European countries should invest more in their defense capacities to be able to defend principles of democracy around the globe, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said in Vilnius. READ MORE

Chinese President Xi Jinping will stress the continuity of Beijing's policy toward Kazakhstan during his first state visit to the Central Asian country on Saturday, a Kazakh expert said. READ MORE

At the Munich Security Conference 2011 NATO Secretary General Rasmussen introduced a new concept of defense, capable of creating more favorable conditions in the field of security with fewer resources through closer cooperation and flexible than it was before. It is based on the principle of differentiated responsibilities of the Alliance members with different capabilities, taking into account, in what areas they have an advantage. And the search for common ground with other organizations. In the first place with the European Union, whose interests in the field of security is largely coincide with those of NATO. But as for an organization such as the Collective Security Treaty Organization, NATO is still only prefers to develop bilateral relations with each of the members of this organization. Strengthening of cooperation with the countries of the CSTO is dictated by the situation in neighboring Afghanistan. As well as the modernization of NATO itself. READ MORE

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the then Russian president, Dmitri Medvedev, met in June 2010 at Schloss Meseberg in Germany and produced a half-page memorandum on security issues. The “Meseberg Memorandum” supported the establishment of an EU-Russian dialogue at the foreign-minister level and of EU-Russian cooperation on crisis management. Specifically, the agreement committed the EU and Russia to cooperate on resolving the frozen Transdniestria conflict,i one of the remnants of the collapse of the Soviet Union. READ MORE

European diplomats were stunned this week by word that Armenia, which had been heading toward strengthening ties with the European Union, will instead join a customs union led by Russia—handing the Kremlin a victory in its tug of war with Brussels for influence in the region. READ MORE

When Tajikistan announced in January that it was giving some of its territory to neighbouring China, the news raised eyebrows around Central Asia. Not because the land itself was significant—it was just 1000 square kilometres of mountainous, uninhabited territory—but because it served as a symbol of what many Central Asians fear is a slow, steady takeover of their countries. READ MORE

The inconvenient truth that the EU-mediated negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia will not lead to genuine reconciliation is coming to light. READ MORE

On 1 July Croatia has become the 28th member of the EU. Will this membership bring joy and happiness? And was it worth the effort?   READ MORE

The view in many parts of Brussels is that the future of Europe, at least for the next few years, will not be decided by the ever more unpopular elections for the European parliament in 2014, but by the German electorate on 22 September. READ MORE

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin has warned Moldova that signing an association agreement with the European Union would have “serious consequences” for the country’s future, echoing similar threats levelled at Ukraine. READ MORE