December 23rd
The Eastern Partnership: the Summit is Over. What‘s Next?

Recently one could hear quite many statements that European Union Eastern partnership (EP) Programme is ineffective and has no future. Yet Ukraine‘s approach toward the Association Agreement demonstrated that the EP initiative has proved successful. READ MORE
EU Document: Ukraine Could Have Received Large Aid Package Had It Agreed to Deals

Loans, Grants Upward of €19 Billion Would Have Been Available Had Kiev Signed On to EU, IMF Pacts READ MORE
Foreign ministry: Kazakhstan will send observers of military missions to some countries

Kazakhstan will send observers of military missions, rather than peacekeepers to some countries, in keeping with the UN decision, Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerlan Idrisov told reporters on Thursday. READ MORE
December 20th
A new Cold War in the Arctic?

The Arctic is heating up, both climatically and militarily. But experts differ in their views on whether the region, with its vast shipping opportunities and energy resources, could become the site of the next Cold War. READ MORE
Lavrov In Tehran: Results And Controversy

Sergey Lavrov's visit to Tehran was one of the most anticipated events for Russian foreign policy in the current year . READ MORE
France to extradite Kazakh tycoon Ablyazov

France's public prosecutors are to recommend the extradition of Kazakh oligarch Mukhtar Ablyazov, who was arrested in a spectacular raid on his riviera villa in July, it was announced on Thursday. READ MORE
Turkey, EU sign readmission agreement

A readmission agreement was signed between the EU and Turkey on Dec.16, TRT TV channel reported. READ MORE
Russian Party Proposes ‘List of Shame’ Corruption Register

A lawmaker in Russia has proposed a draft bill to parliament to create an open list of people convicted on corruption charges in an attempt to change widespread tolerance of the problem in the graft-ridden nation. READ MORE
December 18th
New 'super minister' to redefine Germany's energy transition

Sigmar Gabriel will head a combined economy and energy ministry in Germany's new coalition government with a focus on lowering energy prices and boosting industrial output while rebooting the energy transition. READ MORE
A Hazy Future for European Integration

While Eastern Partnership is not likely to have been originally intended by the EU as a new European watershed, by 2012-2013 it can be viewed as an inadequate response to the obvious achievements of post-Soviet integration that have led to the establishment of the Customs Union. READ MORE