Derek Grossman, The Diplomat
Close observers of Vietnam’s foreign relations will note that Hanoi maintains three distinct levels of partnership. In descending order of importance, they are: “comprehensive strategic partnerships,” “strategic partnerships” and “comprehensive partnerships.” At the highest level, comprehensive strategic partnerships cover the full gamut of cooperative activities, and only Russia, India, and China have achieved this elite status in Vietnam’s worldview – with China... Читать дальше...
Ben Scott, The Interpreter
Although the “rules-based international order” is central to Australian strategy, what exactly this concept means remains a work very much in progress. For Australia to achieve its objectives for the order, it will have to get more specific.
Anders Aslund, Atl. Cncl.
A new ruling by Ukraine's Constitutional Court threatens to dismantle the entire anti-corruption framework established since 2014 and derail years of historic progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration.
Gennady Rudkevich, The Moscow Times
Two weeks ago, Belarusian opposition leader — and likely winner of the recent presidential election — Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, demanded Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus’s embattled president, resign by Oct. 25 or face a national strike. Lukashenko responded by calling the strike a “terrorist war.”
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Mindaugas Kluonis, Progressive Post
The parliamentary elections in Lithuania on 11 and 25 October reassembled the previous ones of 2016, but with different outcomes and with different recurring trends. Just as in 2016, the “Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats” (TS-LKD), uniting conservatives, Christian Democrats, and moderate nationalists, won the first round of the elections with 25 percent of the vote. The main difference from 2016 came in the second round of the latest elections... Читать дальше...
Banyan, The Economist
Never say Gotabaya Rajapaksa leaves things to chance. After decisively winning the presidential election last November, putting family in charge of important government departments, suspending Parliament and finally winning postponed elections in early August in a landslide for his Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (slpp) and supporting parties, still the president insisted that “obstacles” to his authority remained. Changes to the constitution were the only solution. Parliament has granted his wish... Читать дальше...
Ana Indoitu, German Marshall Fund
In its own presidential election, Moldova faces a geopolitical dilemma and is debating the merits of the “turbulent” Western model versus Eastern “stability.” President Igor Dodon is playing this card by declaring Russia the country’s main strategic partner, and promising Eurasian integration with minimum concern about the rule of law and democracy. Former prime minister Maia Sandu is campaigning on greater Euro-Atlantic alignment with a strong focus on the rule of law and eliminating corruption. Читать дальше...
Kelly McParland, National Post
Freeland is still new to her job and lacks the depth of background usually expected of finance ministers. She has shown herself to be a skilled politician and a fast learner. She would do better to listen harder to the voices preaching caution and preparedness, rather than her boss’s view that everything needs to go overboard to save the ship. Canada’s ship isn’t that endangered yet, and doesn’t need to be rebuilt. It could still be run aground by poor captaincy, though. Читать дальше...
Dalibor Rohac, Foreign Policy
The underlying assumption of the “ever closer union” is that, for all their differences, all EU members are moving toward the same destination. But that is not true. Poles, Czechs, and Swedes may never adopt the euro, in spite of their formal commitment to eventually do so. Climate goals set by Brussels might go ignored by national policymakers, just as the ambitious economic goals articulated in the Lisbon Strategy and Europe 2020 once were. And Hungarian Prime... Читать дальше...
James E. Wright, Defense One
In 2020, the presidential candidates have described and debated their views on COVID-19, economic recovery, on confronting chronic racial inequities, and on climate change. The campaign has seldom provided crisp answers, but at a minimum we have some sense of what to expect of the candidates on these critical matters. However, we lack any detail on the candidates’ views on the American role in the world and the use of U.S. military force.
