Europe & Eurasia

European Leadership and the Corona Crisis: Geopolitical Effects on Northern Europe

On June 15, 2020, the Atlantic Council Northern Europe Office in cooperation with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Nordic Office, organized a seminar on the topic of ”European Leadership and the Corona Crisis: Geopolitical Effects on Northern Europe”. The public seminar was attended by experts from all around Europe, representing parliaments, governmental institutions, political parties, think-tanks and […]

Zelenskyy keeps Ukraine on Euro-Atlantic course set by predecessor Poroshenko

By Oleksiy Goncharenko

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy has been highly critical of his predecessor Petro Poroshenko, but the ongoing war with Russia mean Zelenskyy has little option but to maintain Poroshenko's policies of Euro-Atlantic integration.

Belarus presidential vote: Democratic breakthrough?

By Viktoriya Zakrevskaya

A combination of domestic and geopolitical factors makes the upcoming Belarusian presidential election the most important for a generation, but can Lukashenko be defeated democratically?

The perils of transatlantic decoupling and how to stop it

By Frederick Kempe

It’s time to take urgent measures to head off the danger of “transatlantic decoupling,” a strategic shift that would put at risk more than seven decades of gains in democracy, open markets and individual rights. Two world wars have taught us where transatlantic neglect can lead, while the history of the past 75 years underscores the value of common cause. We forget those lessons at our peril.

US foreign policy and Euro-Caspian energy security: The time is now to build the Trans-Caspian Pipeline

By Matthew Bryza, Robert M. Cutler, and Giorgi Vashakmadze

The Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) represents a historic success for Azerbaijan and the European Union (EU) in regard to their common quest for new energy supply sources and routes. Over the last decade, the EU has intensified its efforts to expand the SGC, seeking to attract gas from Turkmenistan. The time is now ripe to connect Turkmen gas with SGC infrastructure and the European market through a Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline.

A time to keep allies as allies

By Namık Tan

Despite the many challenges both sides face separately and together, the world cannot afford to allow this relationship to be ruptured beyond repair. Valuing an important friendship has always been important and treating them as such has never been more crucial than right at this moment. Let's hope both sides have gotten that message loud and clear.

Ukraine’s gas market reform: A success story that needs to be acknowledged

By Dr. Aura Sabadus

Ukraine's experience over the past five years with natural gas market reform and regulatory alignment proves that European Union rule transfer is possible in Ukraine, provided it remains committed to positive policy change.

Mission accomplished? Vakarchuk quits but his political party lives on

By Melinda Haring

Ukrainian rock legend Slava Vakarchuk has resigned as an MP less than one year after leading his reformist party into parliament for the first time. He claims it is "mission accomplished" - but will his party survive?

Ukraine’s $7 billion Russian gas transit deal at risk amid claims of political pressure

By Aura Sabadus

Alleged political pressure targeting Ukraine's recently unbundled gas transmission system operator GTSO is threatening to undo Ukraine's energy sector reforms and derail a multi-billion dollar transit contract with Russia's Gazprom.