Opinion
Perspectives | Will international law help resolve the Karabakh conflict?
A case filed by Armenia against Azerbaijan in the International Court of Justice could have significant implications for the conflict. And it carries risks for both Armenia and Azerbaijan.
ING: ECB’s push for net-zero carbon will grow ESG credit
In the push for reducing carbon, significant investment will be necessary, and in turn, funding will be required. This will provide growth for the credit market, and in particular for anything associated with ESG.
COMMENT: Risk premiums in Central Europe during the COVID era do surprisingly well
In times of crisis there is a fight to quality by bond traders who are keen to reduce their risks. However, in this crisis the countries of Central Europe have done surprisingly well thanks to ECB support.
ING: Romania economy cooling, looking for new drivers
With the rapid economic recovery phase now behind us and the peak of the fourth COVID wave just ahead, the Romanian economy is starting to feel the need for additional growth drivers.
STOLYPIN: Communists face new realities as United Russia steals their votes
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation massively improved its standing following the elections for a new Duma, but was robbed of the much larger share it actually won. The question now is what – if anything – can the KPRF do?
MITTELEUROPEAN INSIGHTS: Hungary's surprise debt issuance demonstrates the EU's financial whip is not working
Hungary's big return to the international bond market shows it is expecting a lengthy spat with the EU but it also makes financial sense.
Chinese geneticists link Kyrgyz to Pakistanis, while raising thorny ethical questions
The DNA was collected in western China’s police state, Xinjiang. Could the subjects have said no without fearing retribution?
FPRI BMB Russia: Doppelgänger Duma Elections
Russia’s ruling party, United Russia, has been cracking down on opposition politicians and independent media in order to influence the fast-approaching Duma elections and has rolled out a number of dirty tricks.
GLOBSEC: No debt ratio is safe for small EU countries
Targeted EU fiscal rule reform is desirable but should consider the inherent risks for smaller member states.
FPRI BMB Russia: Kremlin sweetens the pot ahead of elections, but ready to play dirty too
With Russians set to vote in Duma elections on September 17-19, the government keeps finding ways to sweeten the pot, but it is also getting ready to play dirty.
FPRI BMB Ukraine: Zelenskiy meets Biden in Washington
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy finally had his first face-to-face meeting with his American counterpart Joe Biden on Wednesday, September 1. The two leaders issued a joint statement afterwards laying out their agenda.
HOMANS: Presidents Zelenskiy and Biden to meet
Likely due to the ongoing events in Kabul and the arrival of Hurricane Ida in Louisiana, the meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelenskiy will take place on September 1, rather than on August 31.
Perspectives | Taliban’s triumph threatens Beijing’s Eurasia plans
Afghanistan will test China’s vision for itself.
IFPR BMB Ukraine: Crimea Platform inaugural meeting
The inaugural Crimea Platform Summit was attended by more than 40 international delegations in Kyiv on August 23. Though it didn’t result in concrete steps, the summit did put the Crimea issue back on the international agenda.
SOVA CAPITAL: Putin promises more social spending in September at United Russia congress
President Vladimir Putin spoke at the party congress for the ruling United Russia Party on 24 August and promised to increase social spending in September.
ASH: US pulls out of Afghanistan to focus on China problem, but that is harder now
The fact the Biden administration pulled the plug on allies and friends in Afghanistan, and against the advice of allies in Nato, just affirms its all encompassing focus on China in foreign policy.
COMMENT: Three decades of achievements and many challenges for Moldova
As it approaches its 30th anniversary of independence, Moldova has never had better conditions to carry out reforms than it does today.
THE VIEW FROM MITTELEUROPA: Reflections on Metternich and the Austrian Balkans
The region that comprised the former Yugoslavia has strongly influenced Austria and continues to do so.
ASH: Confusion over the details of the new Belarus sanctions but they will work
Putting a few concluding remarks around the latest Western sanctions iteration around Belarus. There is some confusion around what has been done, or not, but the bottom line is the screw has tightened and western firms are unlikely to do business.
Perspectives | Augmented Azerbaijan? The return of Azerbaijani irredentism
For decades Azerbaijan denounced Armenian irredentism. Now it is advancing expansionary territorial claims of its own as it seeks to impose peace on its terms.
