Latest Articles about Europe
Georgian Government Claims EU Membership to Deflect Public Attention Away From Its Ukraine Response
On March 3, as Russia’s massive re-invasion of Ukraine entered its second week, the Georgian government unexpectedly followed Kyiv’s lead and filed a formal application to join the European Union. In commenting on the announcement, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili declared that Georgia is “a deserving... MORE
Poland Ready to Quit Russian Gas Supplies
On February 28, Poland’s Minister of Climate and Environment Anna Moskwa declared that the country would be ready to abstain from all Russian natural gas supplies as soon as today, if needed (Polskie Radio, February 28). Furthermore, on March 2, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki... MORE
Putin Losing the Wars He Started
The word “war” is presently banned in the official Russian discourse on Ukraine, but in fact the “special military operation,” launched on President Vladimir Putin’s order in the early morning hours of February 24, includes several wars fought in different domains. The massive re-invasion of... MORE
Aliyev Gains Putin’s Support on Karabakh and More—But at What Price?
On February 22, just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of the Ukrainian separatist areas of Donetsk and Luhansk and two days before the Kremlin head launched his broad-scale re-invasion of Ukraine, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow. There, he and... MORE
Kadyrov’s Ukrainian Maskirovka
Based on the triumphalist posts to his Telegram channel, the first weekend of Russia’s re-invasion of Ukraine was victorious for the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov. On February 25, the day after the breakout of mass hostilities, he presided over a rally in Grozny meant... MORE
Turkish Closure of the Straits Can Hurt Russia’s Syrian Route Should the War Prolong
On February 24, Ukraine asked Turkey to close the Turkish Straits (the Bosporus and Dardanelles) to Russian warships under the 1936 Montreux Convention (Daily Sabah, February 24). The Straits connect the Mediterranean to the Black Sea, providing the only way in and out between the... MORE
Russia Never as Strong as It Looks
In the early hours of February 24, President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine, and tens of thousands of Russian soldiers and tanks poured into Ukraine, preceded by a massive cascade of sea-, land- and air-launched precision missiles aimed at airbases, radars... MORE
The Role of Cossacks in the Re-Invasion of Ukraine
In Russia’s aggressive and unprovoked war against Ukraine, much of the global attention has understandably focused on the actions of the regular Armed Forces; but the Russian Cossacks are also playing a role in the conflict. On the opening day of the re-invasion, the head... MORE
Russia’s War on Ukraine Exposes Western Balkan Divisions and Dangers
Russia’s war on Ukraine reverberated throughout the Balkans, exposing regional divisions, allegiances with foreign powers, and security vulnerabilities. While North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia offered full support to Ukraine, the reaction of Serbia appeared in stark contrast to... MORE
The Countries of the South Caucasus Cautiously Follow the Russia-Ukraine War
On February 26, Azerbaijan donated a reported €5 million ($5.6 million) worth of medicine and medical equipment as humanitarian relief to Ukraine (Marja.az, February 26). The aid was announced by Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelenskyy on Twitter soon after his telephone call with Azerbaijani President Ilham... MORE