Opinion
How Kazakhstan leveraged “uranium power” to hold reins in nuclear fuel dealings with China
Researcher says Kazakhstan is no mere “node in Beijing’s transregional geoeconomic strategy”. Such thinking obscures Chinese actors’ adaptive approach to local interests and overlooks gains Kazakhstani actors “skillfully extracted”.
COMMENT: The EU's policy dilemma in Georgia – choosing between bad and worse
Freezing Georgia’s progress towards EU accession over the ‘foreign agents’ bill could alienate the Georgian population and bring much joy to the EU’s adversaries.
Central Asia: Welcome to the “opportunity zone”
The Great Game’s got a new name.
COMMENT: Can China compensate for Russia’s losses on the European gas market?
“Building the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline from Russia to China is a rational decision that would have made sense even before the war, but the project will never be able to replace Russia’s decimated gas trade with Europe."
COLLINGWOOD: Ukraine’s power blackout means a dark future
In the last week, two pieces of legislation have been passed, one in Kyiv and one in Washington, that appear to go some way to addressing the most pressing problems Ukraine faces in its war with Russia. They do not.
UBN: The US Needs to Wake Up
“As I write, highly civilized human beings are flying overhead, trying to kill me.” – George Orwell, England Your England, 1941
COMMENT: Armenia's decisive turn towards the West
There’s a high probability that a new geopolitical balance can be established in the South Caucasus where Russia will finally be absent.
BOFIT: Russia’s overall economic performance steady in February; construction investment has supported wartime growth
The central factor supporting Russian economic growth last year was the sharp increase in fixed capital investment. Increased budget spending was also used to finance investments.
PANNIER: Caspian military drills that exclude Russia and Iran have some people in Moscow asking questions
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan going ahead with “Birlestik-2024”. Russian consternation is growing.
COMMENT: The Three Seas Initiative's digital imperative
While digital infrastructure in the region is growing, support infrastructure designed to handle the growth in demand is what requires investment.
TEHRAN BLOG: Are Iran and Israel going to war? It’s already begun
The Middle East is no stranger to tension, and recent developments have brought the delicate balance of peace and conflict in the region to international attention.
Crisis Group warns resolution of conflict between Serbia and Kosovo increasingly distant
There is “scant hope” of Belgrade and Pristina overcoming their difficulties and normalising relations, says a new Crisis Group report.
CENUSA: Geopolitics prevails in the EU accession agenda for Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova
The destabilisation of Eastern Europe created a paradigm shift in terms of EU enlargement.
BOFIT: Forecast for Russia sees lower economic growth ahead
In the March update of BOFIT"s Forecast for Russia 2024-2026 capacity constraints will become a major cause of Russia’s economic slowdown this year.
COMMENT: Asian central banks likely to start cutting rates soon
Central banks across emerging Asia are poised to implement interest rate cuts in the coming months, driven by declining inflation and tepid domestic demand.
COMMENT: Overheating in Russia and Turkey, but CEE recovering
The economies of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), which experienced a period of stagnation last year, are poised for a modest revival in 2024, but both the Russian and Turkish economies are already overheating.
UBN: Russia could take the Baltic states in 48 hours
Russian forces must only make an offensive push for 250km to cut the Baltic states from Europe.
COMMENT: Rising tension between France and Azerbaijan is a drag on peace process with Armenia
France is taking independent steps regarding the South Caucasus, as French President Emmanuel Macron attempts to bolster his role as a top European leader.
Illiberal axis between Budapest and Balkans threatens regional stability, analyst warns
Hungarian PM Viktor Orban’s close ties with leaders of Serbia and Bosnia’s Republika Srpska have encouraged nationalism and authoritarian tendencies with negative consequences for stability, says paper published by EPC.
PANNIER: Kyrgyz cabinet chief’s strictures on public behaviour have echoes of Iran and Afghanistan
Scruffy trolleybus passengers and wayward daughters-in-law among Akylbek Japarov’s targets, as well as that old favourite, lavish wedding receptions.