Filter archive

Publication date
Authors
Editor's choice
Monday Commentary
Al-Sharaa returns Syria back to the world stage
Trending

Al-Sharaa returns Syria back to the world stage

21 April 2025
The new Syrian leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, made an important appearance on the world stage in the last days, visiting Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates. This was not al Sharaa’s first international outing since overthrowing the Baathist regime, led by Bashir al-Assad, in December. In February he visited Saudi Arabia and made short stops in Türkiye and Egypt. But this time round the visits appeared better prepared. In Türkiye, al Sharaa participated in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum where he met some of the world leaders and delegations present. He also met with Turkiye’s President, Recip Tayib Erdogan. From Antalya, al-Sharaa flew to Abu Dhabi for meetings with the UAE President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, and other Emirati officials.
Dennis Sammut
Editor's choice
Monday Commentary
“Germany is Back on Track” ……..and Europeans should be Happy about it!
Trending

“Germany is Back on Track” ……..and Europeans should be Happy about it!

14 April 2025
On Wednesday (9 April) a new coalition government was announced in Germany bringing back a CDU chancellor working with the centre-left SPD as junior partners. It is an arrangement that Germans are familiar with. Many post-war German governments were similarly constituted, and the German people are comfortable with this arrangement. It buries the prospect of the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland  (AfD), which came second in recent elections, having a role in government. The 146 pages coalition agreement was hammered out in a relatively short time, with those negotiating fully aware of the urgency of giving the country a stable government at a time of global uncertainty and serious domestic challenges. “Germany is back on track” announced the Chancellor-designate, Friedrich Merz, who is expected to take office in early May. Europeans should be happy. A strong Germany is the backbone of Europe, and the new coalition is the best guarantee of that.
Dennis Sammut
Editor's choice
Monday Commentary
Türkiye’s changing and growing role in the South Caucasus
Trending

Türkiye’s changing and growing role in the South Caucasus

7 April 2025
Last week, LINKS Europe organised a major conference in the Hague with the theme, “The South Caucasus, again in transition”. The event brought together experts, policy practitioners, and political voices from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia to discuss the regional dynamics in the South Caucasus and the role of the European Union and Türkiye in the region.
Dennis Sammut
Editor's choice
Monday Commentary
Yemen – the forgotten conflict
Trending

Yemen – the forgotten conflict

31 March 2025
The civil war in Yemen has been going on for ten years, and the world has pretended not to notice. It is only when the conflict spills over to neighbouring countries and regions that we see a flurry of activity, usually of the wrong kind. This was the case when targets in UAE and Saudi Arabia came under attack, or more recently when shipping in the Red Sea was targeted by Yemen’s current ruling group, the Houthis.
Dennis Sammut
Editor's choice
Monday Commentary
The EU Defence White Paper is a timely and important contribution to the debate on the future of Europe
Trending

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

24 March 2025
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.
Dennis Sammut
Editor's choice
Monday Commentary
Armenia and Azerbaijan Peace Agreement: A step in the right direction...but just a step
Trending

Armenia and Azerbaijan Peace Agreement: A step in the right direction...but just a step

17 March 2025
The news, released simultaneously in Baku and Yerevan, that Armenia and Azerbaijan had successfully concluded negotiations on a peace agreement is very welcome. Negotiations had been going on for a long time, sometimes in person and sometimes by email, sometimes with the participation of third-party mediators, but most of the time bilaterally without third parties. Armenia and Azerbaijan should be congratulated. The EU, US, Russia and France were amongst the first to praise the sides for their success.
Dennis Sammut
Editor's choice
Opinion
Opinion: It’s decision time in Georgia
Trending

Opinion: It’s decision time in Georgia

16 December 2024
The situation in Georgia is currently very critical. As commonspace.eu pointed out in its editorial published on 2nd December time has run out for Bizhina Ivanishvili and his Georgian Dream party. What remains for Ivanishvili and his associates is to agree an honourable exit after agreeing to new elections, which must be administered by a credible body. However, every day that Georgian Dream procrastinates, its position weakens. And every statement of its leaders makes things worse. The Georgian Dream had everything going for it but it squandered its political capital and its legacy. Ivanishvili tried to manage Georgian politics like a business. He failed to build bridges with opponents and relied on inexperienced people who failed to understand how Georgian politics worked. Georgia needs to come out of this experience stronger than before.
Dennis Sammut
Editor's choice
Commentary
Commentary: The four Cs that will characterise Armenia-Azerbaijan relations for the next decade
Trending

Commentary: The four Cs that will characterise Armenia-Azerbaijan relations for the next decade

18 January 2024
Armenia and Azerbaijan have practically been in a state of war with each other ever since they emerged as independent countries following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Over the last three years they have been negotiating, sometimes with the help of others, sometimes on their own, to end the cycle of violence and usher in a new era of peace. So far they have failed to agree on the text of a peace agreement, but it is likely that eventually they will, possibly quite soon. However, even in the absence of a formal peace agreement Armenia-Azerbaijan relations are changing, and will continue to change to become much more nuanced than has been the case so far. A relationship that has so far been based on confrontation and containment is making way for one based on contact and co-operation. The process is unlikely to be very quick, or simple and easy. At least for another decade Armenia-Azerbaijan relations will continue to be a mix of all four elements: confrontation, containment, contact and co-operation. Managing this mix will be the challenge facing the leadership in the two countries. The international community must be ready to support this process tangibly and speedily.
Dennis Sammut