Europe & Eurasia

European Security and Defence Forum Launched

By Chatham House

From Chatham House: “A new European Security and Defence Forum based at Chatham House, in partnership with Finmeccanica and with the support of the Italian Istituto Affari Internazionali, has been launched to analyze political and strategic developments in Europe.The Forum will examine what the implications might be for the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security […]

Azerbaijan: Baku Can Leapfrog over Ukraine, Georgia for NATO Membership

By eurasianet.org

From eurasianet.org: “A senior source within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Joint Force Command has told EurasiaNet that Azerbaijan stands a better chance of gaining NATO membership in the near future than either Georgia or Ukraine.‘Earlier, the perception in both Brussels [North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] headquarters] and Baku was that Georgia should integrate into […]

Britain’s Brown on Borrowed Time

By James Joyner

Despite an embarrassing drubbing of his Labour Party at the polls and the resignation of several key ministers, the UK’s Gordon Brown vows “I will not waver, I will not walk away, I will finish the work.”  Most observers, however, think he’s operating on borrowed time.

Misreading Turkey’s Strategic Goals

By James Joyner

A recurring theme of mine on this blog has been Turkey’s strange behavior for a country that purports to aspire to a full membership in the Western community of nations. Ankarra has frequently been a thorn in the side of its NATO allies and is simultaneously demanding entry into the EU and unwilling to modify […]

China-Europe Relations a One-Way Street

By Damien Tomkins

Sino-European relations are a one-way street going in China’s direction.  A recent report describes it as “unconditional engagement,” a “policy that gives China access to all the economic and other benefits of cooperation with Europe while asking for little in return.” 

EU’s Energy Policy a ‘Big Failure’

By BusinessWeek

From BusinessWeek: “‘Energy policy is one of the big failures of the European Union in the last fifty years, particularly bearing in mind that we started out as a coal and steel community. But our growing dependence on Russia is going to increase the pressure for a common energy policy, to improve the internal grids […]

Poland’s Democracy at 20

By James Joyner

As the 20th anniversary of the Solidarity movement’s triumph approaches, Poland finds itself divided politically and unhappy with its current state of affairs.  That’s a good thing.

Atlantic Council Expands Ukraine Program

Ukraine-North America Dialogue, New Corruption Report Launched Washington, D.C. — The Atlantic Council of the United States recently launched the Ukraine-North America Dialogue as well as a new report on corruption in Ukraine that will be published this autumn.  In only two months, the Ukraine-North America Dialogue has become an important forum for promoting the […]

Georgia the Key to US-Russia “Reset”

By David Smith

US President Barack Obama will travel to Moscow July 6-8 on the first real test of his attempt to “reset” US-Russian relations.  At the Kremlin, Obama must articulate what is negotiable and what is not.