Section: The Huffington Post (USA)
Will Putin Exchange Donbass for Syria?
MOSCOW — Will Syria become a second Afghanistan for Russia? Is it wise for Russia to intervene in that conflict? Rumors are circulating that Moscow is planning a face-saving maneuver whereby it gradually “hands over” the Donbass in fulfillment of the Minsk agreement while aiding the U.S.-led anti-Islamic State coalition in Syria...
Why Greece, Europe and the West Need Meimarakis
As Greece embarks on its third poll in nine months, political and economic uncertainty prevails. For seven months, former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras engaged in reckless brinksmanship with Europe. Tsipras’ approach backfired and he pushed Greece to the verge of economic collapse. As a direct result, Greece was forced to accept the third...
Elton John Duped By Pranksters Pretending To Be Vladimir Putin
Sir Elton John is no longer feeling the love, after pranksters admitted tricking him into believing he got a call from Vladimir Putin. On Wednesday, Russian comedians Vladimir “Vovan” Krasnov and Alexei “Lexus” Stolyarov owned up to prank calling John earlier this week and pretending to be the Russian president.The call...
From Disgraced President to Ukraine’s Lead Diplomat: The Unlikely Redemption of Leonid Kuchma
On September 8, 2015, former Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma arrived in Minsk. He travelled to the Belarusian capital, as Ukraine’s representative to the Trilateral Contact Group that seeks to end the conflict in Donbas. At the summit that followed, Kuchma called for the withdrawal of heavy artillery from Eastern Ukraine, and urged the UN...
With Poroshenko — More than Ever
Another meeting with Petro Poroshenko at the presidential palace in Kiev — in the same office with the slightly kitschy decor in which he has received me on previous occasions. He is under strain but unperturbed. Wearing the same look of an alert fighter but this time with a gleam of confidence in his eyes that was not there when I saw him...
With Poroshenko–More than Ever
Another meeting with Petro Poroshenko at the presidential palace in Kiev–in the same office with the slightly kitschy decor in which he has received me on previous occasions. He is under strain but unperturbed. Wearing the same look of an alert fighter but this time with a gleam of confidence in his eyes that was not there when I saw him...
Vladimir Putin Swears He Didn’t Call Elton John
“I can responsibly say that Vladimir Putin has not spoken to Sir Elton John.”A spokesman for the Kremlin released that head-scratcher of a statement to Russian news agencies on Tuesday, hours after the multiple Grammy award-winning artist publicly thanked Putin on Instagram for speaking with him on the phone.”Thank-you to President...
Refugees and Responsibility in Europe and the U.S.
The ongoing debates within Europe about whether migrants, refugees or exiles should be welcomed or the morally dubious debates about how many are acceptable, bearable or sustainable have been widely reported in the media. To some extent there is a similar debate in the US about Syrian refugees. The refugee issue is a global one which is often...
Russia Uses Cover Of ISIS Fight To Bolster Syria Interests, Project Power
WASHINGTON — Syria’s civil war is at a critical juncture.International focus has returned to the long-overlooked conflict in the past few weeks because of Europe’s difficulties in accommodating the hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing Syria.At the same time, the countries whose consent and influence are key to ending the...
To Achieve Sustainable Development Goals, Leaders Must Focus on Human Rights
The UN General Assembly is upon us, and discussions will focus squarely on ratifying the Sustainable Development Goals. However, another document should be front and center in the minds of global leaders as they descend upon Manhattan this September: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The truth is this: we will only achieve the...
