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Aug 22, 2024 | 
eurotopics.net | Anna Zafesova |Dmitrij Drise
Radio Kommersant FM criticises further Russian legislation that would introduce offence proceedings for political statements made by Russians living abroad: “The air of freedom is notoriously intoxicating at times. If you blurt out something without thinking you can now expect administrative proceedings in Russia, which in today's reality can very quickly turn into criminal proceedings. ... The country faces labour shortages and demographic problems.
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Jul 17, 2024 | 
eurotopics.net | Konrad Kramar |Nikolas Busse |Dmitrij Drise
The rest of the EU has every reason to be annoyed with the Hungarian prime minister, The Times chimes in: “Mr Orban believes this temporary status allows him to play peacemaker in a troubled world. His fellow autocrats, with no genuine interest in mediation or challenges to their power, seem content to treat him as a useful disruptor. ... Mr Orban's summary of his trip, delivered to Brussels, was little more than a shopping list from Mr Putin.
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Jan 30, 2024 | 
eurotopics.net | Dmitrij Drise |Tamás Rónay
30 January 2024Will Viktor Orbán's Hungary give the green light for the planned 50-billion-euro support package for Ukraine at the EU's special summit on Thursday? Budapest has let it be known that it has presented Brussels with a list of demands in exchange for its yes vote, and the Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó visited his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on Monday. Meanwhile, rumours are circulating that the EU is poised to crank up the pressure on Hungary.
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Jan 30, 2024 | 
eurotopics.net | Dmitrij Drise |Tamás Rónay
30 January 2024Shortly before the Special European Council on Thursday, tension is rising in Europe: will Hungary give the green light for the planned 50 billion euro support package for Ukraine? Budapest has signalled its willingness to compromise and sent Brussels a new list of demands in exchange for a yes vote. At the same time, the Financial Times wrote that the EU is considering cancelling all EU funding to Hungary in the event of a no vote - something Brussels has denied.
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Nov 27, 2023 | 
eurotopics.net | Arkadi Dubnow |Dmitrij Drise
Foreign policy expert Arkady Dubnov sees Armenia on the path to a partnership with the West. He writes on Facebook: “Pashinyan continues to insist on the elegant formulation that it is not Armenia that is leaving the CSTO, but the CSTO that is leaving Armenia. His statements are not unconvincing: the CSTO has not made up its mind concerning the borders within which it is prepared to defend Armenia, given that an - albeit small - part of Armenian territory is currently occupied by Azerbaijan.
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Aug 22, 2023 | 
eurotopics.net | Paolo Salom |Cristian Unteanu |Dmitrij Drise |Jerzy Haszczyński
The group's political clout is not the reason a number of other states want to join, The Times comments: “A largely dysfunctional organisation does not improve or gain weight by simple expansion. At the heart of the Brics is the split between three, albeit flawed, democracies - South Africa, India and Brazil, who want to retain a strong relationship with western donors - and the allied autocracies of China and Russia. All can agree that they want to reduce US hegemony.
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Aug 22, 2023 | 
eurotopics.net | Paolo Salom |Cristian Unteanu |Dmitrij Drise |Jerzy Haszczyński
22 August 2023The Brics states have convened in Johannesburg for a summit which ends on Thursday. The group's goal is to push for a "redesigned global order", South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said. In addition to members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, more than 30 other countries from Africa, Latin America and Asia are attending the meeting and a number of them want to join the group. Europe's press sees the optimistic mood clouded by differences.
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Jul 20, 2023 | 
eurotopics.net | Christian Putsch |Michael Winiarski |Dmitrij Drise
The meeting of the Brics emerging economies Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in August in Johannesburg will take place in the absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will participate by video instead, the Kremlin has announced. The arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which South Africa would have been obliged to execute, is suspected to be the reason for the cancellation. Commentators disagree about the ramifications of Putin's absence.
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Jul 6, 2023 | 
eurotopics.net | Marco Imarisio |Stanislav Tkachenko |Dmitrij Drise
Radio Kommersant FM is sceptical: “The future of this community seems unclear. At the moment, everyone's interests diverge. Of course the member states can continue to meet formally to exchange vague statements about successful cooperation. But to what end? To annoy America and the West? Perhaps. But it seems unlikely that the SCO will become the alternative to the G7, the G20 or other similar groups.
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May 12, 2023 | 
eurotopics.net | Andreas Schwarzkopf |Dmitrij Drise
Trump's statements will go down well with the Kremlin, Radio Kommersant FM notes: “The former leader in the White House believes that it is first and foremost up to Europe to take care of Ukraine, because that's where Kyiv wants to be. So in his mind America has nothing to do with it. ... Trump remains true to himself, nothing new - same old same old. ...
