Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud on Wednesday appointed his nephew, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, as the new crown prince. A royal decree aired on state TV announced that Mohammed bin Nayef, who is also the kingdom’s interior minister, and is widely known internationally as Saudi …
Read More »France’s Message to Germany: Back to the 19th Century?
France takes exception to the words of German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble. By Stephan Richter Anybody who thought that we live in the early stages of the 21st century – and not in the middle of the 19th – must be sorely disappointed about the latest round of …
Read More »Mercury or Mars?
By Stephen F. Szabo What separates Germany and the United States? Germany and The United States are Mercury and Mars. Germany is Mercury, the Roman god of commerce and the United States, Mars, the god of war. Germany has emerged over the past decade as the big winner …
Read More »Five challenges to UK foreign policy
By Robin Niblett Director, Chatham House Ed Miliband’s foray into the topic last Friday in a speech at Chatham House was lost amid an acrimonious dispute over who should bear responsibility for the rising death toll of migrants crossing the Mediterranean. In fact, the next British government will …
Read More »Russian military general says US, West wage first phase of hybrid war on Russia
The anti-Russian policies of the Baltic countries have allowed deployment of 1,000 troops from the 3rd US infantry division in the territories of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The United States and its allies in the West are waging the first phase of hybrid warfare against Russia, the commander …
Read More »Ukraine crisis: We’re facing a Cold War mindset
BY Alexander Yakovenko Russian Ambassador to the UK Alexander Yakovenko speaks out on the West-Russia relations. The Ukraine crisis triggered a broader crisis in the West-Russia relationship. What are the stakes and the bets today? First, the declared objective of the EU’s Ukraine policy is to have it firmly …
Read More »Eurasian Union would make a good partner for ASEAN
BY Ajay Kamalakaran The early completion of a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union could pave the way for greater economic engagement between the union and the ASEAN Economic Community. Over the last few years, Russia has been proposing a common economic space between Lisbon …
Read More »After Ukraine, the West should open its doors to Russia
BY Sir Tony Brenton With last month marking the first anniversary of the Russian annexation of Crimea, it seems a fitting time to assess the situation, says former UK ambassador to Russia Sir Tony Brenton. Despite odd renewed outbursts of fighting, the acute phase of the Ukraine crisis may …
Read More »Will Russia’s S-300 Missile Defense Systems Really Empower Iran?
By Matthew Bodner Moscow’s decision to lift its unilateral ban on exporting advanced S-300 air defense system to Iran will boost the Islamic republic’s air defense capabilities, but their military impact depends on the outcome of ongoing negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program. The air defense systems, built by Russia’s largest defense contractor Almaz-Antey, are some of the most …
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