Latest Articles about Europe
Mistral Case Presages Russian Shopping Spree for Western Military Technology: Part Two
Two latest developments in the Mistral affair have changed the terms of the debate and, by the same token, made it difficult to preclude a NATO discussion on this issue by using its agenda-setting powers of high office.The first development is Moscow’s declared condition that... MORE
Mistral Debate Unavoidable in NATO: Part One
The view that NATO has no business discussing French arms deals with Russia is far from being a consensus position. The proposed sale of French Mistral-class warships –an offensive power-projection capability– to Russia is testing the laissez-faire approach to arms sales by NATO countries to... MORE
Kyiv Considers Unpopular Measures to Qualify for Additional Loans
As an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission completed its work in Ukraine on April 2, Kyiv hopes to secure additional loans. The cabinet of Prime Minister, Mykola Azarov, badly needs such loans not only in order to fill gaps in the state budget, but also... MORE
Oil “Export” Duties: a Peculiarity of the Russian-Led Customs Union
The Russian government is apparently moving to operationalize the nominal “union state” with Belarus through a process of economic absorption. Accession to the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan Customs Union is not protecting Belarus against this process.Russia’s introduction of export duties on refined oil products and “petrochemical raw material”... MORE
Belarus Sues Russia in the CIS Economic Court
In a precedent-setting move, Belarus is suing Russia in the CIS Economic Court. The case at hand concerns Russian export duties on refined oil products and “petrochemical raw materials” to Belarus. The procedure could open the way for recourse to the CIS Economic Court on... MORE
Ukrainian Government Examines Belarusian Model of Gas Trade With Russia
Ukraine’s newly elected President, Viktor Yanukovych, and the new government clamored for low-priced Russian gas from their first day in office. As an opening gambit they called for a price similar to that paid by Belarus; or in the worst case somewhat higher at $200... MORE
Ukrainian Government Reconsiders Gas Policy
Based upon the record of the last eight years, Ukrainian governments and industrialists linked to them have sought deep discounts on the price of Russian gas in two ways, both ultimately self-defeating.One way would allow Russia’s Gazprom to control Ukraine’s gas transit system through some... MORE
Ukraine’s Old-New Siloviki
The 2006 constitution, like its 1996 predecessor, gives the president the right to appoint the Foreign and Defense Ministers, Chairman of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Prosecutor-General, and the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NRBO). Candidates for the first four posts... MORE
The “Great Game:” Lukashenka Slowly Drawn Into Russian Orbit
The mid-March visit by Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, to Belarus stimulated further speculation over the tense and fluctuating relationship between the two Slavic neighbors. Putin arrived in the city of Brest for a regular meeting with the Council of Ministers of the Russia-Belarus Union... MORE
Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov Returns Empty-Handed from Moscow
Ukrainian Prime Minister, Mykola Azarov, failed to persuade Moscow to lower the price of gas for Ukraine. Although Kyiv’s offer of participation in a consortium to manage Ukraine’s gas pipelines was not openly rejected, it was hinted that this might not be enough. More economic... MORE