Commentary & Analysis

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 […]

Three Reasons Turks Chose Chinese Missiles

By Ross Wilson

After long deliberation, Turkey announced September 26 its selection of China’s FD-2000 air and missile defense system over competitors from the United States (Patriot), Europe (SAMP/T), and Russia (S-400).

Georgian Presidential Election Sets Precedent for Progress

By Laura Linderman

Georgia’s October 27 presidential polls were historic and an important step toward strengthening democracy. Outgoing president Saakashvili was replaced through the ballot box by the ruling Georgian Dream coalition’s candidate, Giorgi Margvelashvili. In a remarkably calm and drama-free election, with the lowest voter turnout in a decade at 46.6 percent, Margvelashvili won with 62.11 percent […]

Eurasia Center Hosts Rumsfeld Fellows

On October 31, 2013, the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center had the pleasure of hosting the fall 2013 Rumsfeld Fellows class in our beautiful new offices. These accomplished and transatlantically minded men and women spoke with Ambassadors Ross Wilson and John E. Herbst about evolving US Foreign Policy toward the region.

Energy Analyst: Nabucco’s Gap Has to Be Filled

By Vassilios Sitaras

Having read, with great interest might I add, the article by David Koranyi, Ian Brzezinski and Matthew Bryza, published here on New Atlanticist and entitled After Nabucco – Croatia to the Rescue of Central Europe’s Energy Security, I totally agree with the authors that, for reasons of enhancing South-Eastern Europe’s energy security, Nabucco’s gap has to […]

A First for Georgia

By Laura Linderman and Melinda Haring

Replacing the President by the Ballot Box Georgia’s elections and its sometimes tumultuous results are not for the faint of heart. The country will hold a presidential election on October 27 and this election is historic: for the first time in its history, an incumbent president will be replaced through the ballot box and not […]

Five More Years: On the Challenges Facing Azerbaijan’s President

By Sabine Freizer

President Ilham Aliyev is about to start his third mandate in Azerbaijan. Despite some hefty criticism by the main European elections observation mission, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the elections on 9 October were the easy part. Azerbaijan has made impressive economic progress in recent years, Baku’s sparking skyline standing as […]

The New Silk Road Project: A New Strategy?

The Atlantic Council’s Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center and the Central Asia Caucasus Institute held a vibrant discussion with Afghanistan’s Central Bank Governor Noorullah Delawari on the new transit and trade infrastructure that is debuting across Eurasia: the New Silk Road. This new commercial architecture aims to support Afghanistan’s economic, political, and security transitions by developing […]