Nov. 15, 2016 Countries in the borderlands ultimately won’t shift foreign policy to fully embrace Russia. By Antonia Colibasanu Several countries in the borderlands between Russia and the rest of Europe are changing leadership – but not their foreign policy. Russia-friendly politicians won presidential elections in Bulgaria and Moldova. On Nov. 9, the Estonian parliament passed a...

By George Friedman and Antonia Colibasanu Joy and Despair in European Statistics Europe needs more than temporary growth to boost its economy. The news of a rise in industrial production within the European Union has filled the media. Europe is hungry for good news and this is certainly better news than a decline. The question, however, is how...

de Antonia Colibăşanu Poveştile au zâmbete şi lacrimi strânse prin urzeala cuvintelor. Înainte ca literele să le zugrăvească sunetul, cuvintele sunt cele care colorează sentimente şi definesc muzica imaginaţiei. O păpuşă din lemn, într-un kimono roşu aprins, culoarea cerului la apus, cu cocori care-şi văd de zborul lor ordonat, în timp ce soarele nu mai e decât o minge...

Serbia is key to stability in the Western Balkans, and tensions are growing in the traditionally problematic triangle comprising Bosnia, Serbia, and Croatia. Serbia’s new government was appointed on Aug. 8, just days before U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Belgrade. Serbian Prime Minister Alexandar Vucic recently started a new term in office with his previous government left largely...

After the presidents of Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan met in Baku on Aug. 8, the media reported that the three countries have agreed to create a new natural gas cartel as well as establish an energy corridor between themselves. At the end of the month, on Aug. 29, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimukhammedov met German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. Turkmenistan has some of the world’s...

By Antonia Colibasanu This is the first part of an essay on the evolution of the digital environment in geopolitics. Antonia Colibasanu is an expert on geopolitics and strategic intelligence analysis, and an associate lecturer at the Academy of National Intelligence and the University of Bucharest in Romania. The views expressed are the author’s own. The digital environment is...

by Antonia Colibasanu Italo Calvino, “Invisible Cities” I associate Central Europe with the image of the vast plain around Warsaw, as observed during a raining afternoon plane landing. This time, my flight arrived late enough to be welcomed by the rainbow following a fugitive May rain shower. Then, when walking in the city, the wet wind reminded me of the salty cold taste of the Baltic Sea....

by Antonia Colibasanu European sanctions against Russia are set to expire on July 31, barring a unanimous vote to extend them the next time EU heads of state meet. Russia has developed several ways to influence Europeans. Over the long term, Moscow has chosen economic diplomacy, while also supporting any movement that seeks to unravel European integration and disrupt Transatlantic links. This...

by Antonia Colibasanu Leaders across the continent have made it one of their priorities to move towards greater energy independence for the European Union. But who is the driving force here: The EU or its individual member states? Two interconnected factors which are essential to the issue may help us explore this question: Energy infrastructure and Geopolitics. Infrastructure is no longer all...

by Antonia Colibasanu The better-known „Radetzky March” is a musical march, Op. 228, composed by Jonah Strauss Sr. and played commonly at New Year’s concerts. Less famous, perhaps, is the book written by Joseph Roth that goes by the same name. Roth’s „The Radetzky March” is a score written to the rhythm of the glorious Austrian Empire’s decline. The...