How Trump Lost the Balkans
Edward Joseph, Foreign Policy
The administration’s see-no-evil diplomacy has produced a dangerous unraveling across the region.
Edward Joseph, Foreign Policy
The administration’s see-no-evil diplomacy has produced a dangerous unraveling across the region.
Nina Krushcheva, Project Syndicate
For most of the last decade, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been far less interested in solving domestic problems than in establishing Russia as an important, even fearsome, player on the world stage. But today, though there may be residual enthusiasm left for meddling in the US presidential election, sparring with the EU over issues large and small seems less exciting.
Minxin Pei, Project Syndicate
US President Donald Trump’s disastrous pandemic response and his alienation of America’s traditional allies have benefited China significantly. With American voters preparing to head to the polls on November 3, Trump seemingly has one more gift to give to Chinese President Xi Jinping: an election meltdown.
Joaquin Castro, Foreign Affairs
A New Administration Must Build a Bigger, Better State Department
Colm Quinn, Foreign Policy
As Europe locks down, Trump mocks the concept.
George Friedman, Geopolitical Futures
International conferences for people in my profession are generally a thing of the recent past, having been replaced by virtual conferences via platforms like Zoom and Webex. I’ve attended three this month alone and many more in prior months. One question has been repeatedly raised, particularly at European conferences: What has happened to American leadership? It’s typically followed by another question of whether the United States is returning to isolationism. Читать дальше...
Lucie Messy, Russia Matters
As we near yet another Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, it is worth taking a look at this organization to try to understand whether it is a paper tiger or a powerhouse, and, if the latter, to attempt to discern whether this organization’s further evolution may have a tangible impact on the balance of power in Asia and Western allies’ interests in that region. Overall, while the capabilities of individual SCO members, such as China and Russia, pose a challenge to Western countries’ interests... Читать дальше...
Cengiz Candar, Al-Monitor
The United States and European Union's inertia may allow Turkey to threaten de-escalation efforts in Libya and South Caucasus.
Sholto rnes, The National
The recent rejection of a proposed state of emergency demonstrates the worth of kingly wisdom in times of crisis.
Emmanuel Dreyfus, Russia Matters
Launched in 2008 in the wake of the Five-Day War with Georgia, Russia’s “Novyy Oblik” military reform has been extensively studied and analyzed. With Moscow’s growing reliance on its military might as a foreign policy tool—first and foremost in its post-Soviet “comfort zone,” but also in other regions such as the Middle East and Africa—interest in Russia’s armed forces, logically, has been on the rise. Military emulation, defined as “importing new tools and... Читать дальше...
Stephen Tankel & Tommy Ross, WOTR
One of America’s most important foreign policy tools is not fit for purpose. U.S. security sector assistance — the means by which the United States strengthens alliances and partners — is stuck in the past. Crucially, it is out of sync with U.S. priorities when it comes to where resources are needed most and the types of capabilities required by America’s allied and partners.
Ivan Preobrazhensky, Riddle
Ivan Preobrazhensky looks at how the international community will have a tough time thrashing out a lasting peace settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan
Peter Beyer, Internationale Politik Quarterly
Germany needs to improve its capacity to act in the realm of foreign and security policy. This includes reaching the NATO 2-percent goal more quickly. There are also structural changes required, including the setting up of a National Security Council.
Chris Olaoluwa Ogunmodede, World Politics Review
On Oct. 20, Nigerian security forces opened fire on two groups of unarmed demonstrators in the sprawling metropolis of Lagos, reportedly killing at least a dozen people. The victims had been part of a weeks-long civic uprising to demand more accountability from law enforcement and an end to rampant police brutality in Nigeria. In the wake of last week’s shootings, the...
David Herszenhorn, Politico EU
In a statement on Sunday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry accused France of creating the recent tensions and complained of the “continued one-sided and egocentric approaches of France” and of “the West’s usual double standards” in its defense of cartoons offensive to Muslims under the umbrella of free expression.
Bradley Bowma, Aykan Erdemir & Scott Adamson, FDD
A NATO ally should not acquire a major weapon system from the leading threat to the alliance.
David Gardner, Financial Times
The Turkish president’s spat with France’s Macron has made headlines, but his rivalry with Russia is the bigger menace
Roger Boyes, The Times
It's an angry world. In this busy year there have been mass protests against tone-deaf dictators, government abuse, police misconduct, suppression of minority rights, rigged elections and the erosion
Mark Galeotti, Moscow Times
One of the most powerful men most people haven’t heard of was forced to retire. The offhand way he was dismissed may say something even about the Navalny case.
Daniel Larison, The American Conservative
Our founders warned of the dangers of entangling alliances, but the U.S. has misunderstood the nature of international relationships for far too long.
Stefania D'Ignoti, FP
Italian fishermen are being kidnapped off the coast of Libya—and Rome is too caught up in EU migration politics to help.