
Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles

WikiLeaks Exposes US Embassy in Moscow Perspective on North Caucasus
The sensational release of US diplomatic cables has touched upon the situation in the North Caucasus. The WikiLeaks website published what appeared to be a US Embassy employee’s account of his visit to an influential Dagestani politician’s wedding in August 2006. The report is undersigned... MORE

Medvedev Addressed the Nation: Children as the Focus of His Presidential Campaign
On December 30, Dmitry Medvedev delivered a national address, his third as Russia’s president (https://kremlin.ru/news/9637). It was also his third major communication session with the population in just one week. Judging by their different content and means of delivery, it looks like a classical marketing... MORE

Turkey Strengthens Nuclear Cooperation with Russia
Turkish Energy Minister, Taner Yildiz, welcomed the recent progress in Turkey’s first nuclear power plant project that will be built by Russia and underscored Ankara’s determination to develop nuclear energy through foreign partnerships. Yildiz told reporters that Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, signed the inter-governmental agreement,... MORE

Turkmen Energy Initiatives Cripple Russia’s Status as an “Energy Superpower”
A few years ago it was common to refer to Russia as an “Energy Superpower.” High global energy prices prior to the global financial crisis and Russia’s control over Central Asian oil and gas exports underscored the seemingly irrefutable proposition of Moscow’s influence. Yet, this... MORE

Medvedev Promises Long Term Support for Defense Reform
On November 25, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev offered unequivocal political support for the ongoing defense reform initiated in October 2008. Medvedev’s comments, often contradictory, were made during his visit to observe battalion level exercises at the Gorokhovetskiy training range in Nizhniy Novgorod Region, and later... MORE

Moscow Enters Armenian Language Controversy
Moscow has expressed its disapproval of a public uproar in Armenia against a government bill allowing the existence of private schools where the main language of instruction is not Armenian. Visiting Yerevan in mid-November, a senior Russian parliamentarian warned there is a sense in Moscow... MORE

Communists Win Solid Plurality in Moldova’s Elections Again
Moldova’s Communist Party has won yet again a solid plurality in the parliamentary elections held on November 28. The party chairman, former head of state (2001-2009) Vladimir Voronin led the campaign this time from the opposition, against heavy odds. With all in-country votes counted by... MORE

Circassians Step Up Their Activity as Georgian Politicians Consider Olympic Boycott
On November 19-21 in Tbilisi, Georgia, the Jamestown Foundation and Ilia State University held the second conference in the series on the volatile history and present of the North Caucasus. Part of the conference was dedicated to the issue of the Circassian “genocide,” that produced... MORE

Medvedev Highlights Possible Zastoi as Political System Decays
On November 30, President Dmitry Medvedev will deliver his annual address to parliament in a highly ritualized ceremony solemnly demonstrating loyalty and obedience to the “boss.” The triple irony of this event is in the non-existent personal loyalty to the junior member of the ruling... MORE

The EU and Kazakhstan Aim for Enhanced Partnership
In late October Kazakhstan’s President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, visited Brussels where he met with Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme, the European Council president, Herman Von Rompuy, and NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. The parties discussed energy and economic relations, Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the Organization for Security... MORE