Category: Blogs

Russian Military Aircraft Buzzes NATO Warships

By Barbara Star, CNN

In a still publicly unacknowledged incident, a Russian military surveillance aircraft flew close to four NATO warships in the Baltic Sea on Thursday,

EconSource: Saudi Arabia Opens $585 Billion Stock Market to Foreign Investors

By EconSource

Saudi Arabia’s stock market, valued at $585 billion, opened up to direct foreign investment for the first time today, as the kingdom seeks an economic boost amid low global oil prices.

Corruption, not Russian Tanks, Greatest Threat to Success of Ukraine

By Melinda Haring

Corruption threatens to derail Ukraine’s progress, American and Ukrainians officials agreed at the Atlantic Council’s Wrocław Global Forum in Wrocław, Poland on June 13. “There is no issue that is a greater threat to Ukraine’s long-term success today than institutionalized corruption,” said Geoffrey R. Pyatt, US Ambassador to Ukraine. “It’s a bigger threat than Russian […]

Poland’s Sikorski Urges Tougher NATO Stance Against Russia

Two days after resigning as the Speaker of Poland’s Parliament following an eavesdropping scandal, veteran Polish politician Radosław Sikorski said his country and the United States must jointly stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s provocations in Ukraine. Speaking June 12 at the Atlantic Council’s Wrocław Global Forum 2015, Sikorski thanked the US government for […]

Hadley: Ukraine Faces ‘Enormous Existential Challenge’

The United States and its European allies must dramatically step up efforts to help the Ukrainian people defend themselves from Russian President Vladimir Putin and his proxies in eastern Ukraine, said Stephen J. Hadley, who served as National Security Adviser under US President George W. Bush. Hadley, speaking June 13 at the Atlantic Council’s Wroclaw […]

The Final Mubarak Trial [+INFOGRAPHIC]

By Khaled Dawoud

The drama of the trial of former President Hosni Mubarak, which first began in August 2011 appears to finally have an end in sight. On June 4, Egypt’s highest Court of Cassation rejected a decision by the Appeals Court to drop the charges against Mubarak on technicality. Instead, it said Mubarak should be retried alone […]

An Opportunity Emerges in Syria

By Faysal Itani

June 9 brought some rare good news from Syria, for both the Syrian insurgency and the country’s future writ large. On June 9, an insurgent offensive led by the rebel Southern Front’s 1st Army, a coalition of nationalist units, overran a major regime position in the southern province of Deraa.

Non-Military Options for Stopping Further Russian Aggression in Ukraine

By David Horn and Marik String, Foreign Affairs

To date, the United States has “blocked” approximately 130 Russian and Ukrainian officials, businessmen, separatists, and companies.

TTIP Action – June 2

By Global Business & Economics Program

European Commissioner for Trade, Cecilia Malmström Speeches & Official Announcements National Parliaments: Vital for Trade and TTIP “We have no intention of lowering regulatory protections or of giving companies a veto over our future EU or Member States’ policy space and actions. I am 100 percent sure that these things would not pass the European […]