Section: Atlantic Council (USA)
Russia’s Buildup Along Ukraine’s Border Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Does
Much has been made about the tactics and military doctrine driving Russian operations in eastern Ukraine. Some analysts see Russia following a hybrid war strategy, while others contend that the Kremlin is simply trying to “catch up conceptually to the realities of modern war.” One thing is clear: Russia is manipulating eastern Ukraine...
Here’s How to Ensure Radical Transparency in Ukraine: Install Cameras Everywhere
On Saturday, June 6, approximately 200 people gathered in the great hall of the Vyshhorod state administration building to welcome home 120 soldiers returning from the war in eastern Ukraine.Vyshhorod District Head Alexander Gorgan presented certificates to those soldiers who had completed one year of military service, which entitles them to...
Everything You Thought You Knew About Right-Wing Parties is Wrong
The Russian government and its proxies in eastern Ukraine have consistently branded Kyiv’s government a fascist junta and accused it of having Nazi sympathizers. Moscow’s propaganda is outrageous and wrong. In fact, Ukraine’s radical right political parties—Right Sector and Svoboda—have been marginalized. …read more...
Putin has no Desire for Peace, says Ukraine’s Prime Minister
Russian President Vladimir Putin has no desire to end the war in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said June 9, citing a renewed offensive by Russian-backed separatists as evidence. “My take is that Russia is not eager and that this is not the desire of Russia to have peace and stability neither in Ukraine nor in...
With Kippot and Klezmer Music, Messianic Jews Aim to Build Bridges in Ukraine
Russian politicians and pro-Russia separatists in the Donbas have repeatedly accused Ukraine of promoting fascism and Nazism since the February 2014 overthrow of former President Viktor Yanukovych. But at a Shabbat concert in Kyiv on June 5, another side of Ukraine was on full display: religious diversity and pluralism. …read more Source:...
Ukraine’s Success Will Have ‘Huge Implications’ for Entire Region
EU official: ‘Russia recognizes that we are not looking to gain territories’ Describing Ukraine as an “international issue,” a top European Union official said June 4 that turning the country into a success story will have “huge implications for the whole region.” “Russia recognizes we are not looking to gain territories. We are looking to...
Turkish Stream’s Implications for EU Gas Infrastructure Development
Since South Stream’s termination in early December 2014, governments in Central and Southeast Europe (CSEE) have championed a litany of pan-regional pipeline proposals to carry gas from Russia’s planned delivery point in Ipsala, Turkey via the Balkans to Baumgarten, Austria, while meeting local consumption along the way. The...
Why Saakashvili’s Appointment as Odesa’s Governor Actually Makes Perfect Sense
On May 30, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko named former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili Governor of the Odesa region. There are a number of ways to interpret the bold move, but two historical analogies may be more apt: Saakashvili is either following in Duke de Richelieu’s footsteps as an outside Governor of Odesa or the late...
Mutual Deterrence? Think Again. Russia Seeks to Intimidate the West
Moscow recently announced that it will procure fifty new nuclear-capable bombers, the Tupolev TU-160 or Blackjacks, which are the world’s largest combat aircraft. This seemingly anodyne announcement points to a critically important element of Russian strategy that we overlook at our and our allies’ peril. The procurement is the latest...
The Dangerous Game of Truth Telling in Ukraine
As commentary on Ukraine increasingly focuses on the next Russian offensive and ways to end the war, now is the time to consider how to rebuild a unified country. Any attempt to move past the violence and establish a stable basis for reform must involve a frank discussion of the past. A truth commission is likely to emerge as a compelling option....
