China & Russia
Membership for Russia a step too far for NATO?
08 July 2010
There are growing signs that Russia’s relations with NATO are on the mend. Senior Russian thinkers, some close to the government, have been cautiously talking up the possibility of Russia joining the alliance, as have several western officials and think-tanks (including the CER.)
How to reform the Russian economy
01 July 2010
Russia's economy faces tough medium-term challenges: over-dependence on oil and gas, state-dominated industries and meddlesome bureaucrats.
A transatlantic defence market, forever elusive?
01 July 2010
Despite close political and military ties across the Atlantic, defence markets are fragmented by burdensome export controls and government reluctance to buy equipment from abroad.
Shale gas and EU energy security
11 June 2010
Will unconventional gas solve Europe’s energy security problem? Many EU member-states rely a lot on Russian gas; in the case of some Central and East European countries the dependence is total.
Russia and the West: Is the reset working?
01 June 2010
There are signs that Russia is becoming less antagonistic towards the West and more inclined to work co-operatively with it. Some regard this change in behaviour as proof that the Obama administration's plan to 'reset' relations with Russia is working and that the EU's continuous efforts to engage Moscow are finally paying off.
Issue 72 - 2010
28 May 2010
- Will the Conservatives' charm offensive endure?, Charles Grant
- The euro's reality gap, Simon Tilford
- Russia and the West: Is the reset working?, Katinka Barysch, Tomas Valasek
Should the Nabucco pipeline project be shelved?
05 May 2010
Nabucco - a pipeline to bring Caspian and perhaps Middle Eastern gas to Europe - is the flagship project of the EU's fledgling energy diplomacy. Nabucco would add to the EU's energy security, strengthen its neighbourhood policies and improve relations with Turkey.
Can the EU be more effective in Afghanistan?
27 April 2010
The EU and its governments make a substantial financial, civilian and military contribution to Afghanistan - yet European influence in the country is limited. For too long the EU has had too many offices and representatives there, sometimes working at cross purposes.
China and the global financial crisis
16 April 2010
China has come through the global financial and economic crisis in a confident manner. Economic growth is strong and China's foreign policy has become more assertive. Bobo Lo's essay challenges many western assumptions about the rise of China.
Whatever happened to the G20?
14 April 2010
George W Bush convened the first G20 summit in Washington in November 2008, at the height of the global financial and economic crisis. At two further summits in 2009, G20 leaders pledged to co-ordinate their economic stimulus packages (as well as exit strategies), avoid protectionism, address global imbalances, triple the resources of the IMF, and work out stricter rules for banks, hedge funds and other financial players.
Issue 71 - 2010
26 March 2010
- There can be no eurozone stability without economic growth, Simon Tilford
- Should Britain leave EU police and justice policy?, Hugo Brady
- The EU must deliver on its commitment to Pakistan, Clara Marina O'Donnell
Can and should the EU and Russia reset their relationship?
22 February 2010
Russia's oil-fuelled boom has ended and President Medvedev is calling for radical improvements to the economy. Some EU politicians are tempted to offer Russia a 'modernisation partnership' to re-launch the stalled EU-Russia relationship.
How should Europe respond to China's strident rise?
01 February 2010
Until very recently, many western politicians, bankers and business people were broadly optimistic about the rise of China. They assumed that as China became more developed it would become more western.
Issue 70 - 2010
29 January 2010
- How should Europe respond to China's strident rise?, Charles Grant
- Why education should be at the heart of EU2020, Philip Whyte
- Does the EU need a public prosecutor?, Hugo Brady
China's peaceful rise turns prickly
22 January 2010
Have western attitudes to the rise of China been based on wishful thinking? China's increasingly tough approach to diplomacy is leading governments in the US and in Europe to rethink their policies towards China.
Gazprom’s uncertain outlook
18 December 2009
Many people in the EU tend to see Gazprom as a mighty giant that uses energy as a political tool on behalf of the Kremlin. They say that Russia has leverage because it controls 40 per cent of the EU’s gas imports.
Sharing the burden of a weaker dollar
01 December 2009
The eurozone has suffered a deep recession – bigger than the US and about as bad as that in the UK. Public finances across the eurozone have worsened dramatically, and in some cases now look perilous.
Last hooray for the EU on Iran?
25 November 2009
When the EU's first 'foreign minister', Cathy Ashton, starts work on December 1st, she will find Iran on top of her 'to do' pile. Earlier this week, Tehran turned down a proposal from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that would have seen a large part of the country's stock of uranium moved out of the country for further enrichment.
NATO, Russia and European security
06 November 2009
Countries in Europe's east and north worry that Moscow is blundering into a confrontation with NATO. They have begun demanding that the alliance start preparing for a possible conflict. But are they right to be concerned?
Making choices over China: EU-China co-operation on energy and climate
02 November 2009
The EU needs China to move rapidly towards a low carbon economy. Even with strong leadership at the highest level in China, this will not be easy, given the country's scale, diversity and development needs.