Tag Archives: Russian

Russia’s economy continues to die a slow death, and is forecasted to contract even further this year. Europe must shine a spotlight on Russian business practices that threaten to have a global impact.

Moscow’s changing policy towards Pakistan may result in military deals and energy cooperation.

Pakistan's acquisition of advanced Russian MI-35 attack helicopters is a significant shift in Moscow's policy towards the South Asian nation. Islamabad is also purchasing Viper platforms from the US besides actively considering to acquire advanced Z-10 combat helicopters from China.

If the Iran nuclear deal eventually leads to a withdrawal of sanctions, the results will be increased Iranian supplies, forcing prices lower by some $10 per barrel. That could go a long way in changing the political structure of the Middle East, reducing West's dependency on its traditional allies in the region. Washington wants Iran positioned as a competitor to Russia for EU and Asian energy markets, and as a bulwark against Russian and Chinese expansion.

Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran and other major oil producers are engaged in the oil equivalent of mutually assured destruction. The sharp drop in oil revenue damages each of these countries economically and financially, while the wars they wage directly and indirectly against each other drain resources from vital domestic projects.

Armenia is now approaching a precipice, with an increasingly stubborn government unwilling or unable to offer any concessions set against an ever more resolute group of empowered and enthusiastic youth activists. Thus, there seems to be no clear way out of this stalemate, as each side finds it more difficult to back down from its demands.

With drop in oil prices, US may be able to wield an “oil weapon” directly rather than using Saudis as surrogates. The economic impacts of the oil price slump on the global macro-economy are multiple, complex and conflicting.

Only bilateral and multilateral trust and sincerity will help promote the national reconciliation in Afghanistan. But the ground situation hardly portends well because Dr Abdullah Abdullah, the Afghan People’s Dialogue on Peace, India and Russia on the one hand, and Dr Ashraf Ghani, Pakistan, USA, and China, on the other, find themselves at variance.

The debate has continued over what more NATO and European Union can do to punish Russia for taking over Crimea and to stop it from going any further. History is replete with similar scenarios with one or the other European power over stretching itself based on false sense of the ground situation, while attempting to change borders and correct history. …