Wednesday, April 30

Geopolitics

Geopolitics refers to international relations and power politics as they are influenced by geography, history, and alliances.

In Contrast To NATO, Moscow-Based CSTO Is Silent On Ukraine
24Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Geopolitics, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, Types of News: Analysis

In Contrast To NATO, Moscow-Based CSTO Is Silent On Ukraine

File photo: CSTO meeting 2020 March 24, 2022--The Russia-dominated military alliance known as the Collective Security Treaty Organization is keeping silent on the Ukraine crisis, including Russia's invasion and the humanitarian outflow of refugees. That stands in contrast to the 30 member NATO alliance, which issued a statement today in reaction to Russia's war in Ukraine. March Meeting on Crisis Response Meeting this month virtually, the Moscow-based CSTO staff discussed crisis-response initiatives with military representatives from its member states. Members include Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. According to a March 24 news statement about the meeting, the representatives discussed the "military and political situation in the world and ...
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Europe Shores Up Its Defence, Sets Up Security Plan
23Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Europe, EU, Eurozone, Geopolitics, Types of News: Brief

Europe Shores Up Its Defence, Sets Up Security Plan

NATO Also To Strengthen Its Defense Capabilities In Europe And Perhaps Beyond March 23, 2022--This week political leaders are meeting on two tracks to build up security in Europe: in the NATO Alliance and in the European Council. Josep Borrell speaks ahead of European Council March 21, 2022 meeting. Even before Russia invaded Ukraine, European countries started plans to shore up their own defenses. It started in 2017 with talks of a voluntary defense arrangement among EU countries. Over time, it grew in. ambitions. After Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in August, European leaders began talking about strengthening their own defense capabilities and building stronger autonomy in foreign policy. That led to the culmination of the Strategic Compass. It is a forward-looking defense ...
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International Agency Says Europe Can Cut 1/3 Of Its Russian Gas Imports
7Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Climate Action, ESG, Sustainable Finance, Energy Policy, Oil & Gas, Europe, EU, Eurozone, Geopolitics, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, Types of News: Brief

International Agency Says Europe Can Cut 1/3 Of Its Russian Gas Imports

March 7, 2022--Europe is notoriously dependent on Russian oil and gas. That reliance is making strict penalties on Russia's invasion difficult to carry out. But that trade isn't set in stone. In a new report, the International Energy Agency recommends 10 steps for European leaders who want to break that dependency. Under the IEA plan, Europe would be able to reduce its natural gas imports from Russia from 155 billion cubic meters (bcm) a year to 95 bcm--a savings of one third. These figures assume Europe refills is gas storage facilities in 2022. According the the report, the steps are in line with the European Union's goals for climate action and a European Green Deal. However, the agency also recommends additional steps in light of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine. 10 Steps ...
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Turkey: NATO Should Have Stopped Russia’s Invasion
25Feb By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Geopolitics, International Law, Legal Battles, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, Types of News: Brief

Turkey: NATO Should Have Stopped Russia’s Invasion

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an joins a virtual NATO meeting on Feb. 25, 2022. Source: Turkey's Government February 25, 2022--As Russia closed in on Ukraine's capital city Kyiv, the NATO alliance held an emergency virtual meeting today. Just hours before the meeting, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an suggested that NATO and the European Union should have stopped the invasion. "NATO should have taken a more decisive step," Erdogan said to reporters, according to Reuters and other press reports. "The EU and all the rest of the West have failed to display a decisive and serious stance. They give plenty of advice to Ukraine. It’s not possible to get a result through this advice," Erdo?an said. Turkey is a NATO member and a neighbor of Russia. In a press release on Thur...
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Amid Russian War, IEA Closely Watching Oil & Gas Markets
24Feb By Patti MohrNo Comments
Energy Policy, Oil & Gas, Geopolitics, Types of News: Brief

Amid Russian War, IEA Closely Watching Oil & Gas Markets

Photo: IEA February 24, 2022--As Russia intensified its war against Ukraine and G7 countries accelerated sanctions against Russia, the International Energy Agency announced it is closely monitoring the world's supply of oil and gas. Russia is the world's second-largest oil producer. Only the United States produces more oil at this time. According to the IEA, "Russian oil exports transiting Ukraine via the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline to supply Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic" are most likely to be impacted by the conflict. "While the specific impact on world oil markets is yet to be determined, IEA Member Countries stand ready to act collectively to ensure that global oil markets are adequately supplied," the agency said on Tuesday. The United States: 12.1 m...
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Russian Troops Enter Ukraine As Diplomacy Fails To Stop Crisis
22Feb By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Geopolitics, Types of News: Analysis, UN Security Council

Russian Troops Enter Ukraine As Diplomacy Fails To Stop Crisis

Putin Revives Soviet Sentiment, Calls Ukrainians 'Our Comrades' February 22, 2022—Despite nearly non-stop diplomacy by all sides for over a month, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine late Monday night. The announcement and troop movement came after Putin recognized the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent countries. Russian President Putin recognizes breakaway republics of Ukraine as independent and signs treaties of friendship. Feb. 21, 2022 Source: Kremlin While many in the West expected a Russian invasion into Ukraine, Russian diplomats continued to deny such a possibility as late as last week during a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine. The Security Council met again last night in an emergency session. Ironically, the coun...
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Biden And Putin To Talk Thursday To Try To Ease Tensions
29Dec By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Geopolitics, Types of News: Brief

Biden And Putin To Talk Thursday To Try To Ease Tensions

December 29, 2021--Amid rising tensions between the West and Russia, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet by phone on Thursday. The talks come as military tensions rise between Russia and the West over Ukraine. The phone conversation comes ahead of diplomatic meetings scheduled in January in Geneva between Russia and the United States. "By and large we are seeing positive traction at this point," Putin said of the discussions during his Dec. 23 annual press conference. He said the topic of Ukraine is "a formidable issue" concerning Russia's security. He added that conflict "is not our choice." https://youtu.be/fwThVdceKv4 Conflict "is not our choice," Putin said during his Dec. 23 annual press conference. Relations between Russia...
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U.S.-Russia To Continue Talks On Sensitive Strategic Issues, Biden Says
8Dec By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Geopolitics, Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

U.S.-Russia To Continue Talks On Sensitive Strategic Issues, Biden Says

NATO Is At The Heart Of Most Sensitive Concerns December 8, 2021--In a virtual meeting held Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the rocky relationship between the two countries as well as other sensitive and strategic issues. Speaking with reporters today, Biden said U.S.-Russian teams are in "constant contact" to bring "down the temperature along the eastern front." Talks are likely to continue, Biden said, to address Russia's concern regarding the NATO alliance's expansionary aims. Ukraine, NATO & Russia Ukraine -- a country located between Europe and Russia and divided between the East and West -- is at the center of attention. In recent weeks, Russia amassed troops along the Russian-Ukrainian border. Biden said he made cl...
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As Regional Power Balances Shift, Warnings Come From Kashmir
26Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Geopolitics, Types of News: Analysis

As Regional Power Balances Shift, Warnings Come From Kashmir

India-Pakistan Relations Could Spark Wider Conflict October 26, 2021—With the regional balance of power shifting in Central Asia, India is the odd man out in both economic and strategic ways. Perhaps to counteract the balance shift, the United States appears to be strengthening with India. But it's not clear how much weight that will carry in the tricky landscape of Central Asia. For one, China and Pakistan are strengthening their economic relationship. China is investing billions of dollars into Pakistan through the Economic Corridor Initiative. (See GER's previous reporting.) Furthermore, leaders from both countries are building ties with the new Taliban-led Afghan government. Meanwhile, China and India are at odds over disputed territory in the Himalayas. As the Rand Corporati...
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Central Asia Looks To Regional Alliances, UN For Leadership
23Sep By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Geopolitics, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Types of News: Analysis, UN Security Council

Central Asia Looks To Regional Alliances, UN For Leadership

September 23, 2021--Leaders from Pakistan, Tajikistan, and other Central Asian countries are strengthening regional alliances and looking to the international community for help in dealing with the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and security concerns in the region. In the absence of U.S. and NATO military involvement in Afghanistan, new partnerships and ways of thinking are taking shape to influence the region. Of first and foremost concern for many of the area’s leaders is the massive humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said it is in the international community's collective interest to support the people of Afghanistan. “This moment should not be squandered," he said. “We must remember that the previous Afghanistan government survived on...
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