Iran at the table: When foes come together over Syria

A week after top diplomats from Russia, the US, Turkey and Saudi Arabia met in Vienna for “constructive” talks on Syria, they’re doing it again. Only this time, Iran will be at the table.

Germany: Saving Refugees Comes with a Huge Political Price Tag

The influx of refugees into Germany is forcing its leaders to throw aside some of their long-held convictions and face reality.

European Energy Security Should Remain a U.S. Priority

The transatlantic partnership is vital to promoting a clean energy future in the run-up to December’s UN climate change conference and beyond.

Why Are Germans So Sympathetic to Russia?

The German public may not trust Vladimir Putin personally, but they are readily buying the Russian argument that Moscow feels encircled and endangered by the West.

Transatlantic Unity Makes Russia Sanctions More Effective

It has been a year since the United States, European Union, and other allies first sanctioned Russia for its illegal annexation of Crimea and aggression toward Ukraine.

Why Turkey’s ‘Kasimpasa man’ can’t get tough with Putin

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also known as the “Kasimpasa man” after the tough Istanbul neighborhood of his childhood. But when it comes to tough man of the region, Vladimir Putin, the Turkish leader can be surprisingly soft.

Build Bridges or Borders: Why NATO Cannot Continue with Enlargement Ambiguity

If it chooses enlargement, NATO could reassert itself in security discussions in the post-Soviet sphere by engaging its eastern neighbors through concrete measures aimed at closer integration.

The EU Needs to Ask Russia the Tough Questions

The EU must find the guts to put economic and hard security on top of the bilateral agenda with Moscow.

Germany Faces Tough Choices on Russia

Germany’s Russia policy remains above all guided by economics and energy, and the substantial Russia lobby in the German business community is unlikely to be moved by events in Ukraine.