Europe & Eurasia

Former U.S. Ambassador on German Complaisance

By John Kornblum, the New York Times

From John Kornblum, the New York Times: Ms. Merkel’s unwillingness to sweeten the financial pot echoed throughout Brussels. To many, it signified the decline of German willingness to “salute the French flag three times before raising the German flag,” as Konrad Adenauer used to put it. Germans are not alone in objecting to throwing more […]

NATO and Estonia Conclude Agreement on Cyber Defence

By NATO

From NATO: On the margins of the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Tallinn, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreement was signed on 23 April 2010 between Estonia and NATO. The MOU creates a legal framework for cyber defence cooperation between NATO and Estonia. It will facilitate the exchange of information and provide means for create […]

Greek Tragedy Continues

By Edward Hugh

The future of the Eurozone is decidedly hanging in the balance at the moment. The problem isn’t a simple question of economics anymore: everything now is all about credibility, about who does what, and when, and how everyone else reacts. As the crisis trundles on and on, news that Greek bond spreads have hit ever […]

Russia Base Won’t Affect Ukraine NATO Prospect-NATO

By Reuters

Bosnia Moves Forward on NATO Membership

By NATO

From NATO: We decided that as of yesterday, Bosnia and Herzegovina has entered the Membership Action Plan, the implementation of which will only begin fully when some clearly identified defence property is formally transferred from the entity level to the Ministry of Defence. I strongly welcome this decision. It reflects our shared view that the […]

Russia to Pay Ukraine Annually $98 Million in Cash for Naval Base Rent

By Interfax

From Interfax: Russia, which has granted a discount on gas payments to Ukraine, will start paying about $98 million in cash annually to rent the Black Sea Fleet’s base in Sevastopol starting in 2019, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said at a press conference on Thursday. A 1997 Russian-Ukrainian treaty on the Black Sea Fleet’s stationing […]

Russia Black Sea Fleet Presence in Ukraine Extended for 25 More Years

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  Ukraine has agreed to extend the term of Russian Black Sea Fleet presence in the country’s Crimea for 25 more years, the Russian president said on Wednesday. The new agreement, signed after talks between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovych, also stipulates the extension for an additional five […]

Hardliner Eroglu Wins Turkish Cypriot Election

By AFP

From AFP: Hardliner Dervis Eroglu won the Turkish Cypriot presidential election Sunday on the divided island of Cyprus, ousting pro-settlement candidate Mehmet Ali Talat but vowing to work for a peace deal. "No-one must think that I will walk away from the negotiating table … The talks process will continue," Eroglu told Turkey’s NTV television. […]