Latest Articles about Foreign Policy
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Russian-Kazakhstani Relations: A Return of Moscow’s Neo-Imperialist Rhetoric
As the eyes of the world were riveted to the unfolding crisis in Ukraine, where weeks of violent street protests recently brought down the corrupt regime of former president Viktor Yanukovych, Russian-Kazakhstani relations have endured another test. On February 20, the founder and former leader... MORE
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Leaked Video Details the Activities of Russian Hit Squads Abroad
An unexpected breakthrough emerged in the stalled investigations of several mysterious international murders of Chechens with ties to the Caucasus Emirate in 2008–2012. The news concerns a person who simultaneously worked for the security services of several countries—Russia, Georgia and Turkey. A kind of James... MORE
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Yanukovych Recognized as Legitimate President in Exile in Russia
The sudden meltdown of President Viktor Yanukovych’s regime in Kyiv last week has surprised the Kremlin. On Wednesday February 19, during the height of the bloodbath in Kyiv, when dozens of people were shot dead and hundreds wounded, the Kremlin-financed news website Vzglad was calling... MORE
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Dutch Foreign Minister Visits Kazakhstan
On February 3, Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans made his first official visit to Kazakhstan. In Astana, he met with President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Speaker of the Senate of Parliament Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Deputy Prime Minister Bakhytzhan Sagintayev, Foreign Minister Erlan Idrisov and other senior Kazakhstani officials... MORE
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Russo-Japanese Rapprochement Moves Forward
Despite the mounting ferocity of Sino-Japanese rhetoric, China’s partner Russia is moving forward on normalizing its ties with Japan. Indeed, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Sochi on February 8, and Putin has accepted an invitation to visit Tokyo... MORE
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Russia Ready to Give the Falling Ukraine a Push—and Might Follow Suit
The long telephone conversation between United States President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the earliest hours of last Saturday was remarkable in its surrealistic detachment from the real events in Ukraine, which were the main topic of the exchange. Obama sought to... MORE
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Georgian Government Plays an Unattainable Foreign Policy Game
On February 10, when asked by a Georgian journalist if he would meet with the president of Georgia, Russian President Vladimir Putin uttered: “Yes, if he wants, why not?” (civil.ge, February 10). Putin’s words caused an outburst of thinly-veiled euphoria in the Georgian leadership. President... MORE
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Moldova’s European Choice Vulnerable to Russian Economic Leverage
Russia’s economic leverage on Moldova has tended to diminish in recent years, but it remains strong on several key dimensions, and can be used with short-term devastating consequences, if the Kremlin decides to use this leverage punitively. The European Union and the Moldovan government worry... MORE
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Russia’s Sympathizers in Moldova Oppose the European Choice
The European Union and Moldova have set a fairly tight calendar for wrapping up their Association Agreement: signing it by August and ratifying it in the Moldovan parliament until November, when this parliament’s term expires. Moldova’s pro-Europe coalition government holds a narrow majority of 54... MORE
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Ethnic Factors Affecting Moldova’s Debate on Association With the European Union
The European Union has accelerated the signing and ratification of the EU-Moldova association agreements, which were initialed at the Vilnius summit in November (see EDM, February 19). The EU and the Moldovan government want to reduce the risk of disruption by Russia and its sympathizers... MORE