Ukraine

New US Sanctions on Russia Remain Too Little

By Adrian Karatnycky

The new US sanctions against Russia announced today by President Obama over Moscow’s seizure of Crimea continue a limited response – a tough signal, but insufficient alone to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from further aggression against Ukraine. The new steps freeze US assets and transactions for twenty more Putin allies, and for a bank […]

New Russia Sanctions: Analysts and Politicians React

In his remarks Thursday, President Obama announced additional sanctions on individuals within the Russian elite. The expanded list of sanctions also includes a bank. Commentators took to social media immediately to respond to the newest round of Ukraine-related sanctions–from both the US and Russia.

Remarks from President Obama on the Situation in Ukraine

President Obama made remarks on the situation in Ukraine at 11a.m. EDT, Thursday, March 20 from the White House lawn.

Russian Aggression Puts NATO in Spotlight

By STEVEN ERLANGER, New York Times

Russia’s annexation of Crimea has suddenly revived the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s central role as a counterweight to Moscow, and with it questions about the alliance’s options and ability to act.

Amid Russia’s Assault, Ukraine’s Interim Leaders Scramble to Reform Their Government

By James Rupert

Arseniy Yatsenyuk, a thirty-nine-year-old economist, lawyer, and now Ukrainian prime minister, is laboring to democratize his country while Russia, far better armed, works to subvert it. His job, Yatsenyuk has said, is “political suicide.” Russia has forcibly seized Crimea, while Ukraine desperately needs quick loans just to pay its debts. Yatsenyuk has only sixty-seven days […]

Secretary General: NATO Allies Stand with Ukraine

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

[R]ecent events in Ukraine have shown that we cannot take that security and stability for granted. And that we need to stand up for our values.

Amid Russia’s Assault, Ukraine’s New Government Focuses on Reform

By Sabine Freizer

While Russia’s takeover of Crimea has dealt a heavy blow in Kyiv, the young Ukrainian government is nonetheless pressing to pass large-scale reforms. Late last week, deputy education minister Inna Sovsun sighed in frustration as she described layers of corruption in a school system where apparently everything had been up for sale. Under President Viktor […]

US Suggests Baltics War Games in Response to Russian ‘Land Grab’

By Roberta Rampton, Reuters

The United States is considering sending troops for war games in the Baltic states bordering Russia, Vice President Joe Biden said on Tuesday in an effort to reassure NATO allies alarmed at the Kremlin’s intervention in Ukraine.

Geopolitics 101: History Matters

By Harlan Ullman

As President Vladimir Putin moves to consolidate Russian autonomy over Crimea with a referendum, the West continues to struggle to find acceptable policies to reverse or punish this encroachment. Short of a military response that would be profoundly reckless and exceedingly dangerous, in these policy deliberations by the West led by Washington, history seems to […]