Section: The American Interest (USA)
What Do the Normativists Stand For?
The events of 2014–15 dispelled many of the illusions that arose in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia’s return to the global arena as a state demanding the right to interpret the rules of the game (or to undermine them) ruined the post-Cold War hopes that we were beginning a benevolent new chapter in history. The...
Italy Wants in on Russian Pipeline
Italian papers are reporting (article in Italian) that Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi concluded two days of talks between Moscow and Rome with a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which he insisted that Italy’s Eni get to participate in the proposed “Nord Stream 2” pipeline extension. Renzi made headlines...
Russia’s New Target in Syria: The South
Government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, backed by strong Russian air support, appear to be making a strong push in the country’s south—long a stronghold of more moderate rebel forces fighting against Damascus in the grinding Syrian Civil War.Though rebels are currently holding their own in defending the strategically...
What Analysts Miss about the Russian Orthodox Church
A recent, long article in the Christian Science Monitor profiles the revival of Orthodoxy’s political influence in Russia, arguing that religion is filling the void left by the collapse of Communism. A taste: [J]ust before the mid-December blastoff of the latest Soyuz mission to the International Space Station, the countdown procedure was...
Europe Eyes LNG as Gazprom Alternative
It’s a good time to import liquified natural gas (LNG), so it’s not surprising to see Croatia is looking to take advantage, entertaining bids this week for an LNG terminal on an island off its Adriatic coast. Reuters reports: The project, with a nominal capacity of 6 billion cubic metres, is expected to require investment of around...
Russia’s Shadowboxing with NATO
Russia has a new National Security Strategy, signed by President Putin on the last day of 2015, an uncanny New Year’s message that Russia’s relations with the West have entered an even more volatile phase. The new Russian NSS accuses the United States and its NATO allies of “seeking to preserve their global domination in world...
In Putin’s Russia, Art Looks at You
The only thing more disconcerting than coming face-to-face with a nine-foot-tall fighter-jet helmet is the moment when it comes alive. Suddenly, the goggles revealed a pair of eyes. They looked up, down, side to side, sweeping the room in panic. I was no longer looking at art—art was looking at me.It was Russian art, to be exact. This wild-eyed...
Ukraine Averts Loss of Bailout Funds
Ukraine’s parliament passed a budget Christmas Eve, taking an important step toward ensuring that IMF bailout funds will continue to flow to Kyiv. The Financial Times: Ukraine’s parliament adopted crucial tax amendments, a 2016 budget and other related laws in tense – at times sleepy — voting that stretched from Thursday morning past...
Putin to Firefighters: No Christmas Pay for You
It’s not a merry time of year for Russia’s firefighters. The Times reports: Russian firefighters and other emergency services employees face a bleak Christmas after they were told that their salaries would go unpaid.The workers were advised to take out bank loans. “The ministry has no money,” an unnamed accountant at the emergencies...
Sanctions Delay Revealed Italian Frustration
After two weeks of delays instigated by Italy, the EU finally extended sanctions on Russia by another six months. “Since the Minsk agreements will not be fully implemented by 31 December 2015,” the European Council said in a statement yesterday, “the duration of the sanctions has been prolonged whilst the Council continues its assessment of...
