Avoiding a new Cold War. Really?
Writing on this blog—in “Why a new Cold War can be avoided”—Jeremy Shapiro and Samuel Charap pose a stark choice between a new Cold War and Washington negotiating with Moscow on a settlement for Ukraine. They make an interesting case. But they overstate the risk of a Cold War, appear ready to negotiate over the head of a smaller state, and do not...
The Future of Baltic Sea Security
Location: RUSI WhitehallThe crisis in Ukraine and the resurgence of a belligerent, yet vulnerable, Russia has alarmed the whole of Europe. However, the threat posed by President Putin’s regime is felt particularly acutely in the countries closest to Russia. As NATO increasingly dedicates its resources to the defence of the Baltic states...
Keeping America secure: Five questions for the presidential candidates
With America’s international influence declining at an ever-faster pace under Barack Obama, the importance of making national security the 2016 presidential campaign’s central issue has increased correspondingly. Although the conventional wisdom of political operatives and commentators is that voters do not pay attention to foreign...
Dutch Report: Buk Missile Downed Flight MH17
Long-awaited report says Malaysia Airlines flight shot down over eastern Ukraine by Russian-developed missile. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 11 October 2015
This report is for the media and general public. The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”, including the Addendum to the Package. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM visited Ukrainian Armed Forces storage sites to verify weapons...
Draft Law Requires Russian Media to Report Foreign Funding
Opposition lawmakers submit bill to State Duma imposing additional regulations on media financed from abroad. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
France to Extradite Kazakh Banker to Russia
Mukhtar Ablyazov, an opposition figure, is accused of embezzling $6bn. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Hungarian MEP ‘Spying’ for Russia May Lose Immunity
Far-right Jobbik party member Bela Kovacs, nicknamed ‘KGBela,’ allegedly covertly met Russian diplomats. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
The refugee crisis is the Visegrad Group’s moment of truth
Not many people in Europe are aware of the Visegrad Group (V4), the Central European platform for co-operation between the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary that has existed for over 20 years. The Czech Republic acceded to the year-long V4 presidency, taking over from Slovakia, on 1st July and due to external circumstances can expect a...
Nordic defence cooperation: NATO or a dead-end
In its New Year forecast for 2015, The Economist said “optimism is in short supply”. It was hard to disagree then, and it still is. Escalating conflicts are causing great suffering, and the reality of increased geopolitical risk is challenging international security policies. Few observers have predicted the course of events that have unfolded....
