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Africa Europe Natural resources and energy Security

Nigeria: An emerging strategic partner to Europe’s energy transition

Nigeria could be emerging as a key strategic partner to Europe’s energy transition, and the Franco-Nigerian relationship is at its heart.

Europe Security

“De-Nazification is an Absolute Must”: Moscow’s Narrative in Ukraine

Russia’s propaganda narrative of ‘de-nazifying’ Ukraine has begun to undergo a linguistic de-securitization of sorts, in parallel with the Kremlin’s focus on more minimalist objectives as part of its ‘special military operation’. Any further linguistic de-vilification of the Ukrainian side will be key to a successful negotiation process between Kyiv and Moscow, since Putin cannot afford to be seen, especially domestically, as negotiating with ‘neo-Nazis’.

Europe International Security

Opinion: UK-EU cooperation in the Balkans

While the focus of the West has been rightly on providing military and diplomatic support to Ukraine, NATO and the European Union cannot afford to take their eyes off the Western Balkans. It is crucial to see this moment of crisis as not only an attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, but as a wider Russian test of the durability of the postwar European security order. As EU and Western Balkan leaders hold their summit in June, the regional stabilisation process in southeastern Europe has never been more important. 

Eurasia Natural resources and energy

The Future of the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline

Since February of this year, the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine has had extensive repercussions around the globe. The geopolitical scene is seeing military buildups in Europe, unprecedented since World War II, stronger political and diplomatic ties–within NATO and between Moscow and Beijing–and increasingly groundbreaking economic shifts, with many Western countries imposing sanctions against Russia and divesting their Russian assets. One of the most important factors caused by this domino effect appears to be energy security in Europe. 

China Debate Corner Politics

Opinion: A Review of Bill Hayton’s latest book, “Invention of China”

An in-depth review of Bill Hayton’s latest book, “Invention of China” stands out as an accessible and expertly crafted examination of the origin of modern Chinese political thought.

North America Politics

“Our Tradition is Revolution”: Patriot Front and the Future of Far-Right Extremism

The restructuring of the U.S.’s far right landscape over recent years has resulted in the rise of a chimera-like extremist organization: Patriot Front. Eschewing both centrally directed violence and the pitfalls of other far-right groups, Patriot Front seeks to repackage its fascist beliefs in a way that appeals to a broader swath of the discontented right wing. Patriot Front’s focus on more subtle right-wing iconography,“big-tent” fascism, and explicitly appealing to young males suggest that this group will persist where others have failed, in building a far-right movement for the next generation. 

International Security

Sanctioning Russia’s science community: at what cost?

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Western states, such as the US, UK and Germany have engaged in intense discussions about how to sanction Putin’s Russia most effectively. In the name of the West’s isolation strategy, numerous sanctions have been imposed, including on Russia’s science sector. A closer look at Western sanctions against the Russian scientific community suggests that the West’s isolation strategy might entail unintended effects, such as undercutting any long-term hopes for a more liberal Russian society, rolling back years of scientific collaboration on climate change and eventually, pushing Russia further into a codependent relationship with China.

Natural resources and energy South America

What does the Ukraine War mean for Colombian Coal Production?

Sanctions against Russia have intensified Europe’s search for alternative energy suppliers. One of them is Colombia whose President Duque seeks to take advantage of the country’s coal reservoirs. This is likely to aggravate already existing socio-environmental conflicts and human rights violations for inhabitants of major mining regions. 

Latin America Politics

Colombia’s Democracy Under Threat? Legislative Elections End in Chaos

Colombia’s governing right was defeated in March’s legislative elections. However, significant discrepancies between the preliminary and the final vote count have led to  allegations of fraud and calls for a nation-wide recount. Ahead of crucial presidential elections this month, this crisis is likely to foster further distrust and popular disenchantment with Colombian politicians and the state more generally.

Eurasia Security

The Russo-Ukrainian War and Nagorno-Karabakh’s Faltering Ceasefire

Azerbaijan has sought to exploit the world’s and Russia’s preoccupation with the war in Ukraine in order to militarily resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis. As Moscow becomes extensively embroiled in its so-called ‘special military operation’ against Kiev, it is highly likely that Baku will feel emboldened enough to push further into the contested region, even if this results in the antagonisation of Russian peacekeepers.