Eastern Europe / Opinion
ASH: Confusion over the details of the new Belarus sanctions but they will work
Putting a few concluding remarks around the latest Western sanctions iteration around Belarus. There is some confusion around what has been done, or not, but the bottom line is the screw has tightened and western firms are unlikely to do business.
Perspectives | Augmented Azerbaijan? The return of Azerbaijani irredentism
For decades Azerbaijan denounced Armenian irredentism. Now it is advancing expansionary territorial claims of its own as it seeks to impose peace on its terms.
COMMENT: Duma Elections 2021: Russia’s Communist Party looks interesting again
Russia’s Communist Party (KPRF) occasionally takes its role as the main opposition party seriously. Its MPs voted against the constitutional amendments in 2020 and giving Putin two more terms. But can it remake itself into a real opposition?
HESS: Europe goes sectoral on Belarus
Sectoral sanctions have arguably been the most significant innovation in the sanctions tool box over the last decade. Despite reticence over Russia, Brussels now leads the way on expanding their use beyond the Ukrainian conflict, targeting Belarus.
MACRO ADVISORY: Buckle up, August is coming
Russia’s recent history has repeatedly shown that August is a month when surprises, usually bad, can happen more often than in any other month.
COMMENT: Why has China’s foreign minister spent three days in Damascus? Probably not having trade discussions
A few days ago China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi spent three days visiting President Bashar al Assad in Syria, the first foreign dignitary the Syrian president has hosted since the start of his new term.
