Opinion
MITTELEUROPEAN INSIGHTS: Hungary's surprise debt issuance demonstrates the EU's financial whip is not working
Hungary's big return to the international bond market shows it is expecting a lengthy spat with the EU but it also makes financial sense.
Chinese geneticists link Kyrgyz to Pakistanis, while raising thorny ethical questions
The DNA was collected in western China’s police state, Xinjiang. Could the subjects have said no without fearing retribution?
FPRI BMB Russia: Doppelgänger Duma Elections
Russia’s ruling party, United Russia, has been cracking down on opposition politicians and independent media in order to influence the fast-approaching Duma elections and has rolled out a number of dirty tricks.
GLOBSEC: No debt ratio is safe for small EU countries
Targeted EU fiscal rule reform is desirable but should consider the inherent risks for smaller member states.
FPRI BMB Russia: Kremlin sweetens the pot ahead of elections, but ready to play dirty too
With Russians set to vote in Duma elections on September 17-19, the government keeps finding ways to sweeten the pot, but it is also getting ready to play dirty.
FPRI BMB Ukraine: Zelenskiy meets Biden in Washington
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy finally had his first face-to-face meeting with his American counterpart Joe Biden on Wednesday, September 1. The two leaders issued a joint statement afterwards laying out their agenda.
HOMANS: Presidents Zelenskiy and Biden to meet
Likely due to the ongoing events in Kabul and the arrival of Hurricane Ida in Louisiana, the meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelenskiy will take place on September 1, rather than on August 31.
Perspectives | Taliban’s triumph threatens Beijing’s Eurasia plans
Afghanistan will test China’s vision for itself.
IFPR BMB Ukraine: Crimea Platform inaugural meeting
The inaugural Crimea Platform Summit was attended by more than 40 international delegations in Kyiv on August 23. Though it didn’t result in concrete steps, the summit did put the Crimea issue back on the international agenda.
SOVA CAPITAL: Putin promises more social spending in September at United Russia congress
President Vladimir Putin spoke at the party congress for the ruling United Russia Party on 24 August and promised to increase social spending in September.
ASH: US pulls out of Afghanistan to focus on China problem, but that is harder now
The fact the Biden administration pulled the plug on allies and friends in Afghanistan, and against the advice of allies in Nato, just affirms its all encompassing focus on China in foreign policy.
COMMENT: Three decades of achievements and many challenges for Moldova
As it approaches its 30th anniversary of independence, Moldova has never had better conditions to carry out reforms than it does today.
THE VIEW FROM MITTELEUROPA: Reflections on Metternich and the Austrian Balkans
The region that comprised the former Yugoslavia has strongly influenced Austria and continues to do so.
ASH: Confusion over the details of the new Belarus sanctions but they will work
Putting a few concluding remarks around the latest Western sanctions iteration around Belarus. There is some confusion around what has been done, or not, but the bottom line is the screw has tightened and western firms are unlikely to do business.
Perspectives | Augmented Azerbaijan? The return of Azerbaijani irredentism
For decades Azerbaijan denounced Armenian irredentism. Now it is advancing expansionary territorial claims of its own as it seeks to impose peace on its terms.
COMMENT: Duma Elections 2021: Russia’s Communist Party looks interesting again
Russia’s Communist Party (KPRF) occasionally takes its role as the main opposition party seriously. Its MPs voted against the constitutional amendments in 2020 and giving Putin two more terms. But can it remake itself into a real opposition?
COLCHIS: Where is Strategic Communications Headed in Georgia?
Dramatically rising prices, rioting over the Tbilisi pride and protests against the ruling Georgian Dream party are undermining the country’s reputation as a liberal reformer and weakening the government’s ability to communicate with voters
HESS: Europe goes sectoral on Belarus
Sectoral sanctions have arguably been the most significant innovation in the sanctions tool box over the last decade. Despite reticence over Russia, Brussels now leads the way on expanding their use beyond the Ukrainian conflict, targeting Belarus.
MACRO ADVISORY: Buckle up, August is coming
Russia’s recent history has repeatedly shown that August is a month when surprises, usually bad, can happen more often than in any other month.
COMMENT: Why has China’s foreign minister spent three days in Damascus? Probably not having trade discussions
A few days ago China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi spent three days visiting President Bashar al Assad in Syria, the first foreign dignitary the Syrian president has hosted since the start of his new term.
