Category: Blogs

What Ukraine Can Learn From Poland

By Oksana Khomei

When the Soviet Union crumbled in 1991, both Poland and Ukraine were poor. Since then, the Polish economy has boomed, while Ukrainians are poorer than they were twenty-four years ago. Poland got its reforms right in the 1990s, and now plays a significant role in Ukraine’s reform process. This is evident in the close relations […]

5 Reasons NATO Fears a Grexit

By Robbie Gramer and Rachel Rizzo

The risks of Greece exiting the eurozone are not confined to economics. The crisis poses five very real challenges to NATO that many defense officials are overlooking — at NATO’s peril.

Assessing the Iran Deal

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Nuclear agreement will have ‘strategic cost’ for US alliances in the Middle East, says Retired Adm. Stavridis The nuclear deal reached July 14 that limits Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief will have a significant impact on the United States’ alliances in the Middle East, says retired Adm. James Stavridis, a former NATO […]

Here’s How to Make Sense of the Violence in Western Ukraine: Follow the Money

By John E. Herbst

Ukraine made headlines again when a nationalist group and police in the western city of Mukachevo exchanged gunfire that killed three on June 11. A group of 21 armed members of Right Sector seized a sports complex owned by Member of Parliament Mikhail Lanyo and reportedly beat and shot one of his employees in the […]

The Middle East Transformed by Iran Agreement? Take a Deep Breath; Here’s Why Not

By Richard LeBaron

The reactions to the nuclear agreement with Iran announced July 14 were utterly predictable. Those against the agreement yesterday are those against the agreement today. Those for it are still for it. The Obama administration will fight for its approval by Congress and the Netanyahu administration will fight against it. Republican presidential hopefuls are all […]

Greek Crisis ‘Diverts Attention’ from Kyiv

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Ukraine’s Economy Minister: Unlike Greece, Ukraine is embracing reforms The Greek financial crisis has diverted global attention away from Ukraine, but it also “sheds a positive light” on the Kyiv government’s achievements, Ukrainian Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavicius said in a July 14 interview. “Greece is rejecting reforms, and we are embracing reforms,” said Abromavicius, who […]

An Opportunity to Discuss Iran’s Support for al-Assad

The nuclear deal reached July 14 between Iran and the so-called P5+1—the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany—presents an opportunity for the Obama administration and its partners to address Iran’s support for Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, writes Frederic C. Hof, a Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for […]

Dealing with Iran Post-Deal

By Frederic C. Hof

One may see the nuclear agreement with Iran as the product of a faulty premise and still respect the industry of US Secretary of State John Kerry and his team in arriving at respectable terms consistent with that premise. One may see the prospect of a regionally aggressive Iran soon to be flush with cash […]

EU Must Invest in Its Newest Statesman—and Keep Him Honest

By Matthew Bryza

This past Sunday in Brussels, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras received a well-earned dressing down for seventeen hours by his Eurozone colleagues.  Following months of bombast that destroyed Athens’ trust among its creditors, Tsipras’ most recent two weeks of erratic behavior seemed like a transparent attempt to blackmail the European Union. According to EU officials, […]