Recipes for Consolidation

Sarmīte Ēlerte, ex-Minister of Culture of Latvia, talks about the successes and challenges in integrating the Russian-speaking community in Latvian society

Phantoms of Disintegration

The Kremlin's ineffective regional policy sparks decentralization

Derussification

Revanchist ambitions in post-Soviet countries and the intent to retain Muslim peoples within its orbit fuel ethnic and religious tensions in Russia

Is Gazprom on the Ropes?

Ineffective business model of the Russian gas monopolist makes it a weaker promoter of the Kremlin’s policies abroad

A New U.S. Strategy Toward Neo-Imperial Russia

After four years of toiling to “reset” relations with Moscow, on the assumption that Russia can mature into a strategic partner, Washington needs to fundamentally reassess its approach

Britons: World's Worst Tourists

Cheap flights now bring in thousands of young people on package holidays offering cheap alcohol and a license to behave badly

Transatlantic Spying: the Snowden Case

Edward Snowden’s revelation of covert information collection operations by the US intelligence has sown deep suspicion between Washington and its European allies

British Colonial Past: It's Payback Time

Britain has opened a way for people from former British colonies such as Kenya, Cyprus and Aden to claim compensation for tortures and detainment during its colonial rule

North Caucasus in Turmoil

The terrorist bombings in Boston on April 15 turned the international spotlight on Russia’s volatile North Caucasus region.

A Shaky Bridge Across the Channel

Should the United Kingdom leave the European Union? It is the issue that has split Britain’s politicians

One Reason for Estonia’s Success Lies Across the Gulf

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Estonia has fared much better than other former Soviet republics. The Estonian economy has developed rapidly, and society as a whole is very free and democratic. The reason? Not only timely and judicious political decisions, but also the strong influence of Estonia’s northern neighbour Finland.

Some Tips for Supporters of Ukraine’s European Integration

In order to avoid continued manipulation by the Ukrainian government, the West should focus on direct contacts with Ukrainian society more, and thus form its own concept of the processes in Ukraine

Estonia: Restoration Meant No to a Soviet Legacy

Estonians took radical action to get rid from the Soviet legal system and laid the foundation for the rule of law, with a clear separation of powers and an independent judiciary.

Jacek Saryusz-Wolski: “Our standards in human rights and democracy are what matters. If a country wants to come closer to the EU and sign up, it should fulfill these. Otherwise, sorry”

Armenia, Georgia and Moldova have much better chances of signing the Association Agreement in Vilnius than Ukraine at this point. But things may change. The ball is on the Ukrainian side

Offshore Leaks

The biggest ever leak of information about the offshore accounts of global companies reveal the dark side of the global economy. The lists also include Ukraine’s richest oligarchs

Not Yet Quiet in Baghdad

Life in Iraq ten years after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein

Turn Again, Great Britain

Margaret Thatcher made Britons feel confident of themselves, and once again proud of their country, and have put the ‘Great’ back into Great Britain

The Mythical Benefits of the Customs Union

The Customs Union is causing major economic problems not only for its “minority” members, Kazakhstan and Belarus, but even for the major stakeholder - Russia

Pawel Swieboda: “If Ukraine fails to sign the Association Agreement with the EU, it will have a hard time returning to negotiations”

The Ukrainian Week discusses Ukraine’s European prospects with Pawel Swieboda, formerly EU Advisor to the Polish president and currently President of DemosEUROPA Centre for European Strategy

Russia is Arming Itself, but Against Whom?

Vladimir Putin has announced military reforms involving a large-scale rearmament of Russia. Success is not guaranteed, but Moscow will be able to do even more sabre-rattling before its neighbours and the West

A Prisoner of Conscience?

Pavel Khodorkovsky speaks about how his father has become a symbol of political repression in Russia and why he poses a threat to Vladimir Putin

The Art of Tightrope Walking

Pekka Visuri talks about security policy in neutral Finland

Personal, political and clan interests of those in power have always been more important to them than the national interest of the country

James Sherr claims that Ukraine’s choice today is between national and clan interests rather than Russia and the West

European politicians feel that Ukrainian authorities are mucking them about

Andrew Wilson, political analyst and Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, talks to The Ukrainian Week about the Ukraine-EU Summit and Yanukovych's tactics in negotiations with Brussels

Russia’s Soft Power Wars

The stark contrast between Western and Russian understanding of “soft power” has become evident during President Vladimir Putin’s third presidency. For the Kremlin, “soft power” is part of its arsenal of foreign policy tools designed to re-integrate Russia’s neighbors around a Moscow orbit.

Three in a Boat

PACE’s failure to recognize Azerbaijani political prisoners creates problems for their counterparts in Ukraine