Black Sea

Georgia’s Back and Forth Freedom Marches: The Case of Rustavi-2

A recent decision by the Supreme Court of Georgia has transferred the ownership of the nation’s most-watched nationally broadcasted television station, Rustavi-2, from its current co-owners, Giorgi and Levan Karamanishvili, to a former owner, Kibar Khalvashi. Now, the broadcast...

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Moldova and Ukraine: Diverging Neighbors?

To a casual observer, Moldova and Ukraine appear quite similar with their common Soviet histories, heavily corrupt domestic politics, and a frozen conflict on their eastern borders. However, while Ukraine remains entrapped in a war with Russia over eastern...

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Frozen Conflicts Put Solutions on Ice

With the U.S. presidential elections and flurry of executive orders coming from the Trump administration, many seem to have forgotten about the protracted conflicts in Eastern Europe. This is the nature of frozen conflicts. They continue simmering even as...

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Darker Shades of Gray: Why Gray Zone Conflicts Will Become More Frequent and Complex

The United States has long fielded the world’s most capable armed forces. It spends more on its military than the next nine nations combined, of which five are U.S. treaty allies. It fields more active-duty military personnel than...

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Crimea and the Art of Non-Recognition: A Baltic Analogy

Throughout his campaign, transition, and brief tenure in the White House, President Donald Trump has made no secret of his desire to repair ties with Vladimir Putin and Russia. One potential requirement for a “reset” may involve recognition of...

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Bulgaria’s Presidential Election: Uncertainty Looms

Bulgaria is a parliamentary representative republic, in which the president, elected by Bulgarian citizens, serves as the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The President of Bulgaria is also responsible for determining and implementing the country’s...

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What Does Russia Want From President Trump?

As the Trump administration begins to formulate its policies, it is clear that both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin want to improve ties between Moscow and Washington. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev correctly described U.S.-Russia relations as having hit...

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What Will Shape the Caucasus in 2017?

This month marks the launch of the Caucasus Cable, a new publication series from the Eurasia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. The publication is designed to provide in-depth analysis of countries that only occasionally make it into...

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What Will Moldovan Politics Look Like in 2017?

This month marks the launch of the Moldova Monthly, a new publication series from the Eurasia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. The publication is designed to provide in-depth analysis of a country that only occasionally makes it...

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Why the Black Sea?

When Americans think about the world, they divide it into discrete regions: Europe, spanning from Norway to Greece; the Middle East, stretching from Morocco to Iran; and the Asia-Pacific, covering Japan through Indonesia, or sometimes even to India. This...

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