Carnegie Europe
Georgia’s Orthodox Church was critical to the formation of the country’s identity and restoration of lost statehood in the 1990s. Today, Georgia must reconcile its conservative views with its ambitions for European integration.
Europe must be ready to support the creation of a regional mechanism for collective security in the Persian Gulf when the opportunity arises. Launching initial talks on concrete issues such as maritime security and nuclear safety would be a good first step toward conflict de-escalation and confidence-building.
To fulfill its ambition of becoming an effective geopolitical power, the EU should place ecological security and diplomacy at the heart of its foreign and security policy. This approach should entail practical and innovative strategies that pursue systemic regeneration at home and abroad.
The coronavirus pandemic has strained the EU’s efforts to promote democracy. Nowhere is this clearer than in the Western Balkans, where China and Russia have used vaccine diplomacy to strengthen their roles in the region.
U.S. President Joe Biden left Europe escorted by a flurry of positive comments. And rightly so—his European visit was a success. But it has left Washington’s European partners with unanswered questions about how to reinvigorate the liberal democratic model.
Eight years of European thinking that Tehran could be a partner will end when hardliner Ebrahim Raisi becomes Iran’s next president. The EU should update its approach to the Persian Gulf by going beyond the nuclear file and focusing on regional security.
Climate change will increase the potential for humanitarian crises and instability. To strengthen the EU's capacity to prevent conflict and manage crises, climate security should be integrated into the Common Security and Defense Policy.
To reap the benefits of being valuable partners in promoting democracy abroad, the Visegrad Four countries must address democratic backsliding at home, improve coordination among themselves, and make bigger financial commitments.
Russia’s steady development of military capabilities on the ground, in the air, and at sea has enhanced its overall military posture in the region. This experience, and lack of resistance from NATO, is likely to enhance Russia’s military posture and ambitions outside the Mediterranean.
Despite unpromising circumstances, Presidents Biden and Erdogan can begin to improve U.S.-Turkey relations by first addressing and resolving the issue of the S-400 missile defense system.
Ethno-nationalist tendencies dating back to the Soviet period have alienated Georgia’s ethnic minority groups. Integrating them into the country’s political, economic, and cultural life is essential for successful nation-building in Georgia.
Russia’s activities in the Mediterranean have created new challenges for Europe’s energy interests and NATO’s defense architecture. Today’s transatlantic efforts should focus on NATO’s policy in the region, the Russia-Turkey relationship, and multilateral conflict resolution in Libya and Syria.
EU-Turkish relations, including on foreign and security cooperation, have recently been in freefall. With European engagement constrained by domestic politics and internal divisions, the future of this relationship lies in Turkey’s hands.
New and emerging technologies have expanded states’ toolkit for repression and social control. The EU must decide whether tackling digital repression is a core geopolitical interest at the highest political level.
Divisive public discourse in Georgia about the conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia has hurt broader peacebuilding prospects and obscured the issues faced by the communities in these territories.
The speed and pragmatism with which the EU brokered an agreement to end Georgia’s recent political crisis deserves praise. The union should take this opportunity to reflect on the role of mediation in its democracy-support strategies.
After decades of agonizing, a U.S. president has called the massacre and deportation of the Ottoman Armenians in 1915 and 1916 a genocide. Does it make a difference, and what happens next?
As the security implications of global climate change are becoming clearer, NATO has invited climate change and security specialists from governments, think tanks, and academia to offer inputs and analyses.
Georgians’ collective memory has been shaped by pride in their struggle for independence since 1989 and fear of existential threats. This narrative has overshadowed other domestic challenges and increased Georgia’s reliance on individual leaders.
Palestinian elections slated for 2021 offer the EU a chance to reassess its engagement. That means linking financial support to democratic values and supporting civil society.