Eastern Europe

Russia and Georgia to Reopen Border Crossing

By James Joyner

Georgia and Russia have agreed to re-open a key artery closed since 2006, another sign that Moscow would like to repair relations with its former satellite.

Completing Europe

By Damon Wilson

In the wake of the collapse of the Berlin Wall, “Europe whole, free and at peace” was not just a vision; it was a successful policy leading to the consolidation of democracy in Central and Eastern Europe and the integration of the region into Europe’s great institutions. This outcome was neither easy nor obvious.

The Russia-Georgia Conflict: An Invasion by Any Other Name

By David Smith

The long awaited European Union-commissioned report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia was published last week.  Unsurprisingly, it largely corroborates Georgian accounts of Russia’s August 2008 invasion while blaming Georgia for sparking the conflict.

BSEEF: Opening Remarks (Transcript)

Back to Black Sea Energy and Economic Forum Black Sea Energy and Economic Forum 2009 Speakers: Frederick Kempe, President and CEO, Atlantic Council Ambassador Mikail Eriksson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden (Speaking on behalf of Carl Bildt, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sweden; Former Prime Minister, Sweden) Doru Costea, State Secretary for Global Affairs, Ministry of […]

EU: Georgia ‘Triggered’ Russia’s Illegal Invasion

By James Joyner

As widely anticipated, an EU report on last year’s Russian invasion of Georgia finds plenty of blame to go around, finding that Tblisi “triggered” the conflict but that Moscow violated international law by its invasion and with numerous atrocities thereafter.

Missile Defense: What Scowcroft Missed

By Adrian Karatnycky

Brent Scowcroft has issued a strong statement of support for President Obama’s decision to scrap George Bush’s planned missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic in favor of a sea-based system.  General Scowcroft, however, elides the main point. While there may be a strong case in favor of the Aegis alternative, the announcement should […]

Brent Scowcroft Supports Obama’s Missile Defense Decision

By James Joyner

While I remain highly critical of the optics of yesterday’s decision to change course on missile defense in Eastern Europe, timed as it was on the 70th anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Poland and coming after a year of bellicose actions from Moscow, it would be remiss not to point out that General Brent Scowcroft […]

Biden Was Right: Russia No Longer a Great Power

By David Smith

As U.S. Vice President Joe Biden returned to Washington from his foray to Ukraine and Georgia, the first copies of a Wall Street Journal article that would plunge him into political controversy rolled off the presses.

Biden Georgia Visit Could Be Historic

By David Smith

US Vice President Joe Biden stormed Tbilisi last week with a message of American support for Georgian territorial integrity, sovereignty and democracy.