Opinions
The End of the Yamal Contract: Poland’s Gas Sector to Enter a New Era
On November 15, PGNiG, Poland’s state-owned oil and gas company, submitted a declaration of intent to Russia’s Gazprom to terminate the Yamal contract – the most unfavourable gas agreement in Polish history.
Moldova Again Sails Toward Russia
The February 2019 Moldovan parliamentary elections have brought a political deadlock in the country, with neither party appearing to secure a parliamentary majority.
Russia’s New Strategy: Putin Ignites Tensions in the East
The post-Soviet zone has found itself in a shaky position for the first time in five years, or since Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and a hot phase of the Donbas war.
Macron – Russia’s Secret Weapon
Emmanuel Macron undermined U.S. leadership in the Alliance while raising questions about Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, the bloc’s fundamental principle.
Russia’s policy strategy
Apart from breaking up the Transatlantic Alliance, the strategic goal of Russian policy has long been to break up the European Union. A solidarity-based and strong EU prevents Russia’s expansion on the Old Continent.
U.S. Congress Shows Support for Georgia
The U.S. Congress is currently working on the adoption of the Georgia Support Act, a piece of legislation establishing additional support mechanisms for the authorities in Tbilisi.
Russia – China’s Junior Partner
Gone are the days when Communist China asked Joseph Stalin for help. It is even difficult to talk about an equal partnership between Moscow and Beijing.
Is the European Union Turning Away From the Western Balkans?
At the General Affairs Council meeting on October 15, 2019, in Luxembourg, an unfavorable decision was delivered as for the opening of accession negotiations with the two Western Balkan countries: Albania and North Macedonia.
Turkey’s Invasion of the Syrian Kurds
Codenamed Operation Peace Spring, the Turkish offensive into Syria is likely to shift the balance of power in Syria while deteriorating Ankara’s relations with the West.
U.S. Sanctions Hit Chinese Company
The Donald Trump administration has blacklisted China’s COSCO Shipping Tanker (Dalian) and its affiliated unit COSCO Shipping Tanker (Dalian) Seaman & Ship Management. And though U.S. punitive measures failed to cover the whole company –– known worldwide as one of the biggest container ship owners –– they have yet caused significant market turmoil while, quite unexpectedly, striking a blow to a Russian LNG venture.
Poland Needs Nuclear Power Plants, And U.S. Could Help
80 percent of Poland’s electricity comes from coal. Along with the rocketing costs of CO2 emissions and the higher demand for energy, its prices are going down, a tendency that raises concern on the Vistula. Poland’s energy transformation is a must, and renewable energy is not enough: the country will need nuclear power plants.
Georgia Is Tilting Towards Political Turmoil
Newest polls found that only a dozen or so percent of Georgian citizens see their country going in the right direction. On the one hand, a change in power in the next year’s general vote is likely to happen if the Georgian political stage witnesses the birth of the long-awaited “third political force.”
Playing the Trans-Caspian Game
The First Caspian Economic Forum, during which politicians and business representatives from five Caspian Sea states have met, has been recently held in Turkmenistan. As anticipated, the event has become a perfect occasion to announce a series of declarations and agreements by individual policy makers. Among the published reports, those regarding the plans of constructing the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline, which is greatly supported by the US and EU, seem particularly interesting.
The Gas Intermarium
An agreement on energy cooperation signed between the United States, Poland and Ukraine is yet another episode in the U.S.-Russian war over the hydrocarbon market in Central and Eastern Europe. This is the response to the increased cooperation between Moscow and Berlin and the plan to make Germany a hub distributing Russian gas. Now, Poland has a chance to become a competitive hub distributing U.S. gas. This will benefit not only the U.S. and Poland, but also other countries in the Central and Eastern European region, providing an alternative to Russian gas.
Warsaw Institute
