Will Russia deliberately shell and fire on residents of the occupied territories during their pseudo-referenda? The Ukrainian authorities have suggested that the Russian Federation could be planning to carry out a number of terrorist acts against civilians by shelling the civilian infrastructure during the illegal referenda in the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk…
Politics
Putin Seeks to Repeat the World’s Tragic History
Samarkand Spirit: A New Format of International Cooperation
On September 15-16, a Summit of the Heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states was held in Samarkand, which became a platform for discussing the state and prospects for the development of cooperation in the SCO’s sought-after areas and areas of activity. The summit was the first face-to-face meeting of the SCO leaders since…
Could Russia be on the Verge of Disintegration?
Before the so-called special military operation, all of President Putin’s problems were related to the domestic political situation in Russia, where his ratings were rapidly declining. Approaching the presidential election in 2024, he risked facing a situation in which his nomination to the presidency might provoke a powerful wave of protests. A full-scale attack on…
Putin’s War Will be Won or Lost in Brussels
“Putin’s war” will be won or lost in Brussels, writes Giles Merritt. Whatever the military outcome on the killing fields of the Donbass, it’s the solidarity of the European Union that will eventually determine whether Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is defeated or victorious. That in turn will depend on whether the EU and its member…
Why the upcoming Samarkand SCO summit is important and what to expect from the outcome
On September 15-16, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) summit will be held in the historic Uzbek city of Samarkand. At the upcoming event, the leaders of the SCO countries will come together for the first time in three years in a face-to-face format, one that will be a unique and effective opportunity to discuss the…
Outrage At Attack on Argentine’s Vice-President
The leader of the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Iratxe García Pérez, says she is “appalled by the violent attack against Cristina Fernández Kirchner”. Speaking from Buenos Aires, only a few hours after having met the Argentinian vice-president, García said: “hate and polarisation generate violence, which only democracy and dialogue can stop.” García also…
Europride in Serbia
Following the announcement of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić that the Serbian government wants to ban this year’s international EuroPride event in Belgrade, allegedly because of various internal and external “pressures” on the country, MEPs Terry Reintke and Viola von Cramon met with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić this week to discuss the situation. Terry Reintke…
Working As One For the Global Good
The global community is confronting a number of unprecedented crises: from the ongoing challenge of COVID-19 variants and stalled efforts on climate change, to supply chain disruptions and Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, writes Jaushieh Joseph Wu. Now more than ever, China’s increasing rhetorical and military intimidation is jeopardizing regional peace and stability. All these…
State visits, Statements and Statesmanship
One of the many key decisions facing political leaders – especially new ones like Liz Truss – is when and where to make official visits. Some leaders and their choices have been wiser than others, writes Philip Bushill-Matthews. Recently in the UK there were two state visits in relatively quick succession. In 2015 under David Cameron’s premiership the Queen accorded a full state visit…