Ukraine
Putin’s choice
Whatever steps Vladimir Putin takes over coming days will be deeply consequential for the security of both Russia and Europe.
What does Putin want?
Firstly, he wants to bring…
Military operations in a more transparent world
In the past eight years, little short of a revolution has occurred in the world of “OSINT” – that is, Open Source Intelligence, information gathered from publicly accessible data …
Europe can’t pass the buck on Ukraine
In President Vladimir Putin’s inauguration speech in 2000 he stated that Russia must “defend Russian citizens everywhere” and create a country which is “respected in the world”…
Can the new German foreign minister make a difference?
It is less than two months since Angela Merkel stood down as chancellor of Germany, and a “traffic light” coalition government comprising the Social Democrats, Greens and Free…
Why Ukraine and Russia can’t agree on autonomy for the Donbas
Last week, the United States and NATO predictably rejected Russia’s demands of never allowing former Soviet countries, namely Ukraine and Georgia, to join the alliance.
In this…
2022 is not 2014: What holds back Russia from Ukraine
The first round of Russia-United States-Europe strategic consultations, held between 10 and 13 January, finished without firm commitments, fuelling ongoing speculation about an…
European security: Putin ups the ante with NATO
Not content with sabre-rattling amid a menacing large troop build-up around Ukraine’s borders, Russia last week issued sweeping demands for legally binding new security…
Russia, more than China, leaves India with a dilemma
Ukraine and Taiwan are now the major focal points in the geopolitical arena, testing the diplomacy of the United States but also other nations – India as much as any. Where India…
The Kremlin may be tiring of the impasse in eastern Ukraine
Reports this month of a sizeable recent build-up of Russian military forces around Ukraine’s borders have aroused fears in Kiev and Western capitals of impending Russian military…
Lukashenko running on empty
Belarusian autocrat Alexander Lukashenko is under pressure and increasingly isolated. That makes him more dangerous. And it poses challenges, as well as opportunities, for his…