Latest Articles about Europe

The FSB Returns to Ukraine

After the second round of Ukraine’s 2010 elections, Russia demanded that President, Viktor Yanukovych, undertake measures to improve relations between both countries. Moscow demanded that Yanukovych re-admit the Federal Security Service (FSB) to the Black Sea Fleet (BSF) and “end all cooperation with the Central... MORE

Non-Bloc Status Covers Ukraine’s Shift to Russian-Vector Orientation

Opening, alongside Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, the Interstate Commission’s session, Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych, turned the clock back to 1990. Invoking that year’s declaration of Ukraine’s sovereignty (still within the USSR), Yanukovych selectively underscored the document’s stipulation of “non-bloc status” for Ukraine. The country can... MORE

Medvedev’s Second Visit Pulls Ukraine Closer to Russia

Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev’s, May 17-18 visit to Kyiv capped a ten-week campaign to lay the basis for “reintegrating” Ukraine with Russia. It was Medvedev’s seventh meeting with Ukraine’s new leaders since early March, not counting Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin’s, similar number of meetings... MORE

Moscow Seeks to Remove Restraints on Naval Base Upgrade in Ukraine

Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych, has dismissed reports about the possible basing of Russian naval units in Mykolayiv, Odessa, and the Danube estuary, as “fantasies” (Interfax-Ukraine,  www.news.ru, May 13).Such reports have leaked out of the preparatory work for Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev’s, May 17-18 visit to... MORE

Biden Proposes Moving Beyond the CFE Treaty

US Vice-President, Joseph Biden’s, landmark article (Biden Proposes New Tasks for the OSCE, EDM, May 14) also heralds new US proposals on conventional arms control in Europe. These would seek to improve military transparency through exchanges of military data and on-site visits. According to Biden,... MORE

Vice President Biden Envisions New Tasks for the OSCE

The Obama administration is about to launch policy initiatives regarding Europe’s eastern neighborhood and conventional arms control in Europe. US Vice-President Joseph Biden has unveiled a number of ideas through the May 6 New York Times/International Herald Tribune article, “Advancing Europe’s Security,” under his byline.Biden’s... MORE

Ukraine Wary of Putin’s Proposal to Merge National Gas Companies

The Ukrainian government and opposition alike have reacted coolly to Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin’s, April 30 proposal to merge the two countries’ national gas companies, Naftohaz Ukrainy and Gazprom. The government apparently does not see many benefits from such a move and hesitates, afraid... MORE

Shift to Soviet-Russian National Identity in Ukraine

The Viktor Yanukovych administration is undertaking a radical overhaul of Ukraine’s national identity that turns its back not only on the Yushchenko era, but also on two earlier presidents. All three presidents promoted Ukrainophile national identity that was based on the doyen of Ukrainian historiography,... MORE