Content

UkraineAlert

Oct 12, 2020

UK and Ukraine sign historic post-Brexit free trade deal

By Vasyl Myroshnychenko

The jury is still out on the economic impact of Brexit, but Ukraine emerged in early October as an unlikely early beneficiary of Britain’s EU exit by signing a landmark partnership agreement including free trade.

Economy & Business
Trade and tariffs

AfricaSource

Oct 12, 2020

An overview of DFC operations in African markets

By Africa Center

Regional Director for Africa at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Vibhuti Jain, joins Atlantic Council Africa Center Senior Fellow Aubrey Hruby to provide an overview of the U.S. DFC’s operations in African markets and the new Africa Investment Advisors program ahead of the Investing in Africa’s Future Conference.

Africa
Economy & Business

UkraineAlert

Oct 12, 2020

Russo-Ukrainian War: Time for Zelenskyy to turn from populism to pragmatism

By Taras Kuzio

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy won election last year with populist promises of peace with Russia, but the realities of ongoing Kremlin aggression mean a more pragmatic approach is now necessary.

Conflict
Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

New Atlanticist

Oct 10, 2020

Armenia-Azerbaijan ceasefire revives “Basic Principles” and demonstrates Putin’s continued sway

By Matthew Bryza

Russian President Vladimir Putin filled a diplomatic vacuum in the South Caucasus on October 9 by cajoling the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia to agree to a ceasefire in their long-time war over Nagorno Karabakh, which resumed on September 27.

Conflict
Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

New Atlanticist

Oct 10, 2020

Don’t abandon peace for Afghanistan

By James Cunningham, John Negroponte, Ronald Neumann, Hugo Llorens, Richard Olson, and Earl Anthony Wayne

An accelerated US withdrawal will effectively mean abandoning the fruits of two years of determined US diplomacy with the Taliban, Afghan partners in Kabul, our allies, and regional and international partners to get the Afghan parties to the negotiating table.

Afghanistan
Conflict

Event Recap

Oct 9, 2020

Topic overview | Space: The next frontier for innovation, economics, accessibility, and infrastructure

By Borja Prado

Space is quickly becoming the new frontier to be explored by national governments and private sector actors. In the process, the different parties prepare themselves for an environment that will bring to space the competition and collaboration behaviors that are typical on Earth, that will require new or updated regulations and international norms, and that will unleash new opportunities for multiple industries and technologies – spanning from transportation and satellite communication to data sharing, artificial intelligence or national security.

International Norms
Space

New Atlanticist

Oct 9, 2020

Rising solar: Investing in Japan’s energy transition

By Alexis Crow

The ability to invest in renewable energy assets in Japan—and thus to contribute to the country’s energy transition—also presents a significant opportunity for long-term capital from around the globe

Climate Change & Climate Action
Energy Transitions

The future is here

Oct 9, 2020

The post-COVID world this week: A new prediction for back-to-normal, passes for safer travel, and a power shake-up in the Mediterranean

By Atlantic Council

What can we expect from a post-COVID world after a pandemic that has reshaped international affairs? We may be looking at scrambled power dynamics across the Mediterranean region.

Coronavirus
Latin America

BelarusAlert

Oct 8, 2020

Putin’s fear of democracy is fueling the crisis in Belarus

By Peter Dickinson

The leaders of pro-democracy protests in Belarus have repeatedly denied any anti-Russian agenda but this has failed to prevent Moscow from offering its full backing to beleaguered dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

Belarus
Democratic Transitions

MENASource

Oct 8, 2020

The Shia are a black hole for US policy in the Middle East

By Andrew L. Peek

The US government's public engagement work has not caught up with the new focus on Iran. In other words, the US lacks virtually any engagement with the Shia body politic.

Iraq
Middle East