The Minsk Accords failed to bring a lasting solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Ten years later, Europe is stepping up to provide security guarantees for Ukraine and ensure greater strategic autonomy.

Much of the world can collectively agree that the solution for peaceful governance, one that upholds the rights of the people, lies in the development of democratic governments.  However differing opinions arise when it comes to approaching the formation of new democracies.

Lest the European Union wish to become the new Austria-Hungary, it seems incumbent to recognize that if she doesn’t take an active role in shaping the world, others will shape it for her and against her.

Poland has been facing a recent border crisis, with a rush of migrants that it accuses neighbor Belarus of instrumentalizing. To combat this influx of people, Poland has heavily armed the border and has recently introduced new legislation that could severely damage its relation to the EU, who has been known for its welcoming immigration laws.

On November 5, 2024, Donald Trump was reelected the next president of the United States. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated “his friend” for winning reelection on X (Formerly Twitter). However, regardless of the cordial personal rapport between the two leaders, a Trump presidency has the potential to create issues for India, including human rights, China, Russia, and Iran, many of which stem from Trump’s erratic personality.

Western weapons manufacturers, including Italy’s Beretta and Austria’s Glock, exploit loopholes to supply Russia despite sanctions. Companies use intermediaries in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia to smuggle arms. Embargo circumvention enables Russian forces to access Western-made weapons, prompting calls for stricter enforcement to curb illicit arms flows.

Russia has developed a comprehensive strategy to withstand and adapt to Western sanctions, involving immediate retaliatory actions, state support, and long-term efforts to reduce economic dependence on the West. By reviewing Russia’s sanctions response strategies, this article seeks to provide policymakers with insight into the strategies adversaries employ to counteract the effects of economic statecraft.

The expiration of the Russia-Ukraine gas transit deal—which will cut Russian gas flow to Europe by 30%, from an already reduced 35% of 2021 levels—underscores Europe's structural and political challenges in fully eliminating reliance on Russian energy.

Putinism’s flexible, anti-Western system sustains Russian authoritarianism through contradictory narratives—religious conservatism and Eurasianism—while NATO’s failure to counter these narratives has emboldened Russian aggression. NATO must reject appeasement, delegitimize Putinism, and prioritize Ukraine’s defense to preserve Western security.

A European Defense Force is needed to enhance EU autonomy amid geopolitical threats like Russian aggression and terrorism. Coordination challenges, reliance on non-EU suppliers, and diverging national priorities abound. Frameworks like PESCO and EDF can strengthen EU defense, complement NATO, and achieve strategic independence and global influence.

In October 2024, North Korea sent troops to be trained in Russia with some already deployed in the new theaters of operations in Ukraine. The arrival of North Korean troops in Europe illustrates the continual internationalization of the conflict as well as its new dynamics, announcing a potential large Russian offensive, but also raises questions on what incentivizes Pyongyang to take action in Ukraine.   

A challenge to cohesion for a geopolitical vision across Europe and the west is populism. Left-wing populism is unfamiliar in its origins and topicality for those who seek to understand this issue. In Germany, leftist populism has found sureness and lucidity against the liberal world order to the benefit of Russia.

Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine have had a detrimental impact on the respect of arms control treaties between Russia and the United States. There is a need for the U.S. to formulate a plan to reinstate these agreements in the aftermath of the Ruso-Ukrainian war and eventual leadership change in Russia. To do so, the United States must evaluate Cold-War era efforts to foster communication.

On January 1st, 2024, Ethiopia officially joined BRICS, after being invited in August 2023. BRICS (named after its founding members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) is an intergovernmental organization that can be broadly understood as a political and economic counterweight to Western-dominated organizations like the OECD, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. What does this mean for Ethiopia and how will this benefit the BRICS nations?

Despite sanctions and efforts to diversify energy sources, Europe has not fully decoupled from Russian gas. Indirect purchases through third-party countries, long-term contracts, and Russia's shadow fleet enable Russian energy to continue flowing into Europe via complex, covert channels.

The Russia-Ukraine War has strengthened Russia-North Korea ties, leading to military and economic cooperation, mutual sanctions evasion, and heightened concerns about regional security and destabilization of international peace efforts

In 1938, Nazi Germany annexed Austria, and France and the UK pursued appeasement, sacrificing Czechoslovakia. Despite these efforts, war erupted in 1939. The failure of appeasement still echoes in the collective memory of Western diplomacy.

Many Western analysts have drawn comparisons between the ongoing protests in Georgia and the 2013-2014 Euromaidan protests in Ukraine. While there may be various similarities, there are some important distinctions.

By passing the Foreign Agent Law, Georgia is not choosing to become a pro-Russia satellite nor is it choosing to abandon its aspiration of becoming a EU and NATO member. Georgia is choosing its sovereignty and its stability.

In the initial phase of the Ukraine war, combat consisted of uncoordinated skirmishes with limited strategic use of technology. However, as the conflict has progressed, it has evolved into a battleground for intricate and sophisticated drone dogfights.