![China’s issue in Munich](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/MSC2020-China-USA-Geopolitics-5G-COVID-19-Pentagon-Esper-Pompeo-WangYi-Xi-Jinping.jpg)
China’s issue in Munich
The annual conference in Munich generated tensions between the USA and China.
![Russia’s Shoigu Visits Belgrade: Will Serbia Fall Afoul of the U.S.?](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Rosja-Serbia-Siergiej-Szojgu-zbrojenia-Aleksandar-Vulin.png)
Russia’s Shoigu Visits Belgrade: Will Serbia Fall Afoul of the U.S.?
Serbia’s ties with Russia are the best in many decades, as evidenced by Sergei Shoigu’s recent trip to Belgrade in what was yet another visit of a senior Russian official to Serbia.
![Russia’s Rosneft Hits Record-High Profits and Pays Out Biggest-Ever Dividends](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Russia-Rosneft-Igor-Sechin-oil-energy-industry-India.jpg)
Russia’s Rosneft Hits Record-High Profits and Pays Out Biggest-Ever Dividends
Throughout 2019, Russia’s state oil firm Rosneft earned 805 billion roubles ($12.6 billion), up from 649 billion roubles ($10.2 billion) in 2018. With increasing profits come record-high dividends to be paid out to the firm’s shareholders, including the state.
![Russia Hands Out Passports to Its Diaspora](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Russia-passports.png)
Russia Hands Out Passports to Its Diaspora
As reported by the Kommersant newspaper, a project is being developed in Russia to abolish the requirement to renounce the citizenship of other countries before obtaining a Russian passport.
![Attack in Donbass, Conference in Munich: Bad Signals for Ukraine](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Ukraina-Rosja-Donbas-wojna-porozumienia-mińskie-konferencja-w-Monachium-Wołodymyr-Zełenski-Siergiej-Ławrow.jpg)
Attack in Donbass, Conference in Munich: Bad Signals for Ukraine
First, the 2020 Munich Security Conference brought no positive results for Kyiv, and then, soon after that, pro-Russian rebels launched an attack in the Donbass.
![Russia’s Sechin Arrives in Minsk: “We Need to Continue to Cooperate”](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Russia-Belarus-oil-Igor-Sechin-Rosneft-Alexander-Lukashenko-energy.jpg)
Russia’s Sechin Arrives in Minsk: “We Need to Continue to Cooperate”
The Belarusian-Russian dispute over the terms of oil supplies has not ended in Sochi on February 7.
![Chinese economy at a crossroads – technologies and innovation](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/China-USA-transformation-technologies-5G-ICT-AI-RD-geoeconomics-Huawei-ZTE.jpg)
Chinese economy at a crossroads – technologies and innovation
Since 2000, China has intensely aimed to combine growth with the advantage in key technology areas which enable an upgrade in international production chains.
![The coronavirus hits the PRC’s economy](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/The-coronavirus-hits-the-PRC’s-economy.jpg)
The coronavirus hits the PRC’s economy
The outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic at the turn of December and January 2019/2020 contributed to a serious deterioration of expected economic growth in China from 5.8 to even 4.8%.
![German-Russian Company Signs Agreement on Energy Project in Egypt](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Russia-Germany-Egypt-Wintershall-DEA-BASF-LetterOne-Mikhail-Fridman-gas-oil-energy.png)
German-Russian Company Signs Agreement on Energy Project in Egypt
On the occasion of the recent security conference in Munich and Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Germany, a meeting has been held between the head of Russian diplomacy and his German counterpart.
![The Visegrád Group: On the Eve of the Polish Presidency in the V4](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Piotr-Bajda.jpg)
The Visegrád Group: On the Eve of the Polish Presidency in the V4
Next year, still during the Polish presidency, we will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Visegrád Group (the Visegrád Four, or V4), an unexpectedly lasting alliance of four Central European countries.
![The PRC’s security strategy in a new era](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/The-PRC’s-security-strategy-in-a-new-era.jpg)
The PRC’s security strategy in a new era
On the verge of the third decade of the 21st century, the People’s Republic of China has found itself in a critical moment of its modern history.
![“January Revolution” Gone Wrong: Putin Continues to Lose Public Support](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Russia-Vladimir-Putin-the-Kremlin-opinion-polls-the-Levada-Centre.jpg)
“January Revolution” Gone Wrong: Putin Continues to Lose Public Support
Another opinion poll conducted by the Levada Centre, an independent research centre, has confirmed the decline in Vladimir Putin’s approval ratings.
![Russia Strengthens Its Military Bases in Central Asia](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Russia-Central-Asia-the-CSTO-the-S-300-Kant-Dushanbe-Afghanistan-the-USA-China-Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan-the-military.png)
Russia Strengthens Its Military Bases in Central Asia
Moscow is increasing its military presence in Central Asian countries. What it all boils down to is air defence.
![Russia Puts Pressure on Norway: Svalbard as the Bone of Contention](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Rosja-Norwegia-NATO-Svalbard-Traktat-Spitsbergeński-Arktyka-wojsko.jpg)
Russia Puts Pressure on Norway: Svalbard as the Bone of Contention
Moscow has accused Oslo of discriminating against Russian activity on the Svalbard archipelago.
![The Baltic Fund concept presented to the authorities of Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/baltic-fund-profile.png)
The Baltic Fund concept presented to the authorities of Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland
Representatives of five think tanks from Poland and the Baltic States in the last few months have worked on the concept of establishing a new institution that will strengthen cooperation in the region. The initiator of this geopolitical project is the Polish think tank – Warsaw Institute.
![Summit in Sochi: Russia and Belarus Develop New Model for Energy Cooperation](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Rosja-Białoruś-Alaksandr-Łukaszenka-Władimir-Putin-Soczi-ropa-naftowa-gaz-gospodarka.jpg)
Summit in Sochi: Russia and Belarus Develop New Model for Energy Cooperation
After the recent meeting of the presidents of Russia and Belarus in Sochi, it has become clear that the existing model of cooperation between the two countries is a closed chapter in their common history.
![Deputy Chief of Russia’s General Staff Arrested: The FSB Hits the Military](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Function.mil_.ru_.png)
Deputy Chief of Russia’s General Staff Arrested: The FSB Hits the Military
The FSB, Russia’s military counter-intelligence service, has detained the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, and a court has sentenced him to two months in prison.
![Will Nord Stream 2 Be Built At All?](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Rosja-USA-Niemcy-Nord-Stream-2-Bałtyk-gaz-gazociąg-energetyka-sankcje.jpg)
Will Nord Stream 2 Be Built At All?
A German newspaper reported that the United States seeks to introduce further restrictions against the gas pipeline from Russia to Germany.
![Russia’s Death Toll in Syria Rises After Four FSB Officers Were Killed](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Syria-Turkey-Russia-Idlib-rebellion-FSB-Spetsnaz-war-Recep-Tayyip-Erdogan.png)
Russia’s Death Toll in Syria Rises After Four FSB Officers Were Killed
Four FSB special forces officers reportedly died on February 1 while performing special tasks in Syria, after having fallen into the hands of militants.
![New Vice-President of Warsaw Institute](https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Julia-Grzybowska-Warsaw-Institute-2.jpg)
New Vice-President of Warsaw Institute
On the 22nd of January 2020, the Board of Warsaw Institute Foundation has appointed Ms Julia Grzybowska as the Vice-President of Warsaw Institute Foundation. Julia has been involved with the Foundation since 2019.