Why EU leaders should not stare into Medvedev’s eyes
In 2000, George Bush looked into Putin’s eyes and claimed he had found a soulmate for the West. Today, Western leaders may be about to repeat the same mistake with Dmitry Medvedev.
Wider Europe
A united Europe must stand up to Russia
The Russian presidential election is such a cliffhanger. Will it be the rising star Dmitry “Obamovich” Medvedev? Or the veteran Gennady “McCainovich” Zyuganov? Aren’t we on the edge of our seats?
Kosovo: Between Kiribati and Kuwait
Kosovo?s independence will require restraint and calm by all parties. Even so, it will present a number of key challenges for the EU.
State building and the EU’s supra-national momentum
Kosovo’s imminent independence – while the right course – raises difficult questions about some elements of the European project
Serbia’s European dream lives on – but only just
Pro-European Boris Tadic may have regained the Serbian presidency, but his country remains sharply divided and the fight for its European future is not over. The EU should think hard about ways to support the pro-democracy camp.
Macedonia: a Light unto the Gentiles?
Despite recent problems, Macedonia’s record is still “best in class” and its Euro-Atlantic integration should continue posthaste
Putin’s Mini-Me
Even after a reciprocal endorsement between Putin and Medvedev, a delicate balancing act will be necessary to manage Putin?s succession in the coming months
Russia’s elections and the Putin succession
Will Russia’s political tradition of personalised autocracy allow Putin’s survival strategy to succeed? An analysis in Bulgarian
Curtain time in Kosovo
After trying to resolve Kosovo’s status, diplomats have given up. The U.S and the EU now need to back the compromise proposed by UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari and re-affirm the region’s European trajectory.
Russia?s over-managed democracy
Putin?s grand plan may not yet be clear, but most of the likely variants now hinge on how he will use the mandate from Sunday?s election to stage-manage the next vote in March