After nearly a decade in power, Poland’s dominant Law and Justice Party fell short of a new mandate in 2023. A new multi-party coalition government is likely to draw closer to the European Union.

Ukraine remains intent on wresting Crimea back from Russia, but doing so would be difficult, and the peninsula could become a bargaining chip in future diplomatic talks.

Since its emergence as an independent state in 1991, Ukraine has made little progress in consolidating democratic rule. A powerful oligarchy has dominated the country’s politics and economy. Corrupti…