France all dressed up and nowhere to go
France is entrapped in the predicament of countries that get sandwiched between great powers. It is condemned to diplomacy that is constantly in a state of suspended animation interspersed with sudden bouts of activity
Putin’s nuclear warning is direct and explicit
The thrust of Putin’s state of the union address lies in his refusal to accept a fate for Russia in existential terms arranged by the West
China resumes shuttle diplomacy as Ukraine war drums get louder
A recent statement by French President Emmanuel Macron has led to questions on whether the ground is being prepared for a soft landing for the idea of western military deployment in Ukraine in some form
Germany swims or sinks with NATO
The US is re-energizing its coalition with Germany and Poland for the next phase of the Ukraine war. But, the German public is conflicted over this war
Nuland leaves a sense of foreboding in Kiev
All indications are that the US strategy through this year is to ‘hold, build and strike’ at Russia. Meanwhile, Moscow’s best option would be to create a buffer that keeps Russian territories out of reach of game-changing western medium and long-range missiles
An anniversary the West would rather forget
The anniversary of an epochal event from the annals of modern history, the Siege of Leningrad, is coming up in another 10 days. While it remains a living memory for the Russian people, it is an occasion that the US and many of its European allies would rather not remember
Blinken’s window dressing tour of Arab capitals
Biden’s interest narrows down to prevent the war from spreading in the region lest direct American military intervention becomes necessary. The US rhetoric and diplomatic posturing largely aims at damage control in Washington’s relations with its erstwhile allies in the region.
Putin lifts the fog of war in Ukraine
Putin’s message is that any new Western narrative on the war is doomed to meet with the same fate as the previous one unless there is realism that Russia cannot be militarily defeated and its legitimate interests are recognized