Biden’s massive Russian prisoner swap comes with major trouble for next president
Swap freed prominent prisoners held by Russia, but Biden may incentivize more hostage taking
Minsk
The CSTO: With Friends Like the Kremlin, Who Needs Enemies?
Armenia’s snubbing of the latest Moscow-led summit may be the first indication that Russia’s allies are beginning to realize that the glue that binds is past its sell-by date.
Op-eds
Iran and Belarus Sign Defense Cooperation Agreements
The Iranian and Belarussian defense ministers met in Tehran on July 31 to sign a pair of defense cooperation agreements. While details about the accords are scarce, Minsk may be looking to Tehran for...
Flash Briefs
Mystery Cargo
Senior Iranian and Venezuelan officials are traveling around the world on a cargo plane. Argentina detained them. But what are they up to?
Op-eds
Ukraine: Peace Through Victory
Russia’s modern day foreign ministry seems to follow the old Soviet negotiating precept: What is mine is mine, what is yours is up for negotiation.
Op-eds
Swift trans-Atlantic action kept Turkey from fueling Belarus’ hybrid attacks
Following her meeting with President Biden at the White House last Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on Twitter that the rising tensions on the Belarus-Poland border...
Op-eds
Turkish Airlines in EU Crosshairs for Facilitating Lukashenko’s “Hybrid Warfare” With Belarus Flights
The European Union reportedly has Turkish Airlines, Turkey’s national flag carrier, in its crosshairs due to the airline’s alleged role in trafficking migrants to Belarus. If Brussels goes forward with...
Policy Briefs
ICAO’s Authoritarian Test
When Belarus’ authoritarian strongman, Aleksandr Lukashenko, personally dispatched a fully armed MiG-29 fighter jet to intercept Ryanair Flight FR4978 in order to arrest a journalist and regime critic,...
Op-eds
To Get at Lukashenko, Punish His ‘Moneybags’
To impress the Belarusian dictator, go after his and his associates’ wealth.
Op-eds
Turkey Undermines NATO, Yet Again
Erdogan saves Putin’s Belarusian ally by playing spoiler role within NATO.
Op-eds
Erdogan Saves Putin’s Belarusian Ally by Playing Spoiler Role Within NATO
Turkey reportedly used its veto power within NATO on Wednesday to water down an official condemnation of Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko for forcing down a passenger plane to arrest Roman Protasevich,...
Policy Briefs
Franco-German TV Network Drops Film on Antisemitism Because it is ‘Pro-Israel’
Editors from the Franco- German TV network ARTE have reneged on showing a widely acclaimed documentary on the explosion of lethal antisemitism in Europe, because the film is considered pro-Israel...
Op-eds
Belarus, the Land of No Applause
Unlike other dictators, who speak of their love for “freedom” and “liberty,” President Aleksandr Lukashenko of Belarus is admirably blunt abou...
Op-eds
Iran’s Global Bedfellows
If you listen to U.S. officialdom, Iran is a pariah, cast out by the world community for its sanctions-violating, nuclear-wannabe ways. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has just warned Latin Amer...
Op-eds
Iran’s Global Bedfellows
If you listen to U.S. officialdom, Iran is a pariah, cast out by the world community for its sanctions-violating, nuclear-wannabe ways. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has just warned Latin Am...