Latest Articles about Foreign Policy
China’s Emerging Approach to Taiwan: Blockade and Disinformation
Introduction It has been suggested that China intends to unify Taiwan through a military operation within the next five years. However, based on the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) actions during the 1945-1949 civil war, military means may not be the most effective way for the... MORE
New Trends May Change the SCO
Many of the reverberations from Russia’s aggression against Ukraine continue to be felt across Central Asia. One such under-examined, but crucial vibration is that of the future course of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Formerly, it was more or less taken for granted that the... MORE
Belarus and Russia Advance Economic Integration (Part Two)
For two decades after the establishment of their Union State in 1999, Belarus and Russia benefited from the most integrated relationship across the post-Soviet space. Yet, many elements of further integration as laid out by the Union State treaty remained largely dormant until 2021 (see... MORE
Baku’s Cooperation With West on Ukraine Leaves Moscow With Few Options
On May 3, speaking at an international conference in Shusha on “The Formation of the Geopolitics of Greater Eurasia: From the Past to the Present and Future,” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced that “having become a military ally of Turkey, Azerbaijan has indirectly become, to... MORE
Debating Sanctions Against Belarus: How to Fix the Broken Record?
At a recent event organized by the Belarusian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (BSRL), the topic—“Can the West Exert Influence on Lukashenka?”—was debated between two analysts. Ryhor Astapenia, one of the debaters, earlier, had issued his critical account of Western policies vis-à-vis Belarus, in... MORE
Italy Builds Closer Ties to Uzbekistan
On April 26, 2023, Italian Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto visited Uzbekistan. He first met with the Minister of Defense, General Bakhodir Kurbanov, and the President’s Special Representative for Foreign Policy Affairs, Abdulaziz Kamilov, before concluding his series of meetings with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev (Difesa.it,... MORE
Russian Restrictions Foster FDI Boom in Kazakhstan
Since Russian President Vladimir Putin began his ill-fated “special military operation” (SVO) against Ukraine, subsequent international sanctions imposed in response produced the slowly mounting hemorrhaging of foreign firms based in the Russian Federation to other post-Soviet states, with many choosing to relocate to Kazakhstan. On April... MORE
Japan Quietly Playing a Growing Role in Central Asia
When the role of outside powers in Central Asia is considered, Japan is often not among them—despite the fact that it has a unique advantage which has opened the way to considerable success in the areas where Tokyo has employed it. It is an Asian... MORE
Abkhazian Official Hints Russia Using Its Territory to Avoid Western Sanctions
In April, the administration of the puppet regime of Abkhazia practically confirmed that Russia had begun to use its territory to circumvent Western sanctions. In particular, the media leaked the comments of Alias Labakhua, the first deputy chairman of the so-called State Customs Committee of... MORE
What Can be Learned From the Xi-Zelenskyy Call?
The phone conversation between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy provides a good reason to reflect on China's approach to Russia’s war on Ukraine. On a positive note, Zelenskyy wrote that he and Xi had a meaningful conversation, the first time since... MORE