Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a speech in Moscow, Russia, March 23, 2018 Photo Credit: AP By: Simon Machalek, Columnist Although both the EU and the US remain committed to upholding sanctions on Russia, there are voices—especially among Eurosceptics—who suggest that sanctions on Russia are not working and that they should be lifted.[i] Proponents … Continue reading Sanctions On Russia Are Working And Must Be Preserved
Category: Russia
Looking Past Percentages: Finding an Alternative to the 2% Threshold
NATO foreign ministers pose for a photo at a 2019 summit. Photo Credit: Reuters By: Christine Bang-Andersen, Columnist In the past few years NATO has faced numerous challenges to its internal cohesion and its contemporary relevance has been repeatedly questioned. At the crux of these contentions is a ‘requirement’ that NATO countries spend a minimum … Continue reading Looking Past Percentages: Finding an Alternative to the 2% Threshold
Spinning the Syrian Conflict: The Battle to Brand the White Helmets and the Future of Information Warfare
The White Helmets walk through debris in a rebel-held neighborhood of Aleppo. Photo Credit: AFP. By: Krystel Von Kumberg, Columnist Information is a contested resource in today’s world. Perception has become the center of gravity, as humanity’s increasing interconnectedness means that controlling communications is critical to the pursuit of strategic objectives. The cyber domain presents the … Continue reading Spinning the Syrian Conflict: The Battle to Brand the White Helmets and the Future of Information Warfare
Russia’s Race for Next-Gen Weapons Has Turned Into a Crawl
Russian T-14 tanks drive during rehearsal for the Victory Day parade in Moscow. Photo Credit: Reuters. By: Madison Creery, Columnist While the U.S. is concerned about competing against Russia’s next-generation weapons, Russia is struggling to get them off the production line. The legacy of economic turmoil following the collapse of the Soviet Union continues to impact the … Continue reading Russia’s Race for Next-Gen Weapons Has Turned Into a Crawl
REPORT: Ukraine between Russia, the West, and Itself
Georgetown’s Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies (CERES) Director Angela Stent and Senior Fellow at the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute and Associate Fellow of the Russia and Eurasia program at Chatham House, James Sherr. Photo Credit: Olivia Letts By Olivia Letts, Reporter “It’s never a dull moment to talk about Ukraine,” said foreign … Continue reading REPORT: Ukraine between Russia, the West, and Itself
Estonia’s Cybersphere as an Asset and a Vulnerability
Photo Credit: https://e-estonia.com/ By: Nikolai F. Rice Estonia’s e-governance regularly pushes the boundaries of cyber-administration. Roughly three-quarters the territory of West Virginia and a population just smaller than Maine, Estonia’s size plays to its cyber-administrative advantage.[i] The nation manages it taxes, elections, and healthcare administration almost entirely online.[ii] The unfortunate byproduct of Estonia’s rapid cyber development … Continue reading Estonia’s Cybersphere as an Asset and a Vulnerability
The Crumbling of Arms Control and the Premise of “Equal Security”
U.S. President, Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary, Mikhail Gorbachev signed the treaty on 8 December 1987. Photo Credit: AP Photo/Bob Daugherty By: Krystel Von Kumberg The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty signed in 1987 by US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, eliminating intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles, is being erased. [i] Leaving the … Continue reading The Crumbling of Arms Control and the Premise of “Equal Security”
Hacker Militias or Cyber Command? The U.S. and Russian Institutionalization of Cyber Warfare
Russia’s reliance on proxy “hackers-for-hire” to accomplish strategic objectives have led some to question why Russia has yet to institutionalize its cyber workforce into its military. However, instead of creating its own "Cyber Command," Russia’s reliance on the hacker network for talent maximizes the country’s deniability in cyber operations (plausible or not), while remaining low-cost. … Continue reading Hacker Militias or Cyber Command? The U.S. and Russian Institutionalization of Cyber Warfare
The Warming Arctic: Implications for U.S. Regional Defense Assets
The U.S. Air Force simulated attack exercise "Arctic Gold" took place in Nov. 8, 2018, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. Photo Credit: 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs, U.S. Air Force By: Ezra Shapiro, Columnist On land and at sea, a warming Arctic is eroding US strategic force posturing and readiness in the High North. Melting … Continue reading The Warming Arctic: Implications for U.S. Regional Defense Assets
REPORT: The New Arctic: Navigating the Realities, Possibilities, and Problems
Photo Credit: School of Foreign Service By: Daniel Zhang, Columnist “What happens in the Arctic does not stay in the Arctic,” was the overarching theme for the panel discussion hosted by Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy (ISD) on its latest working group report, titled “The New Arctic: Navigating the Realities, Possibilities, and … Continue reading REPORT: The New Arctic: Navigating the Realities, Possibilities, and Problems