Section: Royal United Services Institute (UK)
‘Rasputitsa’: Why Railways and Roads are Russia’s Achilles’ Heel
Ageing railways, poor-quality roads and an inadequate response by the authorities to calls for basic services are the weak underbelly of the Russian infrastructure system.Download the articleThe Russian language has a specific word to describe the conditions of roads during particularly adverse weather. Rasputitsa usually describes heavy snow or...
The Gathering Storm: As the Baltic States Prepare to Disconnect from the Russian Power Grid, the Kremlin is Ready to ‘Help’
With the Baltic states on-track to become independent from centralised Russian control over their power networks, the Kremlin has demonstrated an alarming potential to disconnect them from its power grid before they are ready to join the continental European network.Download the article On 22 May 2019, Russia disconnected all power lines linking...
Taking Stock and Looking Ahead: The European Union’s Approach to Conflict Management in the Eastern Partnership
The EU recently marked the 10th anniversary of its Eastern Partnership, a cooperation framework directed at Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, countries critical to European security but not facing the immediate and sometimes not even distant prospect of EU membership.Since the inception of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) a...
Turkey, the US and the S-400: A Counter-Narrative
Regardless of how difficult Erdogan’s Turkey may now be, it is a key state in NATO and must be treated as such.There is a theory that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey purchased the Russian-made S-400 system to protect himself from another coup attempt, not as a capability for the Turkish armed forces more generally. This would align...
Russia’s ‘Political Solitude’ and the US
Russia’s responses to the US’s actions are often misinterpreted, but examining more closely how Russia approaches the US could help to explain the bilateral relationship’s future trajectory. Russia’s relations with the United States are at their nadir, and the new year appears to offer no immediate breakthroughs. The...
France, Germany and Europe’s Strategic Footprint
An off-the-cuff and not very productive German proposal has revived an older debate about France’s role and status in the world, as well as the measures which should be taken to enhance Europe’s strategic footprint.Recently in Berlin, the German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz revived the idea of transforming the permanent seat of...
Security in Northern Europe: Deterrence, Defence and Dialogue
There are a number of challenges facing NATO members in coordinatng their response to Russia.NATO’s Northern members are increasingly concerned about Russia’s military activities. This Whitehall Paper contains perspectives from prominent authors across the region, showing how member states are responding, individually and...
Ukraine: The Next Twelve Months
Never known for being a predictable place, the next year in Ukrainian politics will be coloured by the continuing war in the Donbas, the 2019 elections, attempts at reforming a deeply corrupted society and advancing the country’s NATO aspirations.Download the article (PDF)With newsfeeds full of allegations relating to Russia’s...
Before the Brussels Summit: How is the NATO Alliance Doing, Really?
The revived Russian threat brings NATO back to its roots at this year’s summit in Brussels, which might be the most important in the Alliance’s recent history.Download the article (PDF)On 16 March 2018, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) hosted a private, off the record seminar held under non-attribution rules for the Security...
A Bridge to Moscow? Bulgarian Policy in the Standoff Between Russia and the West
Holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU for the first half of 2018, Bulgaria hopes to further its role as a diplomatic conduit between Russia and the West. But is this small country, heavily reliant on both parties, capable of mending strained relations?Download the article (PDF)Bulgaria is marketing itself internationally as a...
