Offering Ukraine and Georgia NATO membership back in 2008 was a tremendous mistake. It hardened the political fronts inside the countries, leading Georgia to believe that NATO would help bringing back its breakaway regions, creating the ground for the 2008 Russo-Georgian war. We are seeing the replay of that on a much grander scale now in Ukraine.
December 20, 2021Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash On December 17 the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented proposals to the United States and NATO for the demilitarization of Eastern Europe, proposing security guarantees, and a halt to NATO expansion. It is high time to address the resolution of conflicts in Ukraine and Georgia, as well as the underlying hostilities…
Silenced by some, pronounced dead by others, Austria’s neutrality has seen more glorious days. However, the concept is far from being outdated on a global scale. Austria’s internationalist and humanitarian neutrality has the potential to greatly assist Europe if it is only utilized for that purpose.
In 2015, Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj for the first time announced at a UN General Assembly that his country was on a path of neutrality. But what does that mean and where is Mongolia’s affinity for neutrality coming from?
EU neutrals are viewed with suspicion not only by transatlantic networks but also targeted by proponents of the EU defense community.
In its latest issue, the “Zeitschrift für Innere Führung” of the German Bundeswehr published a call to increase the perception of threat from Russia among the German public, with the aim of strengthening Germany’s loyalty to NATO’s Eastern member states.
Sri Lanka has been playing the nonaligned card in its diplomacy for a while, but with increasing pressure from China, India, and the US in the fields of foreign investment and security cooperation, some analysts have suggested that the small island nation of 22 million will have to choose sides soon.
On the 65th anniversary of Austria’s neutrality law, it is worth considering not only how intricately this foreign policy is linked to the country’s independence but also how its versatility could be an asset beyond the Alps.
