Europe & Eurasia

Britain Drifts Towards Isolation

By Richard Haass, Financial Times

The British Parliament’s rejection of a motion endorsing UK participation in expected military action against Syria is nothing less than stunning – an event with a political significance that transcends the immediate debate

US Seeks Allies as UK Shuns Syria Action in Shock Vote

By Lorna Shaddick, FRANCE 24

The United States is still seeking an “international coalition” in response to Syria’s alleged use of chemical weapons, despite a vote against military action by British MPs, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Friday.

Germany: No Plans to Join Syria Military Action

By AP and Charles Hawley, Spiegel

From AP:  The German government said Friday that it isn’t considering joining military action against Syria and hasn’t been asked by others to do so.

Despite UK Vote, France Backs Action in Syria

By David Gauthier-Villars, Wall Street Journal

France sent a clear signal on Friday that it was preparing strikes against the regime of Bashar al-Assad, with President François Hollande saying the Syrian government’s alleged use of chemical weapons against its own people cannot go unpunished.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron Loses Parliamentary Vote on Syrian Military Strike

By Anthony Faiola, Washington Post

Invoking the specter of the Iraq war, British lawmakers on Thursday rejected military action in Syria, dealing a stunning blow to Prime Minister David Cameron and effectively ruling Washington’s staunchest military ally out of any U.S.-led strike.

Exclusive Interview with Estonian President Ilves on Cyber Security

While the presidents of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are in Washington, DC to meet with President Obama to discuss economic cooperation and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, Estonian President Hendrik Ilves sat down with Atlantic Council Executive Vice President Damon Wilson for an exclusive interview on Estonia’s role in cyber security and its importance […]

UK Foreign Minister: ‘We Cannot Allow the Use of Chemical Weapons’

By William Hague, Telegraph

We all live under the protection of this global system of arms control, just as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has spared us from the threat of nuclear holocaust, which blighted my parents’ generation.

The Baltic Way

By Damon Wilson

A Scenesetter for the Meeting of US-Baltic Presidents As President Obama prepares to meet the three Baltic presidents on Friday, I am reminded of standing on the floor of the Riigikogu in the summer of 1992:  as I watched Estonia’s restored parliament conduct business amidst the political jostling in the run-up to the nation’s first […]

Turkey may Open İncirlik Base for NATO Mission in Syria

By Murat Yetkin, Hurriyet Daily News

Turkey may open its strategic İncirlik air base for possible military operations into neighboring Syria, if the Western defense alliance NATO decides for an intervention in the ongoing civil war, a ranking Turkish official told the Hürriyet Daily News on Aug. 26.

Obama Hosts Baltic Presidents This Week

On Friday, August 30, US President Barack Obama will host the presidents of the three Baltic states: Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Latvian President Andris Bērziņš, and Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė. Atlantic Council Executive Vice President Damon Wilson discusses the significance of the visit and the expected topics on the agenda.