Europe & Eurasia

Russian Military Aircraft Buzzes NATO Warships

By Barbara Star, CNN

In a still publicly unacknowledged incident, a Russian military surveillance aircraft flew close to four NATO warships in the Baltic Sea on Thursday,

Corruption, not Russian Tanks, Greatest Threat to Success of Ukraine

By Melinda Haring

Corruption threatens to derail Ukraine’s progress, American and Ukrainians officials agreed at the Atlantic Council’s Wrocław Global Forum in Wrocław, Poland on June 13. “There is no issue that is a greater threat to Ukraine’s long-term success today than institutionalized corruption,” said Geoffrey R. Pyatt, US Ambassador to Ukraine. “It’s a bigger threat than Russian […]

Poland’s Sikorski Urges Tougher NATO Stance Against Russia

Two days after resigning as the Speaker of Poland’s Parliament following an eavesdropping scandal, veteran Polish politician Radosław Sikorski said his country and the United States must jointly stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s provocations in Ukraine. Speaking June 12 at the Atlantic Council’s Wrocław Global Forum 2015, Sikorski thanked the US government for […]

Hadley: Ukraine Faces ‘Enormous Existential Challenge’

The United States and its European allies must dramatically step up efforts to help the Ukrainian people defend themselves from Russian President Vladimir Putin and his proxies in eastern Ukraine, said Stephen J. Hadley, who served as National Security Adviser under US President George W. Bush. Hadley, speaking June 13 at the Atlantic Council’s Wroclaw […]

Non-Military Options for Stopping Further Russian Aggression in Ukraine

By David Horn and Marik String, Foreign Affairs

To date, the United States has “blocked” approximately 130 Russian and Ukrainian officials, businessmen, separatists, and companies.

Top US General in Europe says NATO Alliance is Strong

By Larry Luxner

Nine months after NATO’s summit in Wales, and with less than a year to go before NATO’s next gathering in Warsaw, the Pentagon’s highest-ranking officer in Europe says the 28-member alliance stands ready to confront any threats it may face. Lt. Gen. Frederick “Ben” Hodges, Commanding General of the US Army Europe, labeled Russia’s recent […]

Don’t Fall for Putin’s Game, Warn European Officials

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Kremlin strategy seen rooted in distracting West with propaganda and splintering alliance Russian President Vladimir Putin has a strategy clearly aimed at dividing the Western alliance arrayed against him and this must not be allowed to succeed, two European officials said June 12. “If we understand that one of the goals of Mr. Putin is […]

NATO Seeks Higher Montenegro Public Support for Membership

By Predrag Milic, AP

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in Podgorica that Montenegro’s membership bid is in “the crucial phase” and that it will be discussed at NATO’s ministerial meeting scheduled for December.

Poland Says Next NATO Summit Should Invite Macedonia, Montenegro to Join

By Wiktor Szary, Reuters

The former Yugoslav republics of Macedonia and Montenegro should be invited to join NATO when it holds its next summit in Warsaw in 2016, Polish Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said on Friday.

With World Focused on Ukraine, Russia Makes Moves on Georgia

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Georgian official draws parallels between Putin’s treaties with breakaway provinces and annexation of Crimea While the world focuses its attention on the Ukraine crisis, Russia has been quietly grabbing territory from another neighbor—Georgia. The Kremlin’s aggression against Ukraine is just the latest provocation by Russia in its neighborhood, Georgia’s Foreign Minister, Tamar Beruchashvili, reminded an […]