Reports of Professor Stefan Hedlund
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Sweden rebuilds its military force, maybe
Sweden’s defense budget is to grow by about one third in the next three years, as the country reverses its decades-long policies and aims to rebuild its once impressive territorial defense capabilities. The plan hardly surprises in today’s neo-Cold War context, but given the scope and nature of the challenges ...
Focus Germany: The Nord Stream 2 headache
Russian ambitions to bypass Ukraine’s gas infrastructure are obviously rooted in political motives, yet Germany insists on backing the project. By doing so, it could reap the economic benefits of becoming a European hub for Russian gas imports, but serious conflicts over the matter are likely to arise within the ...
Russian rail: Behind the curve
With its vast expanses, its undeveloped areas and its need to connect east and west, one might think Russia would have ample incentive to develop a world-class rail system. But that has not happened, even after it agreed to work with China on an ambitious Moscow-to-Beijing rail project. Bureaucracy, corruption ...
Can Moldova set an example for Ukraine?
An unexpected alliance between Russia, the United States and the European Union helped broker a political breakthrough in Moldova – sending corrupt local oligarchs packing. There is no reason to discount the latest developments in Chisinau, which could prove a new dawn for Europe’s poorest country. Yet the West has ...
Nonrecognition and trouble in international relations
Detaching and protecting a part of the territory of a weaker state has become a surrogate for traditional armed conflict, played with open cards. As amply demonstrated in the cases of Ukraine, Cyprus, Serbia, Georgia or Moldova, pseudo-state entities emerging in such detachments have considerable staying power, even though they ...
The implications of Russia’s agriculture boom
For two decades, oil and gas have been the focus of Russia’s economy. While fossil fuels will retain a key role for the foreseeable future, agriculture is booming and quickly gaining prominence. The Kremlin is touting grain exports as a path for the country to regain superpower status. A close ...
Russia’s European future
As relations with the West continue to deteriorate, Russia has tried to build a future in which it does not belong to Europe — by looking to Asia. But economic weaknesses, an alienating foreign policy and the rise of China have stunted Russia's pivot to Asia. A reset with Europeans, ...
Shifting power in Central Asia
For over a century, Central Asian countries have been considered theaters for great power competition, not players on the geopolitical chessboard in their own right. That may be about to change, as these nations begin to resolve their many differences and cooperate to pool their strength. They have much to ...
