On-line Intelligence Bulletin of the European Press Agency
By Nina Bachkatov
With all eyes on Belarus, the latest eruption of violence in the Caucasus came as a shock. But, in fact, both crises were highly predictable due to internal and geopolitical complexities. At least they sent a strong signal to the West about the importance of geography and history over ideology. They highlight the danger of reducing the world affairs to a simplistic opposition between pro-Western and pro-Russian forces. Continue reading “Belarus – Armenia dilemnas”
By Andrew Wilson and Nina Bachkatov
For a man described as isolated on the world stage, President Putin has been shaking a lot of hands in the course of a week. The most predictable was his meeting with German chancellor Angela Merkel, in the President’s Sochi summer residence on 2 May. Continue reading “Diplomatic defile in Moscow – Russia at work on a Syrian solution”
by Nina Bachkatov and Andrew Wilson
Much has been written and said about the 9th August meeting of Presidents Erdogan and Putin in St Petersburg, particularly regarding Erdogan’s need to look Eastwards when his relations with the West have been soured by his over-reaction to the attempted coup of 15 July.
But this should not obscure other elements in the situation, which are of great importance to both Russia and for Turkey. Continue reading “Turkey and Russia, uncommon partners”