Section: International Relations and Security Network (Switzerland)
The Cyber Attack on the Ukrainian Electoral Infrastructure: Another Warning
This commentary looks at the 23 December 2015 cyber-attack on the electrical network in Western Ukraine, which was most likely perpetrated by Russia. The text’s authors also explain why the attack may help legitimize the use of cyber warfare against states and briefly discuss why the Israeli electrical grid is particularly vulnerable to...
The Legacy of Obama’s Foreign Policy
This analysis looks back at President Barack Obama’s foreign policy and contends that it has been marked by three pillars – 1) “military reticence” and greater burden-sharing on the part of allies and partners; 2) an emphasis on dialog with past enemies such as Cuba and Iran; and 3) a shifting of America’s focus away from...
Russia’s Role in the North Korea Conundrum: Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?
The E-Note 1) reviews the history of Russia’s engagement with North Korea, and 2) traces how Moscow’s approach towards the Hermit Kingdom has changed in the wake of the 2013/2014 Ukraine crisis. Basically, Russia’s growing deference to Chinese interests in East Asia may result in the two countries aligning their interests on...
Russia’s Pivot to Asia: Myths and Realities
This paper identifies the reasons behind Russia’s pivot towards Asia and explains how Moscow is “selling” the move. The immediate reasons for the shift are 1) Russia’s adventurism in Ukraine; 2) Moscow’s recent and proactive interest in the former Soviet space; 3) the economic pinch being created by Western economic...
Russia’s “Militarization” of Colour Revolutions
This paper argues that ever since the 2013-2014 Euromaidan protests in Ukraine, the Putin Regime has viewed anti-government protests at home and abroad as a potential military threat. More specifically, the paper’s author 1) describes how this dubious assumption has been unequivocally formalized in Russia’s most recent National...
Challenges to European Security: A Transatlantic Perspective
This report summarizes the results of the 2015 Transatlantic Security Symposium, which explored ways to define and implement an overarching security agenda at the transatlantic level. The main topics covered in the report include 1) the threats posed by the so-called Islamic State; 2) Russia’s meddling in Eastern Ukraine; 3) NATO’s...
The Role of Women and Gender Policies in Addressing the Military Conflict in Ukraine
This report summarizes the discussions and recommendations of a workshop on “The Role of Women and Gender Policies in Addressing the Military Conflict in Ukraine.” Two indisputable facts provided the context for the event. First, 15 years after the adoption of UNSCR 1325, the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda is far...
Dealing with the Ukrainian Crisis: Transatlantic Strategy Dilemmas
This paper focuses on the unique challenges posed by the near-frozen Ukraine crisis and the divisions that exist between Europe and the US on how to interpret and respond to the problem. Washington, for example, views Russian actions in Ukraine within a broader global perspective and seeks to contain and isolate what it sees as a rogue regime....
The Transnistrian Conflict in the Context of the Ukrainian Crisis
This paper analyzes the status of Transnistria through the lenses of Ukraine’s faceoff with pro-Russian separatists in Donbass. The text’s author specifically explains 1) how Russia helped Transnistria break away from Moldova to become a de facto and little recognized ‘statelet’; 2) how Moscow uses the ersatz state to exert...
The EU-Russia Gas Relationship
This brief contemplates the major challenges surrounding the gas trade between the European Union and Russia. The challenges include 1) the questionable reliability of Russian gas deliveries through Ukraine in the winter 2015/2016; 2) Russia’s plans to build new infrastructure for its gas exports to the EU, which will bypass Ukraine; and 3)...
