Carnegie Moscow Center
Russia’s North Caucasus is in the grip of a low-intensity civil war and Moscow’s current policy of building up Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has not succeeded in preventing the spread of violence.
The rise of major non-Western powers makes the avoidance of traditional geopolitical rivalries a must if one wants a peaceful world order. This is particularly relevant to Euro-Atlantic zone, which is still divided on security issues.
The use and misuse of history as a tool for political competition and control has become an increasingly visible phenomenon in public and political life in Russia and other post-Soviet countries over recent years.
The results of the American midterm elections, held on November 2, could have an impact on the U.S.-Russia relationship and on key agenda items, including New START, the 123 agreement, and Russia’s accession to the WTO.
When NATO leaders convene in November, they will undertake a reexamination of the alliance’s policy on nuclear weapons, a review that, spurred by recent nonproliferation initiatives, could split NATO’s members if not handled carefully.
The inability of Armenia and Azerbaijan to find any common ground in their conflict over Nagorno Karabakh undermines the chance of peace in the region and, without more constructive international engagement, increases the risk of outright war.
The second trial of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev is overtly political and aims not only to justify then-President Vladimir Putin's brand of Russian governance, but also to show that Putin is not ready to step down from power.
Near-term expectations for a partnership between the United States and India too often overlook how the interests, policies, and diplomatic style of the two countries sometimes diverge.
Although Iran and Russia have substantial economic and military ties, Moscow is increasingly wary of Tehran’s growing nuclear ambitions, which have the potential to threaten Russia.
A revival of the Turkish-Armenian Protocols would benefit the entire region, but it will require increased effort to convince both the Turkish public and Azerbaijan to support the normalization process.
The recent summit between France, Germany, and Russia led to no major developments, but it laid the path toward further improving Russia’s relations with its neighbors and toward a serious discussion about creating a security community spanning North America, Europe, and Russia.
The attack by militants on the Chechen parliament is a new blow to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. It is becoming increasingly clear that Kadyrov’s heavy-handed methods for suppressing opponents are no guarantee of long-term security.
To promote political change in Moscow, the West must hold Russia’s elite accountable and provide incentives to help encourage true democratic behavior in Russia.
In spite of the tight administrative controls that the Kremlin used to influence the recent regional elections, United Russia may soon realize it needs to change its strategy and consider allowing greater diversity and political freedom.
Diaspora Armenian politics are playing a significant role in holding up U.S. diplomatic nominations to the countries of the South Caucasus, which risks undermining U.S. engagement and influence throughout the region.
President Ahmadinejad’s meeting with the leader of Hezbollah is further evidence of Iran’s efforts to gain a foothold in the Middle East as one of the key regional players.
In order to convince Iran to use its eventual nuclear weapons arsenal only for deterrence and regional power politics, the Obama administration must work to empower the moderates in the Iranian leadership.
Consumption of natural gas is growing rapidly and now accounts for nearly one-quarter of the world’s energy supply. While natural gas is relatively clean compared to crude oil and coal, its ability to assume a greater role in meeting the world’s growing energy demands will depend largely on price.
While no historical analogy is perfect, analysts looking to understand Iran’s character and predict its future trajectory can benefit from comparing the Islamic Republic to the Soviet Union.
Last June's ethnic violence in Kyrgyzstan, along with the performance of the country's new parliamentary system of government, will have wide-ranging implications for Central Asia and for regional security.