US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is invoking the 30th anniversary of the demise of communism to implore countries in Central Europe to resist Chinese and Russian influence. Speaking in the Slovak capital of Bratislava, Pompeo said China and Russia pose twin threats to the democratic and free market gains made since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. He said the countries of Eastern and Central Europe are particularly vulnerable to predatory investment and political meddling. To combat the threat, he said the United States is committed to boosting its engagement in the region, through defense cooperation agreements and exchange programmes. Published in Daily Times, February 13th 2019.