Section: Research Organizations & Think Tanks about Ukraine
What will happen when the pope meets the patriarch?
The latest diplomatic coup for Pope Francis I – whose papacy has been marked by an ever-more expansive foreign policy – is the announcement of an interesting development in relations between the Roman Catholic and the Russian Orthodox churches, relations that have been more-or-less non-existent for more than 1000 years. On February 12, Pope...
Speech by Miguel Arias Cañete on EU’s climate and energy policies after COP21
Find out more about the event “How will the Paris agreement impact EU climate and energy policies?” Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to be here with you today, speaking at this prestigious institution. Since its opening in 2005, Bruegel has not only become a world reference in economic policy circles; its reports and well-founded economic...
Ukrainian Premier Wagers Political Future on Corruption Fight
Shock resignation of minister is putting Kyiv’s reform commitments under unprecedented scrutiny. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Belarus and Its Powerful Neighbors: A Master Class of Raw Geopolitics
As January 2016 drew to a close, news pertaining to Belarus’s relations with its two large neighbors—Russia and Europe—again overshadowed any developments emanating from the Eastern European country itself. First, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) issued its report on Belarus’s recent presidential...
The Kremlin Becomes Hostage to Its Own Imperial Propaganda
In January 2016, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced the formation of three new divisions in the Western Military District of Russia. Two of them will be located near the border with Ukraine and one—near the Belarusian border (Vedomosti, January 12). At first glance, this military orientation contradicts official Russian policy...
Russia Watches and Puts Own Spin on Moldova’s Crisis (Part Two)
*To read Part One, please click here. Western officials and commentators seem, on the whole, to overestimate Russia’s capacity and intentions to recapture Moldova by exploiting that country‘s current crisis. This overestimation partly explains the recent decisions in Washington, Brussels and Bucharest to accept billionaire Vladimir...
Pay attention, America: Russia is upgrading its military
Russia is in the midst of a major modernization of its armed forces. This has been driven by Vladimir Putin’s ambition to restore Russia’s hard power and supported by the revenues that flowed into the Kremlin’s coffers between 2004 and 2014, when the price of oil was high. The modernization programs encompass all parts of the...
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...
Gontareva explained swings in hryvnia exchange rate
The hryvnia exchange rate has decreased due to political instability along with the seasonal factors, the fall in business activity in November and the settling of a large payment from the treasury account, Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Valeriya Gontareva has said. “In recent days, unfortunately, another situation factor was...
Putin Corners Himself in Ukraine. We Would Be Crazy to Placate Him Now
The recent backroom bilateral talks between the United States and Russia about Ukraine have caused anxiety in the region, raised hopes that sanctions could be lifted, and elevated Russian President Vladimir Putin’s status to super power level.All are counterproductive.Since the bilateral talks and optimistic statements by US Secretary of...
