Ever since Russia snatched the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine last March and ended Europe’s seven-decade ban on coercive border change, Moscow has possessed enough raw military might to occupy mainland Ukraine as well. Throughout 2014, however, for tactical reasons, the…
The Next Stage in the Ukraine Crisis
On Black Tuesday of this week soft economic power trumped hard military power for the first time since the Ukraine crisis began. The threatened meltdown of the Russian economy could put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to dial down…
The Bear In Winter
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been happy to ignore the consequences of his aggression in Ukraine so far, but there are signs that his endurance has reached a breaking point – particularly as Russia’s economy begins to sag under international…
Two Races Against Time
Kiev must implement painful reforms fast, Moscow weigh the cost of continued aggression Is there going to be a winter respite in Russia’s undeclared war on eastern Ukraine? If so, the newly elected government in Kiev must lose no…
A Winner Lacking Charisma – But Not Much Else
The surprise election of Klaus Iohannis as President of Romania is rare good news Against all predictions, a political outsider, the long-term mayor of Sibiu, Klaus Iohannis, won Sunday’s presidential elections in one of the EU’s poorest member countries with…
Impressions of a November Night
25 years after the fall of the Berlin wall, our reporter joined the crowds along the “border of light” photo: Elisabeth Wendt This was Germany’s first real celebration of the momentous fall of the Berlin wall on November 9, 1989.…
The Day the Berlin Wall Really Fell
To understand what led to Germany’s reunification, look to the “City of Heroes” Contrary to popular lore, the Berlin Wall did not fall on November 9, 1989. Nor did it fall in Berlin. It fell on October 9, some 120…
And Now For “Hybrid Politics”
After parliamentary elections, another chance for Ukraine to rid itself from post-Soviet kleptocracy Now comes the hard part. Let’s call it “hybrid politics.” With Sunday’s election of a new parliament, Ukraine has its third chance in 23 years to rid…
Choosing Lesser Evils
Both Ukraine and Russia face unpleasant choices For six weeks the imperfect truce between Ukraine’s government and pro-Russian separatists in the southeast of the country has produced a relative lull in the Ukraine crisis. Open confrontation will resume after Ukraine’s…
The End of Deterrence?
Ukraine is at the mercy of Moscow now, the West is watching helplessly With two agreements about the future of eastern Ukraine now in place – one official brokered by the OSCE, one still secret between Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko…