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The Power Vertical

The Power Vertical is a blog and podcast for Russia wonks and Kremlin watchers by Brian Whitmore. It covers emerging and developing trends in Russian politics, shining a spotlight on the high-stakes power struggles, machinations, and clashing interests that shape Kremlin policy today.

Host and Eurasia Center Senior Fellow Brian Whitmore invites guest experts to deliver their insights and analysis in this weekly podcast. The Atlantic Council and the Charles T. McDowell Center for Global Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington co-sponsor this production.

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The Eurasia Center’s mission is to enhance transatlantic cooperation in promoting stability, democratic values and prosperity in Eurasia, from Eastern Europe and Turkey in the West to the Caucasus, Russia and Central Asia in the East.

Content

Military parade in Moscow, May 9, 2014

NATOSource

Apr 2, 2015

Report: Russia Threatens Nuclear Showdown Over the Baltic Republics

By The Independent and The Times (London)

From Ian Johnston, The Independent: According to notes made by an American at a meeting between Russian generals and US officials – and seen by The Times newspaper – Moscow threatened a “spectrum of responses from nuclear to non-military” if Nato moved more forces into Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

NATO Northern Europe
German CH-53, Feb. 25, 2015

NATOSource

Mar 31, 2015

German Military No Longer Standing at Ease as Security Fears Grow

By Stefan Wagstyl, Financial Times

[T]he Russian threat to European stability has galvanised backing for a more active military. A recent YouGov poll showed 49 per cent support for increased defence spending, versus 36 per cent against.

Germany NATO

UkraineAlert

Mar 31, 2015

In Ukraine, the Real Fight is for Europe

By Stephen Blank

Putin’s War is Not Over Donbas, but a New Russian Empire According to Vladimir Putin, Crimea and Ukraine are where the spiritual sources of Russia’s nationhood lie. And he “always saw the Russians and Ukrainians as a single people. I still think this way now.” People observing the crisis triggered by Putin’s aggression against Ukraine […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Mar 31, 2015

Russia Plans Spring Offensive in Ukraine, Warns Ex-NATO Chief Wesley Clark

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Russian-backed separatists are planning a fresh offensive in eastern Ukraine that could come within a matter of months, retired Gen. Wesley Clark, a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, warned March 30. “What is happening now is preparations for a renewed offensive from the east,” and this could take place following Orthodox Easter, on April 12, […]

NATO Russia

Article

Mar 30, 2015

Briefing from Ukraine’s Front Lines

By Wesley Clark

General Wesley K. Clark (Ret.)Former NATO Supreme Allied CommanderMarch 30, 2015 Background  The Kremlin has been waging a covert, hybrid war against Ukraine since February of 2014. In this war, Moscow has used a combination of local separatist forces, irregular volunteers, and Russian special forces and regular (conventional) forces. Since the original Minsk I ceasefire […]

Russia Ukraine
Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, March 30, 2015

NATOSource

Mar 30, 2015

General Hodges: Ukraine Target of Massive Amounts of Artillery and Rocket Fire

By Defense News

The fighting that has been going on in Ukraine is a very serious, kinetic, violent steel-on-steel fight. This is not some rebels sniping at each other.

Russia Ukraine
Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders, March 2, 2015

NATOSource

Mar 30, 2015

Dutch Foreign Minister Worried About Russia’s Nuclear Exercises and Threats

By Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands

NATO’s collective strength lies in the solidarity among its members: one for all and all for one. The Netherlands is helping the alliance to make changes, for instance by enhancing the deployability and responsiveness of NATO units.

NATO Nuclear Nonproliferation
SACEUR Gen. Philip Breedlove, May 22, 2014

NATOSource

Mar 27, 2015

NATO Military Commander: Alliance Needs to Improve Intelligence Sharing

By Mike Corder, AP

NATO’s top commander in Europe said Wednesday that alliance nations must be willing to share their intelligence faster if its new rapid-reaction force is to be effective in countering threats.

Intelligence NATO

UkraineAlert

Mar 26, 2015

Less-Stringent Minsk II Terms Paved the Way for Renewed Sanctions

By John E. Herbst

On March 19, delegates at the European Union Summit in Brussels agreed to extend tough sanctions against Moscow—until year’s end if necessary—to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to implement the Minsk II ceasefire. Under terms of that deal, signed on February 12, EU sanctions won’t be lifted until Ukraine takes back full control of its […]

European Union Germany

Report

Mar 26, 2015

Managing Differences on European Security in 2015

By Atlantic Council, Russian International Affairs Council and the European Leadership Network

This report is the result of a series of brainstorming sessions that took place between the summer of 2013 and the winter of 2014-2015, and between American, Russian, and European experts. The teams were led by Ellen Tauscher, the Vice Chair of the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security and the former US […]

Europe & Eurasia European Union

Experts