Germany and the Role of Nuclear Weapons
Never since the end of the Cold War have the international community and Europe been so deeply divided over the role of nuclear weapons in security policy. There is disagreement within the United Nations over whether to begin negotiations on a treaty banning nuclear weapons. At the same time, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 7 January 2016
This report is for media and the general public. The SMM observed relative calm with a small number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and no ceasefire violations in the area near Donetsk airport. In Horlivka, armed “DPR” members temporarily held SMM monitors, forced them to the ground and searched the SMM vehicles for video...
Unexpected, Unforeseen, Unplanned
There is little politicians and administrations fear more than being taken off guard and ill-prepared by a major incident. However inadequate the planning and instruments, decisions must be made and action taken. As such, unexpected events expose decision-makers to the risks of portentous decisions arrived at under conditions of great...
Russian Patriarch Gives Blessing to Bombing Campaign in Syria
Orthodox Church head backs Moscow’s ‘defensive war’ in Syria, as activists slam Russia’s alleged use of cluster bombs. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
How Russia Became ‘Mordor’ on Google
‘Automated bug’ behind online tool’s bogus translations rendering ‘Russians’ as ‘occupiers’ from the fictional Lord of the Rings evil empire. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
80 Russian Drivers ‘Frozen and Forsaken’
One motorist reportedly died of hyperthermia after being trapped on a highway near Orenburg for almost 16 hours after a snowstorm hit. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
US Probes Suspected Russian-Backed ‘BlackEnergy’ Attack on Ukraine
Malicious software BlackEnergy, said to have caused massive blackout in Ukraine last month was also used in a 2014 cyberattack on U.S. utilities. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Poland’s Plans to Stick Washington with a Bigger NATO Bill
Doug Bandow Poland’s new nationalist government wants to make a deal with Great Britain: Help us get a NATO—meaning American—garrison, and we’ll agree to limit European migrant flows to Britain. British prime minister David Cameron visited Warsaw in December seeking support for his European Union reform plan, but returned only with a...
Coca Cola Accidentally Recognizes Crimea as Russia’s
Ukrainians take offence after soft drinks giant’s social media campaign depicts annexed peninsula as part of Russia. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
What Are the Big Challenges Facing Europe?
04 January 2016 Dr Robin Niblett CMGDirector, Chatham House This will be another year of intense and complex foreign policy challenges. But it will also be a year of revelations. David Cameron spoke at Chatham House in November 2015, where he outlined the UKs demands in negotiations with Brussels ahead of an in-out referendum on the UK’s...
