Each time the European Union’s sanctions against Russia come up for renewal, there’s speculation that some countries might break ranks and vote against the trade and financing restrictions. There will probably be no deserters this time around either; but a softening of the sanctions is on the cards in the near future.
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The Resolve Behind Russia Sanctions Is Weakening
Posted May 31st, 2016 at 11:33 am (UTC-5)
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Kerry & Lavrov: The Odd Couple of the New Cold War
Posted April 19th, 2016 at 4:30 pm (UTC-5)
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The two are “on very good terms,” Lavrov said last month, “but that does not mean that we should smile from ear to ear and express joy during each and every meeting to please Russian, American, and other journalists.”
A Pivotal Time for Ukraine: The U.S. Should Redouble Its Support
Posted April 18th, 2016 at 2:41 pm (UTC-5)
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Russia’s goals in Ukraine are both geopolitical and imperial. Without Ukraine, or at least without considerable influence in Ukraine, Russia sees itself only as an Asian power, not as a European power. Now is not the time for the United States to abandon the people of Ukraine.
Russian Adventurism and the U.S. Long Game
Posted March 3rd, 2016 at 4:28 pm (UTC-5)
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If the United States and its allies are not to be continually surprised, we will have to put more resources behind understanding what is happening inside Russia, as well as analyzing the complex of Russia’s interactions internationally.
Ukraine and the West Need Each Other
Posted February 10th, 2016 at 10:27 am (UTC-5)
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Helping Ukraine stand up to Moscow now is in the West’s best interest and would spare it the expense of confronting a bigger, more powerful Russia in the future….what we need most is for the West to follow through on what’s already been promised: an investment in the new Ukraine…
A Whiff of Panic in the Kremlin as Russia’s Economy Sinks Further
Posted February 5th, 2016 at 2:52 pm (UTC-5)
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President Vladimir Putin has gone so far as to blame Soviet Union founder Vladimir Lenin for Russia’s current difficulties….Signs of panic and dysfunction are everywhere. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has demanded yet another round of 10 percent budget cuts….The Russian government really has no good economic options other than hope.
Russia’s Ruling Regime Must Modernize or Face Collapse
Posted January 22nd, 2016 at 12:35 pm (UTC-5)
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In 2016 the Russian authorities will have to shift their focus away from shaping the world order and toward putting their own house in order. Otherwise, they will not survive.
Putin and Trump: It’s a Match!
Posted December 18th, 2015 at 3:18 pm (UTC-5)
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“He is a bright and talented person without any doubt.” The words of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who lavishly praised Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump. Trump returned the favor the very next day when asked about Putin’s comments. “He’s running his country, and at least he’s a leader, unlike what we have in this country,” ignoring assertions from a TV host that Putin “kills journalists, political allies and invades countries.”
The love from Trump isn’t new. Previously, he said he thought he’d get along with Putin, who now has chilly relations with the United States after Russia’s annexation of Crimea and his highly suspect record on human rights. Diplomats were left gasping or opining righteously on cable news outlets that Trump’s comments prove what a danger a President Trump would be. Others found humor in the odd love affair. One blogger called it “Trumpevich.”
Putin’s Syrian Misadventure
Posted December 2nd, 2015 at 10:27 am (UTC-5)
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Putin’s “crafty” Syrian chess move has left him with a lot more dead Russians; newly at odds with Turkey and Iran; weakened in Ukraine; acting as the defense lawyer for Assad — a mass murderer of Sunni Muslims, the same Sunni Muslims as Putin has in Russia; and with no real advances against ISIS.
Success in Ukraine Could Threaten Western Unity
Posted November 23rd, 2015 at 1:52 pm (UTC-5)
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Today’s headlines about Syria obscure a major triumph for Western policy. Ukraine seems to be heading toward an informal settlement largely on European and U.S. terms. Yet this success could threaten the very Western unity that brought it about.
The Kremlin’s Tragic Miscalculation
Posted November 4th, 2015 at 10:34 am (UTC-5)
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The truth is that the young democracies of Central and Eastern Europe sought to join the EU and NATO – and worked hard to gain membership – because they longed for peace, progress, and prosperity. It was those countries’ ambitions, not some vendetta against Russia, that drove EU and NATO enlargement.
Putin’s Pre-U.N. Charm Offensive: Fake or Breakthrough?
Posted September 21st, 2015 at 11:06 am (UTC-5)
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Moscow think tanks believe the carefully planned and staged remarks were meant to send two important signals to the West before Putin’s meetings at the U.N. General Assembly later this month: First, he is ready to freeze the war in Eastern Ukraine, and secondly, he wants to join the West in the fight against ISIS
The Real Risk of Unintended U.S.-Russia Conflict
It is only a matter of time before more such dangerous incidents between Russian and U.S. or NATO forces occur. The question then will be how well-equipped both sides are to manage the consequences. Judging by the state of the relationship overall, the answer is not very well at all.