Category: Eurasia Center

Iranian and Syrian factors shape Israeli response to Russia’s Ukraine invasion

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Israel has sought to minimize involvement in the war while attempting to maintain a neutral stance toward Russia. This posture reflects Israeli security priorities closer to home. However, strengthening ties between Russia and Iran along with pressure from the West may eventually force Israel to

Xi calls Zelenskyy but doubts remain over China’s peacemaker credentials

China’s Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke for over an hour by phone on April 26 in what was the first conversation between the two leaders since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began more than fourteen months ago. The long-awaited call was welcomed in Kyiv and by much of the international community

Putin’s dreams of a new Russian Empire are unraveling in Ukraine

Over the past year, Russian President Vladimir Putin has openly compared his invasion of Ukraine to eighteenth century Russian Czar Peter the Great’s imperial conquests, and has boasted of “returning” historically Russian lands. However, his dreams of a new Russian Empire are now in danger of unraveling as military setbacks in Ukraine undermine Moscow’s position

Russia’s invasion highlights the need to invest more in Ukrainian studies

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has highlighted the need for greater international investment in Ukrainian studies. However, this discussion does not always take into account the realities of wartime Ukraine. While Russia’s invasion has generated unprecedented international interest in Ukrainian studies, it has also had a profound and overwhelmingly negative impact on the academic community

There can be no lasting peace with Russia until Ukraine liberates Crimea

As the world waits for Ukraine’s widely anticipated spring offensive, debate continues to rage over whether Ukrainian military objectives should include the de-occupation of Crimea. Some skeptics question if Ukraine has the military capabilities to successfully liberate the Russian-occupied peninsula; others claim Crimea’s personal importance to Putin make it a red line for the Russian

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is also being fought in cyberspace

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is the first modern war to feature a major cyber warfare component. While the conventional fighting in Ukraine often resembles the trench warfare of the early twentieth century, the evolving battle for cyber dominance is highly innovative and offers important insights into the future of international aggression. The priority for

Russia’s Ukraine invasion is the latest stage in the unfinished Soviet collapse

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began just over one year ago, growing numbers of international commentators and policymakers have reached the conclusion that the invasion is an act of old-fashioned imperialism. Until recently, such characterizations of Putin’s Russia had been restricted to the fringes of the international debate, but they are now firmly established

Ukrainian victory “could help ensure Europe’s future energy security”

Ukraine could become the next European energy powerhouse, with enough natural gas reserves to replace Russian exports to Europe as well as enormous potential in hydrogen and renewable energy. However, development of the country’s energy sector has been impeded by Russian invasions in 2014 and 2022. Oleksiy Chernyshov, who serves as CEO of Ukraine’s state-owned

Putin cancels Victory Day parades as Ukraine invasion continues to unravel

With Russia’s annual Victory Day celebrations less than one month away, the Kremlin has taken the highly unusual step of canceling a number of military parades in regional capitals. Scheduled parades to mark the World War II Soviet victory over Nazi Germany have been called off in Kursk and Belgorod oblasts, which both border Ukraine.