China’s mediation of the Saudi-Iran normalization agreement signals a potential break from its long-standing policy of keeping to a minimal and economically oriented regional footprint. By successfully bringing two of the Middle East’s bitterest rivals to the negotiation table, China aims to build credibility as a capable partner in a …

The NATO-Georgia Commission met on Thursday (23 March 2023), with the participation by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Ilia Darchiashvili. The meeting provided an opportunity “to review the role and significance of our partnership with Georgia following a turbulent year, where the very premises of the European security …

March 2023 will be remembered as a good month for the Islamic Republic of Iran. First, Iran and longtime foe, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, announced they would re-establish full diplomatic relations and reopen embassies within sixty days, thanks to China’s mediation (and Iraq’s and Oman’s early efforts). The news …

Chinese President Xi Jinping this week traveled to Moscow to meet with his friend and ally, Vladimir Putin. It was the 40th time that the two have met since Xi took office more than a decade ago. The visit not only solidified China’s strategic partnership with Russia, but Xi also …

Something astonishing happened on March 10 in Beijing. After years of vindictive antagonism, mistrust and bloody proxy wars in the West Asia, Iran and Saudi Arabia finally reached an agreement to re-establish diplomatic relations and to reopen the embassies. According to a tripartite joint statement of the countries released by …

With its stockpile of Soviet-era weapons, Bulgaria, home to a thriving arms industry, could be a key ally of Ukraine, which is trained on and equipped with such arms, in its war against invading Russian forces. But with parliament now dissolved ahead of elections on April 2, the fifth snap …

Moscow’s war of aggression against Ukraine has caused a proliferation in the “privatization of force” in Russia (see EDM, February 27; February 28), with Yevgeny Prigozhin, the sponsor and founder of the notorious Wagner Group, enjoying unprecedented publicity. While some commentators and experts (both in Russia and abroad) argue that …

China’s mediation to normalise Saudi-Iranian diplomatic ties has been widely welcomed internationally, especially in the West Asian region. A clutch of unhappy states that do not want to see China stealing a march on any front, even if it advances the cause of world peace, mutely watched. The US led …

Georgia’s European future is falling victim to the country’s domestic power struggle. The EU’s delay in granting Georgia candidate status could strengthen the pull of Russia and silence pro-reform actors. Often considered a beacon of democracy in the post-Soviet space, Georgia faces a major turn toward authoritarianism. Located on the …

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU has stepped up its engagement in Eastern Europe. But it must now go beyond providing soft power support and become a security player in the region. Since Russia’s war in Ukraine began in February 2022, we have seen a different EU in …