Category: NATO
The Flawed Criticism of Trump’s Tariffs
President Trump wants to put America back on track. Throughout the nation’s successful history, the free trade idea has fallen on deaf ears as Americans took their fate into their own hands. This was what the struggle for independence was … Continue reading
America’s Policy in Eastern Europe: U.S. Romanian Common Interests
American-Romanian cooperation is viewed as favorable by most people, but with some reservation. This reservation is directed chiefly at the political leaders of the country, who have neglected the interests of the population. From now on, improving further the Romanian-American … Continue reading
MAGA vs. Russia
Along with Beijing, Moscow challenges the global leadership of Washington. Trump never gives anything away for free. His reflex is to protect what America controls and to reclaim what she used to master. That, in the long run, entails confronting … Continue reading
From Russia with Reciprocity
Russia’s military doctrine continues to adhere to the “first strike” principle. Namely, Moscow will not shy away from using its nuclear weapons, if it judges it to be in its interest and it has a chance to annihilate its target … Continue reading
Eastern Europe: An Area Divided and Exposed to Russian Threats
Russia’s influence over Hungary recently manifested itself when Budapest opposed Romania’s admission to several Western European multilateral organizations. For example, this September Hungary opposed the integration of Romania in the European Organization for Cooperation and Economic Development (OECD). Obviously, Moscow … Continue reading
The Trump Effect in Germany: Where Strength and Skepticism Clash
For Robin Classen, the most important idea of Trump’s is “to end illegal immigration in the US and to deport illegal immigrants. If he will succeed with this idea, it will show the European nations that the immigration of the … Continue reading
Trump Hosts Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis
Iohannis’ White House visit was reassuring for those Eastern European NATO countries that feel threatened by Russia. For the Western European leaders, the message sent by President Trump was that they must meet the 2% of GDP annual payment for … Continue reading
Trump and America’s Changing Relationship with Europe
Two men changing the face of the Western political establishment joined together on stage. A tight handshake that would come to mark the future President of America’s most analysed body language… Continue reading
Bombs and Ballots: Intelligence Betrayals Before British Elections
The prevailing atmosphere of Washington, DC, what President Trump calls “the swamp” runs deeper and wider than any have ever imagined. The dysfunctional intelligence community raising its ugly head is becoming the revenge of the swamp monster. In fact, people … Continue reading
Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts
May this complex situation in Europe, geographically so much closer to Russia, be a case in point? Russian modus operandi is radically different from the Western ideals of transparency and fair play. Open sources of influence alternate with semi-official or clandestine channels, just like in the case of email leaks during the presidential campaign in the U.S. Therefore, when a new American foreign policy is shaped and decisions are taken in 2017, one thing needs to be remembered: A gift needn’t be a token of friendship. Continue reading
Ukraine: What’s Next?
The parliament in Kyiv has just signed a bill granting autonomy to Lukhansk and Donetsk regions in the southeast of Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated was his wish. To sweeten the deal the Ukrainian legislature also voted to associate its nation with the European Union. This suggests a return to the traditional policy of subservience to Russia and cooperation with the West, a fence-straddling posture pursued by Kyiv since independence nearly 25 years ago. Putin got what he wanted, while the West remains rudderless under the Obama administration.
The Ukrainian Crisis: Theory vs. History
John J. Mearsheimer’s geopolitical game theory tells him that the West has provoked Russia into invading Ukraine. Moscow behaves rationally, you see, and Washington should have understood that before it expanded NATO eastward and stepped on the Kremlin’s toes. It is logical and legitimate to defend one’s sphere of interest. Why provoke Moscow?