of Grinding Assaults,” The New York Times, February 10, 2026.
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Week 2 – Topic 1 Mackenzie Garrick
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Mackenzie Garrick posted Feb 10, 2026 1:24 PM
The article that I chose was Russias shell output soars as it prepares for next war, warns Estonia by Financial Times. The article explains that Russia has massively increased how much military ammunition it produces, making over 7 million shells and rockets in 2025 alone. Thats a huge jump compared to the start of the war in Ukraine. Estonias spy service believes this means Russia isnt just trying to keep the war going, its preparing for future wars too. Even though Russias economy is struggling and the war has caused a lot of deaths, the government is still pouring money and resources into military factories. Russia is also using ammo from North Korea to refill its stockpiles. At the same time, Russian leaders are talking about peace, but intelligence agencies think this is might be a facade to buy time while the country rebuilds its military strength.
For the development of the Russian economy, this shows how the country is choosing military growth over civilian needs. Instead of investing in infrastructure, healthcare, or education, Russia is focusing on weapons production. This kind of development can hurt long-term economic growth and quality of life. Population is another major issue. Russia is already facing population decline and an aging workforce, and the war has made this worse. High casualty numbers and the recruitment of retirees, prisoners, and foreign soldiers show that Russia is running out of young workers and soldiers. This puts even more pressure on the population that remains.
Geographically, Russias size and access to allies like North Korea allow it to keep fighting, but its location also means NATO is looming to the west. This fuels the governments belief that it is in an existential struggle, which helps justify military spending at home. For the rest of the world, Russias focus on long-term war readiness means the conflict is unlikely to end soon. That affects global stability, and international relations. Overall, Russias current path shows a country developing military power at the expense of its populations well-being, which could cause serious problems for its future.
Mackenzie
Article cited:
Financial Times (2026) Russias shell output soars as it prepares for next war, warns Estonia