Gunboat Diplomacy
Battleships, warplanes, brinkmanship, and geopolitics on the high seas. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Russia
From Mythology to Reality on Russia
The debate over Russia policy in the West is, unfortunately, not always grounded in reality. Continue reading
Autocrats, Kleptocrats, and Sanctions
Western sanctions against Belarus finally appear to be targeting Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s enablers in Russia. Continue reading
When Biden Met Putin: Assessing the Geneva Summit
When U.S. President Joe Biden met Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Geneva, Russia’s cyberattacks, election interference, human rights abuses, and aggression against its neighbors were all on the agenda. Continue reading
Tensions Mount between Belarus Dictator and Kremlin
is there a potential rift between Lukashenka, dictator of what is becoming the “North Korea of Europe,” and his patrons in the Kremlin? Continue reading
Axis of Autocrats: Belarus Dictator Lukashenka Backs Putin’s Ukraine War
The axis of autocrats in Eastern Europe continues to solidify as Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka bends over backwards to please his patrons and masters in the Kremlin. Continue reading
Putin’s Belarus Strategy: Arsonist and Firefighter?
Vladimir Putin has a proven skill for surreptitiously playing the arsonist and then offering his services as a firefighter. Continue reading
Autocrats and Air Piracy
Serious questions remain about whether the authoritarian regime of Alyaksandr Lukashenka acted alone in hijacking Ryanair Flight 4978 and kidnapping Belarusian dissident journalist Raman Pratasevich. Continue reading
Did Russia Assist in Belarus Dictator’s Act of Air Piracy?
Did the authoritarian regime of Alyaksandr Lukashenka act alone in forcing Ryanair Flight 4978 to land in Minsk? Continue reading
Pipeline Geopolitics
The Biden administration clearly views Russia’s Nord Stream-2 natural gas pipeline as a geopolitical project that threatens European energy security. But in Germany, the project has powerful supporters. Continue reading