Commentary & Analysis

How to Avoid All-Out War in Ukraine

By Sabine Freizer

Ukraine is on fire. Though it is part of the same Black Sea region as Turkey and a solid economic partner, Kiev is far from many minds in Turkey. The few that are paying attention are making comparisons between the violence during the Gezi protests and what is happening today in Ukraine’s squares. Some comparisons […]

As US Seeks Trade Deals, It Should Include Energy

By New Atlanticist

As the White House scrambles to defend the big trade deals it is negotiating with Europe and Asia, the Atlantic Council’s David Koranyi underscores the benefits of including the energy sector in those talks. After President Obama asked Congress directly for broad authority to negotiate the deals in his State of the Union address last […]

Toward a Transatlantic Energy Alliance?

By David Koranyi and Jesper Packert Pedersen

Liberalization of Energy Trade in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Negotiations over a transatlantic free trade agreement have kicked into gear as US and EU negotiators met for the third time in December and began in earnest to flesh out the details of what has recently been referred to as “an economic NATO”: a reinforced partnership […]

Off-the-record Discussion with Sinan Celebi

On January 9, the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center hosted an invite-only, off-the-record discussion with the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Sinan Celebi.  This discussion provided an opportunity to engage with the Minister on the nature of the Erbil-Baghdad dialogue, priorities of the new KRG government in general and in trade […]

A Corruption Investigation Arrests Turkey’s Political Calm

By Ross Wilson

The sweeping anti-corruption arrests carried out this week by Turkish law enforcement authorities and the government’s stern response in sacking a wide range of police commanders mark the biggest political crisis in Turkey since 2007 and signal a further intensification of conflict and turmoil as the country looks at a series of elections in 2014-15. […]

Hydrocarbon Finds and the Cyprus Settlement Negotiations

On December 13, the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center hosted a distinguished group of thinkers and diplomats for an off-the-record discussion on Cyprus Settlement Negotiations and hydrocarbon finds in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Ukraine on the Edge

By Sabine Freizer

Need for Dialogue on Institutional Reform Too many of the statements being made by foreign officials on the political crisis growing in Ukraine over the past three weeks have described it as a clash between pro-Western values and Russian imperialism. But talking about values will not provide a solution to the dispute. Instead all parties […]

Ukraine, the EU, and Russia: Win, Don’t Whine

By Matthew Bryza

It is understandable that European leaders are angry with Russia for spoiling the EU’s Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius by pressuring Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to “suspend” signing of Ukraine’s EU Association Agreement.  Moscow’s hardball tactics created a diplomatic debacle for the EU, as President Putin (yet again) violated his self-serving maxim of noninterference in […]

Ukraine Roars Back to Life

By Melinda Haring and Laura Linderman

Politics in Ukraine had become a rather dull affair. That all changed when President Viktor Yanukovych overreacted to peaceful street protests with excessive force. The security services clubbed protestors who were protecting the Maidan – the hub of all protest activity after Yanukovych unexpectedly rebuffed the European Union– early Saturday morning. His overreaction brought an […]