Donbas
Reports on Donbas See all →
Ukraine’s fraying political ties to the West
After nearly a decade of war and with no prospects of joining NATO and the European Union, Ukraine is increasingly disillusioned with its partnership with the West. Russian influence is growing, promoted by media propaganda and pro-Russian opposition politics. If the United States and the European Union allow a disappointed Kiev to pivot toward Moscow, regional stability could be compromised.
Belarus in the crosshairs
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is facing unprecedented turmoil at home. Protracted demonstrations have led to a string of politically motivated arrests. However, trouble is also brewing on the foreign front. The Kremlin appears to be losing patience with the strongman’s trick of playing off Russia against the West and could ...
Opinion: Russia and Ukraine, or who will outwait whom?
The leader of Ukraine had high hopes for the December 9, 2019, Normandy Four talks in Paris. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy promised Ukrainians the start of a vigorous peace process with Russia. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin is in no hurry to end the Donbas conflict. The United States has lost ...
Unraveling the Crimean knot
Any sensible person can see that status quo in Crimea is unacceptable, while restoration of the status quo ante is impossible. That means the scope of possibilities is very narrow. When looking for the least bad solution for the conflict between Russia, Ukraine and the West, perhaps two wrongs can ...
Opinion: Ukraine gridlocked
The evident stalemate in Ukraine is as much in Western policymakers’ heads as on the Donbas battlefront. Since the European Union has framed the conflict in moral terms that do not allow it to admit failure, it must maintain the pretense of success – giving Russia and Ukraine ample leeway ...
