The European Union, Trade, Alliances, Security Concerns, and More
Aliyev, a Challenge to Armenian Sovereignty and the Rules-Based World Order
The U.S. government must view this illegal attack not through the prism of the decades-old Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, but as a clear and explicit challenge against the sovereignty of the Armenian Republic and against the rules-based world order.
The Camera’s “Power to Accuse”
Russia is harnessing the power of photography to make strategic gains in Ukraine. NATO must do the same.
The U.S.-French Diplomatic Crisis over the AUKUS Pact Is Not Catastrophic, But It Should Be a Warning for U.S. Policymakers
As the recalled French Ambassador noted, “every crisis is an opportunity.”
No one is Discussing Denmark’s Zero Asylum Policy, but We Should
Denmark attempts to promote deterring refugees as a humanitarian effort that dissuades people from embarking on the treacherous journey across the Mediterranean. The reality, however, is that asylum seekers will migrate regardless.
Maximalist Expectations & Armenophobia make a Long-Term Solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Unlikely
Given the centrality of the state in people’s lives in both countries, the reset of relations must come from the top. Regime change in both countries is indispensable for the real steps to peace and final settlement of the conflict to be taken.
American Unicorns Should Bring Their Magic to Europe
Americans chase “unicorns,” or start-up companies with a valuation of over $1B USD bringing the magic to America’s economy.
The EU Lacks a United and Truly Transatlantic China Strategy. It Doesn’t Need One.
“Who do I call if I want to call Europe?”
The West Shouldn’t Rush to Admit Ukraine Into the NATO Alliance
Ukraine’s admission into the transatlantic military alliance is a delicate issue which requires careful consideration of geopolitical factors and pragmatism by Western policymakers.
Another Contender Enters the Arena: Europe’s Plan For the Indo-Pacific
In recent years, European countries have made an increased effort to reestablish a strong presence in the Indo-Pacific, home to half of the world’s population and some of the fastest growing economies.
U.S.-Russia Relations Crumbled in the Gulf War’s Afterlife
Their unprecedented cooperation in the Gulf War gave the world a reason to believe that a partnership between Moscow and Washington could one day become a reality.
The SolarWinds Hack is a Wakeup Call: Should the U.S. Retaliate?
The SolarWinds hack, widely believed to be carried out by Russian state actors, is a wakeup call evidencing the weakness in American cybersecurity. Undetected for over half a year, the hack infiltrated networks of multiple government agencies and Fortune 500 companies, triggering a dispute over whether the United States should retaliate to discourage further cyberattacks.
Uskorenie, Perestroika, Glasnost: How and Why Gorbachev Killed the Soviet Union
Gorbachev wanted to create “socialism with a human face.” But in an attempt to save his own country, he was squashed by both his former allies and the new reformers. Uskorenie, perestroika, and glasnost simply pulled away the fragile veil that kept society stifled.
On The Road to Authoritarianism: How Navalny’s Arrest Signals Human Rights Abuses in Russia
While the recent protests are unlikely to result in substantial changes, they have brought more attention to the issues within Putin’s government. As other countries decide on how to react, actions by European nations may force the Kremlin to adjust its human rights record and decrease the suppression of opposition groups.
Laïcité and Islam: The French Paradox
Laïcité, or, secularism, has come to represent the cornerstone of a national identity based on French values. For the past century, French politics have made a virtue of secularism by largely banning institutionalized religion from the public sphere.
China-EU Investment Deal: A Return to Bipolarity?
Many observers warn that the CAI may be China’s way of undermining US-EU relations and preventing the Biden administration from crafting a transatlantic China strategy.
Brexit: How Johnson’s New Bill Seeks to Violate International Law and Fractures Peace between Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland
Brexit, however, put the peace between these nations at jeopardy. This is because Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, but it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland, which is still an EU member state. This led to many concerns that Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland would now need to…
Briefing: America’s Defense Posture in Europe is Signaling Greater Changes to Come in Europe’s Security
America is considering a defense pivot in Europe, which President Donald Trump claims to be in accordance to Russian threats and Germany’s failures to meet their NATO financial obligations. In January, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said America will begin this shift by withdrawing about twelve thousand of the thirty-six thousand American troops from Germany.
Lukashenko’s Belarus: The Final Throes of Europe’s Last Totalitarian State
On August 9, 2020, Alexander Lukashenko’s seventh presidential victory was announced to the people of Belarus. The news sparked outrage and protests erupted throughout the country’s capital of Minsk with hundreds of thousands of demonstrators flooding the streets claiming that the reelection of the Belarusian dictator was “neither free nor fair.”
Relinquishing the Third Largest Nuclear Arsenal in the World: What Ukraine Teaches about Nuclear Proliferation
After the dismantlement of the Soviet Union in 1991, the newly-formed state of Ukraine was “born nuclear” by inheriting about 4,000 of Moscow’s nuclear weapons, granting it the third largest arsenal in the world. Yet, in 1994, Ukraine committed to full disarmament.
Subscribe to JWA
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.
Journal on World Affairs, UCLA 