Can Russian-Western Cooperation in the Arctic Survive the Current Conflict?
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine affects the prospects for peace and general cooperation in the region and far beyond. One such area to consider is what impact the conflict will have on the future of the Arctic. Is there an agenda and, if so, the necessary political will for continued Russia-West cooperation in this theatre? What would such...
Russian Chief Mufti Backs Polygamy, Balkan Neighbors Boost Border Security
Plus, Albania’s premier threatens to veto Macedonia’s NATO hopes, and Russia loses its land line to its Moldovan client statelet. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
A Color Revolution for Macedonia
During the Cold War Washington was concerned about communists fomenting street protests that they could turn into revolutions, with groomed politicians waiting in the wings to take over the new government, thus expanding the Soviet empire. Today this is precisely what Washington does. We recently witnessed this operation in Ukraine and now it...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 24 May 2015
This report is provided for the media and the general public The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by third parties and significant caution regarding security considerations *. The SMM observed continuing ceasefire violations at and around...
Due to war in Donbas western companies aren’t going to invest to shale gas in Ukraine
Ukraine, which used to cover most of its gas needs with supplies from Russian gas monopoly Gazprom, is seeking an alternative to Russian gas imports as its war-torn economy struggles. Ukraine has started buying gas from the European Union too in a bid to reduce bills and lessen its energy dependence on Moscow. Kiev also hopes to unlock the...
On the Appropriateness of Using Pricing Approach for Natural Gas Transportation Services by RAB Principles
Leading Expert of Energy programmes at the Razumkov Centre Victor Logatskyi explicates advantages and disadvantages of using pricing approach for natural gas transportation services by RAB principles. …read more Source: Razumkov...
Upset in Polish Presidency Vote, Police Seek Chechen in Nemtsov Probe
Plus, report finds evidence of ‘ongoing war crimes’ in eastern Ukraine, and UN rights officials raise red flags in Macedonia and Hungary. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Victory Day and Belarus’s Diplomatic Offensive
On May 9, Belarus celebrated the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. According to Emmanuel Ioffe, an authoritative Minsk historian (no relation to this author), the overall number of Belarus’s casualties in that war amounted to 3,074,000, whereas the country’s population on the eve of war was 9,183,000, within current...
Donetsk, Luhansk ‘People’s Republics’ Seek International Legitimization Through Local Elections (Part One)
The possible international recognition of “elections” staged in the Donetsk and Luhansk “people’s republics” (“DPR, LPR”) is one of the major innovations of the Minsk Two armistice agreement on Ukraine. It is Moscow’s innovation, with Germany and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on board. From 1991 to...
Six Recommendations to Strengthen the Ukraine-NATO Partnership
Introduction The year 1997 might not necessarily be engraved in our collective memory as a moment of great historical shift. Some might remember U.S. President Bill Clinton’s second inauguration, or Great Britain handing back Hong Kong to China. But arguably for European geopolitics, 1997 was a year of enormous significance. That was when...
