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Russian Gas, European Integration and the Fate of Ukraine
After years of protracted negotiations, Ukraine is almost ready to sign an Association Agreement with the European Union. Robert Cutler describes how the agreement might impact the fate of Ukraine's Russia-to-Europe gas transit system
Among many other demographic problems, Russia is confronting a rapidly ageing population. Since the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia has fallen from having the 6th largest population in the world to 9th. By 2050, it will fall to 15th place
Poland Still Coping with Dark Past
Poland is a thriving, vibrant democracy that, like Germany, managed to escape most of the devastating economic repercussions of the European debt crisis. But it's still struggling, not so successfully, to cope with its dark past
A Right and Proper Death of the Euro When the proposal was initially made for a common European currency, it seemed to be a good idea. Although inexpert in economics, it struck me as an effect of a false analogy with the United States that was common in Europe at that time
Clearly, Russian leaders are keen to catch up with the world's leading manufacturers. What cannot be produced fast enough can be bought. As one observer put it, 'the Russian drone programme remains pragmatic'
New Generation of Russian Dissidents Flees to West
A prison cell in Siberia? Or exile in the West? Russian dissidents faced this choice under the czars, and under the rulers of the Soviet Union. Now this choice has returned to Russia under President Putin
Relations Between Russia and United States Deteriorating
The so-called 'reset' aimed at improving ties between the United States and Russia did bring concrete results. But now, analysts say relations between the two countries are deteriorating again
Geopolitics is an Existential Issue for Poland
Polish national strategy pivots around a single, existential issue: how to preserve its national identity and independence. Poland's existence is heavily susceptible to the moves of major Eurasian powers
The Acute Jihadist Threat in Europe
While Europe as a whole is suffering from the economic crisis, the Muslim population has been hit particularly hard. This, in addition to the frequent discrimination against Muslims, leaves many Muslims feeling alienated, disenfranchised and resentful
Bulgaria: The Failure of Funding Roma Inclusion
Money that the European Commission provides to Bulgaria to fund Roma inclusion projects is diverted elsewhere
Taming the Wild East: Bulgaria
Risk Monitor's Stefan Popov is trying to change the image of Bulgaria as the Wild East frontier of the European Union
Fight for Human Rights in Bulgaria Meets With Mixed Success
The recent dramatic attack on Bulgarian politician Ahmed Dogan who champions immigrant rights for Muslims and Turks wasn't a clear-cut case of ultra-right nationalism
Russia Struggles to Exert Influence in a Weakened Europe
From an economic perspective, Russia has been unable to avoid the effects of the global financial crisis. From a geopolitical perspective, the position is rather different. Since the crisis began, Russia has taken a number of steps to strengthen its positions in Europe
Czechoslovakia: Revisiting the Velvet Divorce
Czechoslovakia, though it no longer exists, remains a symbol of courageous resistance and sensible conflict resolution. It's been 20 years since Czechoslovakia split apart. The divorce took place without violence and without a referendum
Serbia's Strategic Ambiguity and the European Union
As usual, the Serbian parliament declared that it would never recognize the independence of the breakaway region. As the United States does with China and Taiwan, Serbia practices strategic ambiguity with Kosovo
A borderland is a region where history is constant: Everything is in flux. Turkey, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine and Poland occupy the borderland between Islam, Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity
It would have taken a brave analyst to predict that BP would end the year having negotiated its exit from TNK-BP, the highly profitable but troubled Russian venture created in 2003
Extremist attacks in Poland and elsewhere may follow Europe's worsening political and economic situation
Referendum to Decide Fate of Romania's Basescu
The parliament voted to suspend President Traian Basescu amid fierce political infighting that sparked serious international concern
In the Line of Fire: Journalists Take Hits from All Sides
Caught between ethnic identities and ethics, reporters in Southeast Europe are commonly intimidated into self-censorship
The Return of Tyranny to Ukraine
Despite the gains of the Orange Revolution, the spectre of tyranny is once again hanging over Ukraine
Russia's Relations with Central and Eastern Europe
Russia's energy supplies ensure that Moscow maintains a geopolitical foothold in the European part of the former Soviet space
Moscow's Vision for the Backyard
While Russia remains centrally important to most of the post-Soviet space, Moscow's direct influence across this region is far from assured
Oil Prices Fueling Russia's Disruption of U.S. Foreign Policy
Russia's burgeoning oil and natural gas exports are underwriting Russian efforts to regain status as a world superpower
Romney's Russia Remarks and the Dangers of Dumbed Down
The way the world works now, and the way Russia has inserted itself into absolutely everything, it's impossible to avoid dealing with them on virtually any international issue
Challenges for Belarus' Political and Economic Model
As Belarus grows more isolated from Europe and the West, it becomes more likely to integrate further with Russia
Russia: Putinism and the Russian Economy
Vladimir Putin has built his political reputation on a perceived ability to enforce order and revive the country's economy. But economic data suggests that Russia has moved backwards under Putin
With Russia's political clan system in shambles, no strong Kremlin figure is managing Chechnya
Russians United against United Russia
Russians are coming out onto the streets to transform their country once again
The US/NATO ABM Defense Shield in the Black Sea Region
The anti-ballistic missile (ABM) system under construction by the US and NATO in the Black Sea Region poses no threat to US-Russian nuclear strategic parity. On the contrary, it holds cooperative potential for the two leading nuclear powers. It could also stabilize the broader Eurasian security situation in the light of Iran's policy of nuclear blackmail
Stage Set For 2012 Euro Cup Finals
The stage is set for the 2012 Euro Cup following Friday's draw that saw host Poland and Ukraine getting the top draws while Spain placed in a tougher group. Poland was drawn in Group A along with Greece, Russia, and Czech Republic
What made Europe a compelling political, economic, and social alternative wedged between Anglo-American free marketeers and Soviet nomenklatura is rapidly becoming a thing of the past
Slovakia Thumbs Down on Euro Bailout Fund Hike
Slovakia rejected the proposed expansion of the European Financial Stability Facility. The measure was defeated by 21 votes after eight hours of debate by Slovakian parliament members
Poland's Tusk Wins Historic Second Term
Civic Platform has become the first Polish political party and Prime Minister Donald Tusk has become the country's first leader to win two consecutive terms since the fall of communism in 1989
NATO and Russia: Missile Defense Sticking Point?
NATO, Russia and Missile Defense mark a triangle which contains political promises but also the danger of failure and friction
Putin's Comeback: Fast Forward to the Past
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev's decision to swap jobs may put an end to the diarchy in Russia but is unlikely to lead to any tectonic policy shifts. Instead, it will further cement the system of ‘managed democracy', which in time will become so inflexible that it may fail to cope with a protracted crisis
Erdogan Pushes for Common Future with Balkan States
Speaking alongside leaders of the Balkan states at the New York Balkan Forum, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed the cultural and historical ties between Turkey and the Balkans, while calling on the region to overcome its troubled history to co-operate and integrate to form a common future
Russia Strives to Clarify Vision for Central Asian Alliance
Russian officials think the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a bloc of friendly ex-Soviet republics, can develop into a security grouping on par with NATO. But recent CSTO military exercises show that Moscow lacks a clear vision for how to utilize the alliance
Turkey's Neo-Ottoman Foreign Policy
Whereas Turkey's foreign policy mantra used to be 'no problems with the neighbors,' Turkey now seems to want to become the chief bully in the eastern Mediterranean, escalating tensions between the NATO member and Israel, a key US ally
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia Agree to Help Each Other on Road to EU
The leaders of Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina backed each other's Euro-Atlantic integration
Can NATO Nudge Russia Westward?
The trilateral summit between French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev made some gains in drawing Russia closer to NATO. However, many Russians, including Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, are skeptical of the West's intentions and many new NATO members from the former Soviet bloc are uncomfortable about closer ties with Russia
Ukrainian Blues: Viktor Yanukovych's Rise and Democracy's Fall
In February 2010, Viktor Yanukovych made a remarkable political comeback. In the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election Yanukovych was accused of fraud and ousted by the Orange Revolution, which was led by Viktor Yushchenko and Yulia Tymoshenko. Just over five years later, surrounded by his party's blue-and-white banners, Yanukovych became president
Putin's Evolving Strategy in Europe
Putin's return to the presidency was not unexpected. But it comes as an anti-incumbent trend is developing in Europe. In response to these changes, Putin will have to adjust Russia's approach in Europe
Under Putin, Russian Relations with United States Turn Icy Again
Now that Vladimir Putin is Russia's president once again, the result of still another fraudulent election, we should expect ever more hostile relations with Moscow
Russia's Geopolitical Strategy
For Russia, the recreation of a union is a strategic geopolitical necessity
Russia and Romania: The Competition over Moldova
The contest between Russia and Romania for influence in Moldova will focus on economics and security, given Moldova's politics
Russia's Energy Plans for Turkey
An offer to build natural gas storage facilities may help Russia gain leverage in Turkey
So Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has just been re-presidented for at least another six years
Vladimir Putin is likely to be returned to the Kremlin by the presidential election. The West will have to live with this result. But what sort of Russia will the world be dealing with?
Cold Snap Could Put European Economies in the Deep Freeze
If there's one thing Europe doesn't need, it's more drag on economic growth. Yet that's just what it could be getting, with a fresh dose of snow and frigid weather
It has been two decades since the collapse of the Soviet Union, but for those who witnessed the drama of 1991, memories remain vivid
Examining the Causes and Effects of the Soviet Collapse
One sign of the how highly Lawrence Sheets is esteemed as an analyst of Central Asia and the Caucasus was the large turnout of his fellow journalists for his presentation of his new book, 8 Pieces of Empire: A 20-Year Journey Through the Soviet Collapse
America Now More Pro-Civil Service Than Russia
Why is Medvedev bothering to symbolically make this distinction in denouncing the federal bureaucracy? The answer to this question is highly instructive to those of us in the Western world, particularly as we implode economically under the weight of public-sector costs, among other things
Reading through these dispatches last year, I was struck by the slightly desperate but nevertheless creative way American analysts tried to make sense of impenetrable Kremlin politics
Some Albanians Consider Changing Nationality for Profit
Greece may be drowning in debt and awash in protests stemming from unpopular austerity measures, but that has not deterred thousands of Albanians from trying to claim Greek heritage and formally change their nationality
It is important to understand that the crisis is not fundamentally about Greece. After all, Greece represents only 2.5 percent of the eurozone's GDP, and the bloc's fiscal numbers are not that bad when looked at in the aggregate. The real crisis is the more fundamental question of how the European continent is to be ruled in the 21st century
Russia has entered election season, with parliamentary elections in December and presidential elections in March 2012. Typically, this is not an issue of concern, as most Russian elections have been designed to usher a chosen candidate and political party into office since 2000. Interesting shifts are under way this election season, however
Belarus Holds Lessons for Syria's Asssad
If Syrian President Bashar al-Assad wants a glimpse of his nation's future, should he continue savagely suppressing his people's democratic aspirations, he need only look north to Belarus, another venal dictatorship whose security forces brutalized thousands of citizens protesting a fraudulent election in December
Muliculturalism has failed. So said Chancellor Angela Merkel in a speech in Potsdam last October. David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy both echoed her opinion early this year. But it is not easy to know just what they meant. The term is open to so many interpretations and used in so many different ways. Is it an ideology, a set of policies, or a social reality?
Visegrad: A New European Military Force
The Visegrad Group consists of four countries — Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The group was reconstituted in 1991 in post-Cold War Europe. The goal was to create a regional framework after the fall of Communism. The Visegrad Group took an interesting when it announced the formation of a 'battle group' under the command of Poland
If you're looking for Places in Europe you can visit without breaking the bank, you'll find the lowest hotel prices in the East and in Iberia. But you can find reasonable prices in dozens of other European cities
Russia: A 21st Century Alliance?
BP and the Russian state controlled company Rosneft have announced a strategic global alliance that involves the first major equity-linked partnership between a national and international oil company. While the potential rewards are high, so are the risks. Is this really an 'alliance fit for the 21st Century'?
'Europe Looks East' Hints at the Future
The formal subject was 'Europe Looks East,' and while that seemed to mean Atlantic and Central Europe looking at Russia and beyond, more important was Western Europe looking at relations between Europe and Russia, plus Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. The second perplexing subject was the Balkans, still the location of Europe's most persistent (and contagious) troubles
Mafia States: Organized Crime Takes Office
In recent years, a new threat has emerged: the mafia state. Across the globe, criminals have penetrated governments to an unprecedented degree
In Rigged Elections 65% is the New 99%
Both elections were both exercises in political theatre, in which the middle classes were absent, the grateful poor voted en masse, the opposition protested, and fraud was alleged
Poland's Vulnerability Amid Missile Diplomacy
Poland has a limited hand to play as tensions between Russia and NATO increase
More EU Nations Threaten Boycott of Euro 2012 Over Tymoshenko
Several European Union countries said they would join Germany in boycotting the Euro 2012 football tournament unless Ukraine releases former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko from jail
The Cobbled Charms of Cesky Krumlov
Nearly four hours south of Prague, this fairy-tale town of 15,000 is buried in the hills of the southern Czech Republic
With Elections Over, Putin Focuses on Perceptions
Having secured a new presidential term, Putin is trying to show the world that he still has control of Russia
Putin Stymies Protesters With Subversion Strategies
Vladimir Putin's reaction to Moscow protesters perfectly illustrates how he masterfully leverages classic subversion strategies to undermine the opposition and even ridicule the concept of democracy
After a decade in the doldrums, during which the Kremlin co-opted or marginalised all competition, Russia's political scene has come alive
The Dying Bear: Russia's Demographic Disaster
Perhaps of all the painful developments in Russian society since the Soviet collapse, the most surprising -- and dismaying -- is the country's demographic decline. Over the past two decades, Russia has been caught in the grip of a devastating and highly anomalous peacetime population crisis
Counterrevolution in Kiev: Hope Fades for Ukraine
Ukraine, no stranger to crisis, is again in turmoil. President Viktor Yanukovych has failed to deliver on any of his campaign promises -- economic reform, increased prosperity, and an end to corruption -- and instead has rolled back democracy and the rule of law, deepening political, regional, and linguistic divisions in the country
Bulgaria, Romania and Greece Initiate EU strategy for Balkans
The adoption of European standards, economic projects and genuine regional co-operation are the focus of the proposed strategy
The Black Sea: A Forgotten Geo-strategic Realm
The expectations of the last ten years that the states surrounding the Black Sea would follow the example of the Balkan region and shape themselves into a security community have not been realized. Perceptions of stagnation have replaced the hopes of a working and stable geo-strategic framework, based on a balance of cooperation and conflicts
Russia: Podium Pressure and the 2014 Winter Olympics
In 2014, Russia will host the Winter Olympic Games in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi. Potentially an opportunity to project a strong image of the country and develop international partnerships, the Games also run the risk of drawing attention to a number of issues Russia might prefer stayed hidden
Montenegro: The Survivor Exits
Milo Djukanovic may have stepped down as the Prime Minister of Montenegro, but the conclusion of a protracted struggle over succession will ensure that he remains a key figure in Montenegrin politics.
On December 12, 2010, Kosovo held its first general election since declaring independence from Serbia in 2008. The elections were a test of Kosovo's democratic institutions - unfortunately, they are unlikely to be remembered as a resounding success.
On December 19, 2010, Belarussians went to the polls amid hopes in Europe that the presidential vote would show evidence of a freer and more transparent process than in previous elections.
Russia's international behavior during the last decade has puzzled many U.S. observers. As seen from Washington, the greatest challenges of the moment -- terrorism, nuclear proliferation, climate change -- are global ones that threaten all states. The United States has been trying to organize multilateral responses. Yet the Kremlin has proved singularly unhelpful
Belarus is a land between, now neither part of Russia nor a real European nation. Its president, intent on rallying the voters in this month's election, has cast Moscow as a threat to its very survival. The reality, as he is re-elected, is likely to be another balancing act between Russia and the west.
Moscow's Modernization Dilemma: Is Russia Charting a New Foreign Policy?
The last year has seen considerable change in the U.S.-Russian relationship -- or at least the desire and promise for change. But the prospects for Russian relations and Russia's foreign policy cannot be discussed in isolation from wider questions: In what direction is Russia moving? What will Russia be like ten or 20 years from now?
Religion's Growing Influence in International Politics
Around the world religion is on the rise. It is growing in countries with a wide variety of religious traditions and levels of economic development, suggesting that neither poverty nor social exclusion is solely responsible. The religious resurgence is not simply defined by the growth of fundamentalism but is occurring through a variety of renewed rituals and practices, both public and private
