Atlantic Council blogs

Executive Suspended for Criticizing E.U. Satellite

By Kevin J. O’Brien, the New York Times

From Kevin J. O’Brien, the New York Times:  The chief executive of the largest satellite company in Germany was suspended on Tuesday for telling American diplomats that the Galileo satellite project in Europe was redundant, cost-inefficient and designed to benefit French business interests, according to cables published by WikiLeaks.

Ukraine and Russia Negotiating “Gas for Fleet” Agreement

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  The Russian and Ukrainian finance ministries will draw up a draft agreement within two months on the extension terms of the lease of the Sevastopol port to Russia, Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev signed an agreement to extend the […]

PM Erdogan: Turkey will not “wait at the EU’s door like a docile supplicant”

By Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Newsweek

US and Russia Disagree over Zones of Control for Missile Defense

By Walter Pincus, the Washington Post

From Walter Pincus, the Washington Post:  Before the November NATO-Russia Council meetings in Lisbon, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev asserted three principles for a shared NATO missile-defense agreement: Russia would be a full partner, there would be shared early-warning data (such as shared sensors), and there would be assigned zones of responsibility for protection.

Smarter Somali pirates thwarting navies, NATO admits

By Michael Richards, AFP

China’s buying spree raises hope, and fear in Europe

By Charlemagne, the Economist

From Charlemagne, the Economist:  On his tour of Europe this month, China’s vice-premier, Li Keqiang, announced his country’s plan to buy cheap European government bonds, as Chinese companies purchased shares in European petrochemical ventures, tens of thousands of cars and even a few million euros’ worth of Spanish wine and ham to top off the […]

Bulgarian lawmakers push to have 35 ambassadors with KGB past fired

By RIA Novosti

Prime Minister Claims Power in Tunisia as President Flees

By David D. Kirkpatrick, the New York Times

Is Germany Out Growing the Franco-German Partnership?

By Steven Erlanger, the New York Times

From Steven Erlanger, the New York Times:  While the agonies of the European Union — sovereign defaults, deficits and bubbles — unfold like a great wonk drama, at their core is something more intimate: the fractured tale of Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy.

Crew of Danish ship missing after pirate attack

By Tom Maliti, the AP