Category: NATO

Putin is becoming entangled in his own discredited red lines

Vladimir Putin attempted to draw yet another red line on September 12, warning Western leaders that any decision to let Ukraine use long-range weapons against targets inside Russia would mean that NATO countries are “at war” with Russia. Speaking to the Kremlin media, Putin said that allowing Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory using Western-produced missiles

Time to make Russia worry about the West’s red lines in Ukraine

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine first began more than two and a half years ago, talk of Russian red lines has been a major feature of the international debate surrounding the war. Throughout this period, the Kremlin has relentlessly exploited this preoccupation with Russian red lines to fuel Western fears of escalation and limit

Part 3. Defense cooperation: Turkey’s triangular balancing in the Black Sea region

This chapter is part of a report on the prospects for enhanced cooperation between Turkey and Western countries in the Black Sea region in the new geopolitical setting following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Assessing the strategic environment In its Black Sea neighborhood, which includes Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, and Georgia, Turkey faces a centuries

Turkey wants to end the war in Ukraine—and might have a formula to do it

As Russia’s war in Ukraine continues to drag on, much is uncertain about its eventual end. But one thing that is clear—and that may greatly influence how the war ends and the regional landscape afterward—is Turkey’s critical role in shaping a cease-fire and post-war arrangement. As a major military and diplomatic power committed both to

Ukraine’s invasion of Russia exposes the folly of the West’s escalation fears

Units of the Ukrainian army crossed the border into Russia for the first time on August 6, marking the launch of a surprise summer offensive that is rapidly transforming the dynamics of the invasion unleashed by Vladimir Putin almost exactly two-and-a-half years ago. During the first week of Ukraine’s counter-invasion, Ukrainian forces established control over

Putin is convinced he can outlast the West and win in Ukraine

The annual NATO summit in early July resulted in a range of encouraging statements and practical measures in support of Ukraine. However, this widely anticipated gathering in Washington DC failed to produce the kind of decisive steps that could convince Vladimir Putin to end his invasion. It was already clear some time before the NATO

Biden’s legacy depends most of all on Ukraine

During his press conference at the NATO Summit in Washington earlier this month, Joe Biden said of his presidential campaign, “I’m not in this for my legacy.” Two weeks and one difficult decision to bow out of the race later, his legacy is suddenly front and center. That legacy, however, depends importantly on something he