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Latest Articles about Europe
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How Developments in Ukraine Affect Belarus
The hottest issues for Belarus these days are prospects for further economic growth under new conditions—in part informed by Russia’s annexation of Crimea and Belarus’s official position with regard to this groundbreaking event. Even before the crisis in Ukraine, Belarus faced dwindling economic growth, an... MORE
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Ukraine’s Diplomatic Efforts to Gain Security in the Crimean Conflict
The Russian Federal Assembly will probably recognize the official annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula in the coming days. Having essentially avoided armed resistance to the Russian operation to date, the interim Ukrainian government in Kyiv has instead embarked on intensive diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the... MORE
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Russia Completes the Annexation of Crimea
Addressing Russia’s bicameral parliament on March 18, President Vladimir Putin announced Crimea’s incorporation into the Russian Federation. The founding documents on Crimea’s “admission” into Russia were signed on the same day, with immediate “legal” effect as far as Russia is concerned (kremlin.ru, March 18, 19).For... MORE
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A Crimean Anschluss Threatens the Moscow Patriarchate
If Moscow absorbs Crimea, as now seems likely, this illegal act will pose a serious threat to the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church. Indeed, the annexation of Ukrainian territory will likely lead to the formation of a single autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church and... MORE
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Moscow’s Assessment of Ukraine’s Military Combat Readiness: Exploiting Weakness
As Moscow moves to consolidate its de facto control over the Crimean peninsula by incorporating the territory into the Russian Federation, it is worth examining and understanding the military factors in the Kremlin’s risk taking policy since the onset of the crisis. An entirely underestimated... MORE
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Tensions Around Crimea Create New Risks for Georgia
A little over a week ago (March 7), Russian military helicopters and drones broke the terms of the August 12, 2008, agreement reached by Nicolas Sarkozy and Dmitry Medvedev—then presidents of France and Russia, respectively—to end the five-day Russian-Georgian war. The Russian aircraft entered Georgian... MORE
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Russian Opposition Leader Says Russia’s Actions in Crimea Could Boomerang
On March 13, Alexei Navalny, arguably the most popular Russian opposition figure, weighed in on the crisis surrounding the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. Pointing to the fact that the Russian government does not allow the Russian people to hold referendums inside the country, Navalny asked... MORE
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Russia Can Play With Several Options After Crimea Plebiscite
The Crimean plebiscite on March 16 was pre-determined—indeed, pre-rigged—to endorse Crimea’s accession to Russia, following Russia’s military occupation of this autonomous republic in Ukraine (see EDM, March 4, 14).The two questions on the plebiscite ballot were: 1.) Are you in favor of Crimea’s reunification with... MORE
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Fake ‘Referendum’ in Crimea Sets a Real Watershed for Russia
The only real result from the hastily organized and crudely manipulated political act in Crimea last Sunday (March 16)—which should not be called a “referendum,” because it had nothing to do with a free expression of popular will—was that it did, indeed, happen. A last-minute... MORE
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Ukraine Readies to Resume Buying EU Gas
Ukraine’s newly appointed energy minister, Yury Prodan, is scheduled to discuss in Brussels on March 19 the resumption of natural gas imports from the European Union, as well as the launch of reverse gas flows from Slovakia (https://economics.unian.net/energetics/893257-prodan-19-marta-poedet-v-bryussel-govorit-o-reverse-gaza.html). The decision is predicated on the expectation... MORE