Latest Articles about Europe
Islam, Jihadism and Depolitization in the French Banlieues
A growing number of French citizens fear that France faces "a Muslim problem." The global ravages of Denmark's cartoon jihad, triggered by offensive cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist and lecher, coupled with the recent alleged plot to blow up U.S.-bound airliners have... MORE
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, ALLIES ON THE DEFENSIVE OVER NATO POLICY
Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych clearly exceeded the powers of his office, breached internal governmental procedures, and undoubtedly usurped the presidency’s constitutional authority by announcing in Brussels that Ukraine is opting out of NATO’s Membership Action Plan. Shocked, President Viktor Yushchenko and his supporters in... MORE
YANUKOVYCH’S NYET TO NATO MEMBERSHIP: PAINFUL, BUT NOT THE FINAL WORD
Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych’s September 13-14 announcement in Brussels, removing Ukraine from consideration for a NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP), was entirely predictable (see EDM, August 7, September 12). In all its aspects, including its technical breach of Ukraine’s constitution, which empowers the president... MORE
YANUKOVYCH’S REMARKS ON NATO HEAT UP COALITION DEBATE
President Viktor Yushchenko’s camp has reacted to Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych’s September 14 statement to the effect that Ukraine is not ready for a NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) with ostentatious indignation. Yanukovych has been accused of violating inter-party accords and spoiling Ukraine’s chance to... MORE
PUTIN PRAISES YUSHCHENKO WHILE GAZPROM LOOKS SET FOR DEEPER INROADS IN UKRAINE
Russian President Vladimir Putin has bestowed rare praise on Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko for agreeing to the gas deals with Gazprom and RosUkrEnergo. Addressing an audience of prominent Western experts at Novo-Ogarevo for the latest Valdai Discussion Club meeting, Putin said of Yushchenko, “He was... MORE
WHAT NEXT FOR THE UKRAINIAN OPPOSITION?
Tables have turned in Ukrainian politics as a result of the March parliamentary election and the ensuing formation of a broad coalition in parliament. There is no longer a strong left-wing opposition: the Socialists have been entrenched in the government since early 2005, and the... MORE
NEW BROOM AT U.S.-LED OSCE MISSION IN MOLDOVA
A new American chief has just taken over at the OSCE’s Mission in Moldova, scene of a “frozen conflict” orchestrated by Russia on what has now become the border of NATO and the EU. From 1993 to date, the OSCE has attempted in vain to... MORE
UKRAINE: BACK TO STRATEGIC SQUARE ONE
Cohabitation of the Party of Regions with a minority Orange faction and a Regions-dominated government would seem to mark a shift in Ukraine’s foreign policy paradigm: from the Euro-Atlantic orientation proclaimed by the short-lived Orange Revolution, back to the Kuchma era (1994-2004) “two vectors” paradigm... MORE
CHANGES PROPOSED TO BELARUSIAN LANGUAGE
The newspaper Belarusy i rynok recently ran a series of articles on education, devoted first to the new school year, but second to proposed changes to orthography and punctuation in the Belarusian language. These new rules are anticipated to move from draft to law in... MORE
WILL YUSHCHENKO’S PARTY SPLIT?
President Viktor Yushchenko’s camp in parliament, as well as the party whose honorary chairman he is -- People’s Union-Our Ukraine (NSNU) -- may split. Not all of Yushchenko’s supporters have put up with the idea of co-habitation with, let alone participation in, the government of... MORE