General Gerasimov Downplays Nuclear Cuts
A conference on European security, organized by the Russian defense ministry on May 23–24 in Moscow, served as a platform for the top brass to reiterate well-worn themes and perspectives on a range of issues: from the United States’ ballistic missile defense (BMD) system to revamping the existing security structure in Europe. Alongside senior Russian defense officials and experts were a selection of counterparts from the US and Europe who discussed strategic issues linked to European and, indeed, global security. However, the set of interlinked views expressed during the conference—and representative of the ideas and policy stance among Russia’s defense leadership—displayed no tangible advance on similar statements in recent years. This is particularly clear with reference to the address by Army-General Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff and first deputy defense minister (Interfax, May 24). READ MORE
Economic Relations between Russia and the EU: In Search of a Common Vision
The promotion of innovative business within European markets is not only key to overcoming the remaining differences between Russia and the European Union and establishing a mutually beneficial investment environment, but it is also an element of the Russian version of “soft power”. This article examines the existing models of Russia-Europe innovation cooperation, as well as its potential from the perspective of Russian foreign policy strategy. READ MORE
Ukraine OKs Bid for Customs Union Observer Status
The Ukrainian government on Wednesday approved a memorandum applying for observer status in the Customs Union, a Moscow-based trade bloc comprising Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said. READ MORE
Will Germany proceed to hold Europe on its shoulders?
At the beginning of April German Chancellor Angela Merkel spent her vacation in the island close to Naples. She was visited by the Campania region governor Stefano Caldoro who afterwards posted a video on his website where he urged her to look at the difficult areas including youth unemployment rates 10 times those of Germany. It is not the first time when Germany is criticised by South European countries complaining that they have to apply strict austerity measures in exchange for financial assistance. READ MORE
Minister: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey must work to attract cargo for Baku-Tbilisi-Kars
Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey must work to attract cargo to be transported through the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway, which is under construction, the Minister of Economic Development of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev said during a speech at the trilateral Azerbaijani-Georgian-Turkish business forum in Gabala on Saturday. READ MORE
Russia Hosts European Security Conference
An international conference on European security opens on Thursday in Moscow with Russia hoping to discuss approaches to the new pan-European security architecture in an open dialogue with the European Union and the NATO. READ MORE
Judy Asks: Is Support for the “Merkel Way” Fading?
The debate between advocates of austerity and supporters of stimulus still rages across Europe. Our experts assess whether backing for German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s economic policies—the “Merkel way”—is starting to wane. READ MORE
Europe’s Reaction and Prospects of Russian Gas Pipeline Project
Recently announced gas pipeline project “Yamal – Europe 2” has already obtained scandalous color. The decision of the Prime-Minister of Poland Donald Tusk to fire the Minister of State Treasury of Poland, who was responsible for fuel-energy complex – is the first clear reaction of Europe on this project. The reason for such decision was the signing of the memorandum between “Gazprom” and ”EuRoPolGaz” on the intention regarding the construction of the gas pipeline “Yamal-Europe-2”. The experts state – this project is of propaganda and blackmailing character. The objective is to force Ukraine to cooperate in gas-transporting sphere on the conditions of “Gazprom”. However, there are also other reasons to lobby the new project – growing energy and political significance of Russia for Europe. READ MORE
Martin Corey detention to be challenged in European court
Lawyers are to challenge the detention of an Irish republican from Lurgan, County Armagh, in the European court. READ MORE
The Process Stared
In Europe proceed trials on the case of the escaped Kazakhstani banker Mukhtar Ablyazov. Now Irish authorities have joined the process of clearing the international fraud scheme. READ MORE
