Category: Eastern Europe and Russia

News and Analyses of events in Eastern Europe and Russia

Trade Tariffs

Perils of Weaponizing Tariffs in Global Trade

Perhaps the most significant consequence of these tariffs is their potential to accelerate the decline of the rules-based global economic order. The WTO, already weakened by years of criticism and inaction, faces further marginalization as major economies resort to unilateral measures. This shift erodes the mechanisms that have historically provided stability and predictability in international trade, increasing the risk of disputes escalating into broader economic conflicts. In the absence of a strong multilateral framework, the global economy risks devolving into competing blocs, where power dynamics and economic leverage dictate outcomes.

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Categories: America / China and Pacific region / East Asia / Eastern Europe and Russia / Indo-Pacific regions / Middle East / Western Europe
Ukraine defence

How Ukraine’s Defence Industry Sold Itself Out

The full impact of Ukraine’s defence collapse became clear during the Crimean annexation in 2014. With no nuclear deterrent and a military crippled by corruption, Ukraine was in no position to resist. The Battle of Ilovaisk in 2014 was particularly humiliating; many soldiers lacked even basic bulletproof vests, some resorting to buying their own protective gear. Much of Ukraine’s weaponry, like the T-64 tanks and MiG-29 jets, was non-operational, left to rust in storage. This national helplessness starkly exposed the failure to modernize and keep the once-imposing arsenal.

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Categories: America / Eastern Europe and Russia / Middle East / Western Europe
SCO Summit

Future of Multilateral Cooperation at the SCO Summit

The timing of the summit is notable, occurring against the backdrop of ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war, and global struggles against climate change. Additionally, the rise of terrorism, a core focus of the SCO, continues to threaten peace across the region, including in Pakistan and other member states. As a multilateral organization, the SCO provides a platform to address these emerging challenges.

Founded in 2001, the SCO now comprises nine full member states, making it a unique multilateral group that spans nearly a quarter of the world’s landmass and includes 42.5% of its population. With permanent members such as China, Russia, Pakistan, India, and the Central Asian republics, along with strategic observers, the SCO has become a cornerstone of Eurasian diplomacy. Observer states like Mongolia and Afghanistan, alongside 14 dialogue partners including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, stand to benefit from the cooperative frameworks developed within the SCO.

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Categories: America / China and Pacific region / East Asia / Eastern Europe and Russia / Indo-Pacific regions / South Asia
Class warfare

Class Warfare is Not Just About Money, It’s About Who Controls the Hashtags

This brings us to Karl Marx, who, bless him, thought he had it all figured out with his theory of class conflict. Marx believed history was driven by the antagonism between economic classes—the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. He predicted this would all culminate in revolution when the economic interests of these groups could no longer be reconciled. While Marx deserves credit for highlighting the role of economics in social conflict, he perhaps underestimated the sheer power of cultural forces. It turns out that intellectuals, religious leaders, and media moguls can shape society just as profoundly as any capitalist or factory owner.

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Categories: Africa / America / Australia / Central Asia / East Asia / Eastern Europe and Russia / Indo-Pacific regions / Middle East / South Asia / Western Europe
UN

Keeping the Peace or Keeping Power? How the UN Stays Relevant by Prolonging Middle East Crises

This, of course, is only the latest chapter in the UN’s complicated love-hate relationship with the Middle East. For decades, the organisation has been trying—desperately, it seems—to calm the region’s never-ending conflicts, but with very little to show for it. The Syrian Civil War is still going strong, despite the UN’s best efforts to broker peace talks. In fact, there have been so many special envoys to Syria over the years, it’s hard to keep track of who’s still on the job. And then there’s Yemen, where the UN keeps trying to get the warring sides to come to the table, but all it really seems to be achieving is a high score in sending humanitarian aid to devastated areas.

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Categories: America / Eastern Europe and Russia / Middle East / Western Europe

Israel vs. Hezbollah: A Middle Eastern Drama of Missiles, Martyrs, and Muddled Alliances

But the real wild card in all this is Iran. So far, Tehran’s reaction to Nasrallah’s assassination has been surprisingly muted. For a regime that usually loves to threaten “severe retaliation” whenever Israel so much as sneezes in their direction, Iran has been oddly quiet. It’s like they’ve been caught off guard and are now trying to figure out their next move. Are they planning a massive revenge attack, or are they just biding their time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike? Or maybe, just maybe, Iran has realized that a full-scale war with Israel might not be in its best interests, especially with the economy already struggling under the weight of international sanctions.

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Categories: America / Eastern Europe and Russia / Indo-Pacific regions / Middle East / Western Europe

Hypocrisy in International Relations is the World’s Favorite Double Standards

Countries that pride themselves on being champions of human rights have barely lifted a finger to meaningfully intervene. Thousands of Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh, which has been left to shoulder the burden of this humanitarian disaster with minimal support from the very countries that love to talk about refugees and justice. Europe, the U.S., and other global powers loudly criticize the atrocities, but conveniently remain silent when it comes to putting real pressure on Myanmar. They’re too busy with trade deals and political maneuvering to actually stand by the principles they so eagerly promote. The Rohingya crisis is a glaring example of how the world’s most powerful nations are willing to let human rights violations slide when it doesn’t suit their interests.

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Categories: America / Central Asia / East Asia / Eastern Europe and Russia / Indo-Pacific regions / Middle East / Western Europe

Neoliberalism: How America Got Rich, Lost Its Morals, and Built a Delusional Deep State Along the Way

The U.S. may have lost its moral compass somewhere in the neoliberal haze, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. The key to reversing the damage is remembering that not everything has to revolve around profit margins and stock prices. There’s still time to write a new story—one where collective wisdom triumphs over corporate greed, and where the American Dream means more than just getting rich while everyone else sinks.

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Categories: America / Eastern Europe and Russia / Indo-Pacific regions / Middle East / South Asia / Western Europe

Reassessing the Rome Statute of the ICC and the Urgent Need for Bangladesh’s Withdrawal

In recent years, Western nations have been increasingly outspoken about the issue of human rights abuses by the government in Bangladesh. Western NGOs and INGOs, often referred to as defenders of human rights, have asserted that they have documented these crimes and have urged Western governments to take action. Consequently, the Rapid Action Battalion was sanctioned by the United States. However, the US’s involvement did not stop there. It exerted its influence prior to the last general election, demonstrating a lack of support for the current government. It is evident to the US that the current ruling party of Bangladesh does not align with the US’s policy of containing China. Therefore, the US will continue its efforts to effect political change, a prospect that the members of the ruling party leader may find unwise, not only for the potential loss of state power but also for the possibility of being tried both domestically and internationally under the Rome Statute of the ICC, which the law ministry ratified without any geopolitical foresight.

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Categories: America / Eastern Europe and Russia / Indo-Pacific regions / South Asia / Western Europe