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Opinion
Opinion: The future of the China-US-Russia triangle after Pelosi's visit to Taiwan

Opinion: The future of the China-US-Russia triangle after Pelosi's visit to Taiwan

Since February 24, 2022, the international community's focus was concentrated entirely on the war in Ukraine and the growing Russia – West confrontation. It seemed that nothing could change the situation until the end of hostilities in Ukraine. However, on August 2 and 3, almost everyone’s attention shifted from Ukraine to Taiwan. As the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, stated her intention to visit Taiwan, up to half a million people were watching the trajectory of her plane on air flight tracking sites. The negative reaction of China, including the warning of President Xi during his conversation with President Biden that those who played with fire would be perished by it, created hype around this visit. Many were discussing the possibility of Chinese military jets closing the airspace over Taiwan and preventing Pelosi’s plane from landing in Taiwan, while some enthusiasts were even contemplating the possibility of a US-China direct military clash. As Pelosi landed in Taiwan and met with the Taiwanese President, the global social media was full of amateur assessments about the strategic victory of the US and the confirmation of the US global hegemony. However, as the dust settles down, and information noise and manipulation eventually decreases, a more serious assessment is needed to understand the real consequences of this visit.
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News
US brokers agreement to end Russia - Ukraine military action in the Black Sea

US brokers agreement to end Russia - Ukraine military action in the Black Sea

Russia and Ukraine agreed Tuesday to halt military strikes in the Black Sea and on energy sites during talks brokered by the United States, which offered as a first concrete incentive to Moscow to ease pressure on agricultural exports. With President Donald Trump pushing for a rapid end to the war that has killed tens of thousands of people, US negotiators shuttled separately over three days in the Saudi capital Riyadh between delegations from Ukraine and Russia.
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News
White House mistakenly shares Yemen war plans with a journalist at The Atlantic

White House mistakenly shares Yemen war plans with a journalist at The Atlantic

A US journalist was inadvertently included in a group chat in which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance and other top officials discussed upcoming strikes against Yemen's Huthi rebels, the White House confirmed Monday. President Donald Trump announced the strikes on March 15, but in a shocking security breach, The Atlantic magazine's editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg wrote that he had hours of advance notice via the group chat on Signal.
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Opinion
Opinion: Lessons Learnt for the South Caucasus from the Russia-USA ‘Rapprochement’

Opinion: Lessons Learnt for the South Caucasus from the Russia-USA ‘Rapprochement’

The evolving dynamics of Russia-USA relations have sent shockwaves through the post-Soviet space, with the South Caucasus emerging as a critical region to observe the fallout. Recent negotiations between the United States and Russia, particularly those aimed at resolving the war in Ukraine, have exposed fault lines in international diplomacy that carry profound lessons for Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The implications of this “rapprochement” are starkly illustrated by Ukraine’s experience, Azerbaijan’s strategic foresight, and Armenia’s persistent miscalculations in relying on external powers for security.
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News
147 media workers injured during protests in Georgia since November

147 media workers injured during protests in Georgia since November

147 media workers have been affected in recorded incidents involving violence against journalists, obstruction of their work, and confiscation or damage of equipment since November 2024 when pro-European protests began in Georgia, according to a study by the Centre for Media, Information and Social Research (CMIS).
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Monday Commentary
Monday Commentary: The EU Defence White Paper is a timely and important contribution to the debate on the future of Europe

Monday Commentary: The EU Defence White Paper is a timely and important contribution to the debate on the future of Europe

The Defence White Paper, published in Brussels on 19 March by the European Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, entitled “Joint White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030” was a welcome, major contribution, to the debate on European Defence and Security. Unlike similar epistles coming out of Brussels, who one often wonders are written for whom, and by whom, the Defence White Paper is informative, candid and containing well-argued steps going forward. It gives the reader a good sense of the urgency of the situation and sets out clearly a set of steps aimed at addressing the urgency in a timely manner.
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Protests grow in Türkiye over detention of Istanbul mayor

Protests grow in Türkiye over detention of Istanbul mayor

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu appeared before police for questioning on terror-related charges on Saturday, a day after his interrogation over corruption allegations. His arrest this week has sparked widespread protests across Türkiye, with demonstrators rallying in multiple cities to voice their opposition. The mayor, who is a popular opposition figure and seen as a top challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was detained on Wednesday following a dawn raid on his residence over allegations of financial crimes and links to Kurdish militants.
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EU leaders vow to continue support for Ukraine but make no concrete pledge

EU leaders vow to continue support for Ukraine but make no concrete pledge

European Union leaders said on Thursday that they will continue to support Ukraine, but they did not immediately endorse a call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to provide at least 5 billion euros for artillery ammunition purchases. The EU’s leaders also discussed the Commission's defence proposals, which include a call for European countries to pool resources on joint military projects and buy more European arms.
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First EU-Central Asia summit to take place in Uzbekistan on 3-4 April

First EU-Central Asia summit to take place in Uzbekistan on 3-4 April

The President of the European Council, António Costa, along with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, will be among EU leaders travelling to Uzbekistan for the first-ever EU-Central Asia summit on 3-4 April. The summit will be hosted by Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Samarkand, with the participation of the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The summit will present a key opportunity for the EU to demonstrate its geopolitical interest in intensifying bilateral engagement and enhance regional cooperation with Central Asia.