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Any changes in Ukraine’s foreign policy?

By Arūnas Spraunius

In the interview to the Latvian daily ”Diena” former Ukrainian president  V.Yushchenko said that European policy often looks like the natural merit not requiring any evidence, and that integration of Ukraine into EU is perceived as one-sided, i.e. exceptionally the Ukrainian act. Europe assigns to the candidate tasks but cannot avoid dual policy on such issues as security, energy, visa policy and defense. European Union would benefit from the accelerated integration of the country with 46 million citizens; therefore the current slow down of Ukraine’s euro integration should be treated as a bad decision. According to V.Yushchenko, his country has always been within the system of European values. READ MORE

Prospects of the dialogue with Russia

In the end of 2010, president Saakashvili of Georgia (a couple of times) aired his initiative to start dialogue with Moscow. No preconditions were put forward by the Georgian side. READ MORE

New Eurasia power emerges

By Robert M Cutler

MONTREAL - Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, two relatively small countries in geo-political terms, are demonstrating the foresight and political skills that will help them - rather than the likes of the fuel-hungry United States, European Union and China - take the driver's seat in the next phase of evolution of Central Eurasian energy geo-economics. READ MORE

Nabucco to merge with South Stream?

The European Nabucco natural gas pipeline project and its Russian competitor South Stream could merge, a U.S. diplomat said, in what would be a surprising turn to the years-long pipeline war. READ MORE

NATO’s Emphasis on Russia

By Sergey Karaganov

As a man who has been watching NATO’s evolution for several decades now, I feel profoundly, although not completely, satisfied with the Alliance’s latest summit in Lisbon. READ MORE

Eurasia in 2011: Recovery bolsters political stability

By Ian Bremmer

It looks like a relatively calm year for Eurasia, the area encompassing the former Soviet successor states at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. For the most part, the region is politically stable and countries will continue to see slow but steady economic growth. Russia and Kazakhstan face elections in 2012, but both are governed by well entrenched soft-authoritarian regimes. Ukraine is stabilizing, but risks remain in Georgia. READ MORE

With France Arming Russia, What is NATO For?

By Doug Bandow

In theory NATO is still supposed to protect Europe from untold dangers.  The list of likely aggressors is small--whatever their neighbors say about Germany, Serbia, Iran, and China, none look to be would-be conquerers of Europe.  Which leaves Russia. READ MORE

Georgia And The European Union: Perspectives For 2011

By Alexander Russetsky, Оlga Dorokhina

After the 2008 war in Georgia integration with the EU became an obvious priority for Tbilisi. The relationship, although useful for both sides, leaves a lot to be desired. READ MORE

Guest Post: Risks And Rewards Of Russia In The WTO

By Fredrik Erixon

Russia’s bid to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), filed in 1993, has been the longest accession saga in the history of the world trade body. Yet now, after bilateral deals with the US and the European Union that secured their support for the membership bid, Russia looks set to join the pantheon of rules-based global capitalism at some point next year. READ MORE

A Turkey v. Russia Showdown

By Michael Hikari Cecire

Earlier this past week, a little article on an English-language Armenia news site blared a headline with potentially world-changing implications: “Wikileaks: Turkey was ready to launch military operations against Russia in 2008.” READ MORE