June 29, 2011

Visegrad: A New European Military Force | STRATFOR

Visegrad: A New European Military Force | STRATFOR
May 17, 2011 | 0859 GMT
By George Friedman
With the Palestinians demonstrating and the International Monetary Fund in turmoil, it would seem odd to focus this week on something called the Visegrad Group. But this is not a frivolous choice. What the Visegrad Group decided to do last week will, I think, resonate for years, long after the alleged attempted rape by Dominique Strauss-Kahn is forgotten and long before the Israeli-Palestinian issue is resolved. The obscurity of the decision to most people outside the region should not be allowed to obscure its importance.

The Divided States of Europe | STRATFOR

The Divided States of Europe | STRATFOR
June 28, 2011 | 0848 GMT
By Marko Papic
Europe continues to be engulfed by economic crisis. The global focus returns to Athens on June 28 as Greek parliamentarians debate austerity measures imposed on them by eurozone partners. If the Greeks vote down these measures, Athens will not receive its second bailout, which could create an even worse crisis in Europe and the world.

Could Elections be Democratic in Ukraine without Tymoshenko? | Atlantic Council

Could Elections be Democratic in Ukraine without Tymoshenko? | Atlantic Council

Could Elections be Democratic in Ukraine without Tymoshenko?

Taras Kuzio | June 28, 2011
Yanukovych at PACE 2010
Speaking to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on June 21, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych defended the criminal cases launched against former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and twelve ministers from her 2007-2010 government. Together with nine leaders of the fall 2010 anti-tax code protests and ten nationalists who admitted to beheading the monument to Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin (a crime of ‘hooliganism’) although they have been charged with blowing it up (which is a charge of ‘terrorism’) the list of Ukrainians persecuted for political beliefs is now over 30 - and growing.

June 1, 2011

Russia Is an Unreliable Partner for Ukraine

Russia Is an Unreliable Partner for Ukraine | Opinion | The Moscow Times

Russia Is an Unreliable Partner for Ukraine

By Alyona Getmanchuk

Relations between Ukraine and Russia have been remarkably cold since Viktor Yanukovych was elected president a year ago. It has been a long time since we saw the friendly hugs of Yanukovych and President Dmitry Medvedev.
Ever since pundits first started labeling Yanukovych as the “pro-Russian president,” it sparked the opposite reaction. “Ukraine is not going to be a province of Russia” has become almost a catchphrase for the Ukrainian authorities.
Ukraine will not sacrifice its European integration for a closer friendship with Russia on the Kremlin’s terms.