While European Union monitors have confirmed that Russia completed their withdrawal from buffer zones outside of South Ossetia and Abkhazia under the terms of last month's agreement, the EU has not resumed negotiations on the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement...
Tensions Remain High as Russian Pullout From Georgia Appears on Track
Georgia's Interior Ministry reports that Russia has begun dismantling posts in the buffer zone between Georgia and the breakaway enclaves of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which has also been confirmed by a spokesman for the EU monitors entering the zone. European...
Palin’s Foreign Policy Views Emerge
As Republican Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin makes her way around the television interview circuit, it allows us to learn more and more about her foreign policy positions. In her RNC address, she declared victory in Iraq within sight and cautioned against a...
Georgia Claims to Have Shot Down a Russian Drone
With tensions between the two nations still high after last month's brief war, Georgian Interior Minister Shota Utiashvili claimed today that his nation has shot down a Russian reconnaissance drone. He said the incident occurred near the town of Gori, and speculated...
US Eyes Further Measures Against Russia as Medvedev Calls for Reconciliation
The United States is reportedly mulling further steps against Russia beyond the move announced earlier this month suspending a US-Russia civilian nuclear pact. It is unclear what these further measures might include, but State Department official William Burns told...
Crimea Calls for Recognition of South Ossetia, Abkhazia as Enclaves Sign Russia Defense Deal
The Crimean Parliament voted today 79-8 to press the Ukrainian government to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. It seems highly unlikely that the Ukrainian government will act on the call given the collapse of its coalition government and the...
Georgia’s “Evidence” of Russian Aggression Revealed
Last week, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili claimed to have presented "very solid proof" to the European Union that the Russians instigated last month's brief conflict. Today, we finally have this evidence available for public scrutiny. It comes in the form of...
Ukraine’s Coalition Also a Casualty of Russia-Georgia War
Ukraine's Parliament is expected to declare its coalition government dissolved tomorrow, after a split between the factions of President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Unless a new coalition is formed within the next 30 days, which at this...
Georgia’s Path to NATO Stalled by Questions About Democratic Credentials
In a high profile visit to Tbilisi, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer reiterated the alliance's backing for Georgia in the aftermath of its brief August war with Russia. The NATO visit is seen as an important step towards Georgia's eventual membership in...
Pentagon Team Heads to Georgia as Medvedev Defends Decisions on War
The Pentagon is sending a team to Georgia to assess the state of its military in the wake of last month's brief war with Russia, a move likely to exacerbate tensions with Russia even further. Though the team is only authorized to determine Georgia's military...