President Salome Zourabishvili of Georgia vetoed what is a copy of a Russian law on foreign agents. The pro-Russian government is clearly on a collision course with the people who have taken to the streets to protest. This law will effectively close the door for Georgia to the EU. The law, which is a…
In the shadow of the war in Gaza and Ukraine, a drama is unfolding in Georgia. The country may be heading for a popular uprising similar to that seen in Ukraine in the winter of 2013-14. The reason for the conflict is that the ruling party has introduced a law banning so-called foreign agents….
The ongoing attack on Ukraine is not Putin’s first war since he became prime minister in 1999. In the period since 1999, Putin has been President or Prime Minister continuously. The label dictator is just as easy to label him with. The overview of Russia’s wars is gloomy reading. I take them in order:…
While we are waiting for a full-scale Russian invasion of all or large parts of Ukraine, it is time to look at the cause of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. In this blog I will look back at historical events, the Maidan uprising in 2013-14, Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the Russian –…
In August 2008, Russian-backed separatists demanded independence in the areas of Georgia known as South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Soon afterwards, Russian tanks rolled into the area and ejected Georgian forces. Since then, the territories have been a frozen conflict, with Russian forces standing inside Georgia to secure the areas. The territories then proclaimed independence…