Europe & Eurasia

Sarkozy to propose new ties between Russia, EU, NATO, OSCE

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  France intends to make specific proposals on Russia’s relations with the European Union, NATO and OSCE in September to secure stability in the Euro-Atlantic zone. French President Nicolas Sarkozy made the announcement on Tuesday during the opening of the 18th Ambassadors’ Conference held at the Elysee Palace in Paris. "Our common interests […]

NATO allies have key role in new Pentagon Cyber Security Strategy

By David Ignatius, the Washington Post

From David Ignatius, the Washington Post:   With little fanfare, the Pentagon is putting the finishing touches on a new strategy that will treat cyberspace as a domain of potential warfare — and apply instant "active defense" to counterattacks that, in theory, could shut down the nation’s transportation and commerce.

EU Gets Tough on Iran

By Emanuele Ottolenghi

The European Union sometimes earns well-deserved criticism for its foreign policy. But praise should be given where praise is deserved – and the EU’s latest effort to target Iran with tough autonomous sanctions is one such case. Clearly, the measures the EU adopted on July 26 can be further expanded. More can be done. But […]

Defence chief urges end to German conscription

By Gerrit Wiesmann, the Financial Times

From Gerrit Wiesmann, the Financial Times:   The German government is trying to cut its defence budget by ending national service and cutting the army by a third to 165,000 troops. Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, the defence minister, urged an end to conscription as he briefed colleagues about cutting €8.3bn ($10.5bn) from planned defence spending by 2014, according […]

Ukraine Under Yanukovych: An Analytical Debate

On August 18, New Atlanticist–the Atlantic Council’s policy and analysis blog–published a critique of Ukraine’s leadership and progress toward democracy since 2004. Entitled  “Orange Peels: Ukraine after Revolution,” the essay was written by Council Senior Fellow Adrian Karatnycky.

Ukraine Boosts State Control

By Alexandra Hrycak

I see that Adrian Karatnycky, author of "Orange Peels," asks us to take a close look at the pattern of behavior exhibited by the Yanukovych administration over the past half year. Upon doing so, he says in reply to recent critical discussions of his piece, we will see that Ukrainians are "tired of protesting" (but […]

Ukraine’s Leadership: Follow-up

By Alexander Motyl

This discussion of Yanukovych is beginning to resemble the kind of conversations I used to have with Soviets back in the days of the Cold War. You say A, they say –A. You say B, they say –B. After a while, you begin to realize that you and they inhabit different worlds, have different values, […]

Iceland should keep its faith in NATO

By Vera Knútsdóttir, the Guardian

From Vera Knútsdóttir, the Guardian:  Formal talks on Iceland’s accession to the European Union started on 27 July, spurring heated debates between the pro-EU and anti-EU camps. Some of the more optimistic EU advocates believe that once Iceland joins the EU there will be no need for Iceland to stay in Nato. … These optimists […]

Macedonia Vacillates on NATO Commitment

By Slobodanka Jovanovska, BBC via Investors Business Daily: The pillar of Macedonian foreign policy over the past two decades, that is, the good relations with the United States, has begun to fall apart against the blows of the patriotic fight for the state’s name.