Eastern Europe

Russia Deploys First Fighter Jets to Belarus

By Defense News and RIA Novosti

From Jaroslaw Adamowski, Defense News:  Russia has deployed the first four Su-27SM3 fighter jets to Belarus. The aircraft will be stationed at the 61st air base in Baranavichi, reported local daily Belorusskiy Partizan.

Eurasia’s Captive Nations

By Damon Wilson

During the Cold War, against all odds and the tenets of realpolitik diplomacy, every White House and US Congress championed the cause of the ‘captive nations’ of central and eastern Europe locked behind the Iron Curtain. The accession over the next two decades of Poland, Estonia, and others to NATO and the European Union ended Cold War […]

Ukraine’s Snubbing of Europe Sparks Political Crisis

By Taras Kuzio

Last Thursday’s government decision to cancel plans to seek an Association Agreement with the EU at the Vilnius summit of the Eastern Partnership, which starts tomorrow, has sparked a mass protest by one hundred thousand people in Kyiv that bring back memories of the Orange Revolution nine years ago. The EU had turned up the […]

Russia’s Ukraine Power Play Pays Off

By Rajan Menon

The will-he-won’t-he suspense sowed by the speculation over whether Ukraine’s president Viktor Yanukovych would formally sign the Association Agreement with the European Union is over.

EU Needs to Rethink its Eastern Partnership Policy

By Taras Kuzio

The EU’s Eastern Partnership (EaP), unveiled four years ago to build better neighbourly relations with six former Soviet republics, is in crisis. The EaP was launched by EU members such as Sweden and Poland (with the backing of Britain) keen to promote enlargement into the former USSR. Although with this not possible due to widespread […]

Damon Wilson to Outline a US Strategy for Europe’s East

Atlantic Council Executive Vice President Damon Wilson will testify before the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Subcommittee on European Affairs hearing today on A Pivotal Moment for the Eastern Partnership: Outlook for Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Belarus, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

A US Strategy for Europe’s East

By Damon Wilson

Atlantic Council Executive Vice President Damon Wilson testified before a hearing of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Subcommittee on European Affairs, on November 14, 2013. The hearing was convened to examine the outlook for European Union Eastern Partners – Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Belarus, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

Defense Minister Says NATO and Terrorism are the Top Security Threats to Russia

By RIA Novosti and Moscow Times

From RIA Novosti:  Terrorism and NATO expansion near Russian borders pose key threats to Russia’s national security, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Saturday.

Eastern Partnerships Pose Deep Challenges for European Union

By Sarah Bedenbaugh

On November 5, Miroslav Lajčák, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, was the featured speaker at the Atlantic Council’s event, EU’s Eastern Partnership: The Vilnius Summit and Beyond.  Minister Lajčák’s visit to Washington comes only three short weeks before the European Union (EU) and the six former […]

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 […]